Chicken Florentine

This recipe gets TWO THUMBS UP. I would literally have this meal several times a week if the sauce wasn't so rich. I would put on a good 3-5 pounds a week easy. I may try a low cal version of this recipe, but then that may not be as fun. We will see. This is one of those recipes that is super easy to make, and would convince anyone that you were a chef extraordinaire.

Of course I made a few [quite a few] changes to this recipe; for starters I used fresh Spinach instead of frozen, I wanted a bit more texture so I also added roughly chopped Portabello Mushrooms. I added some freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano as well for a slight kick, and to play off the earthy aftertaste from the mushrooms. I also added chicken stock which balanced out that taste that white wine tends to lend to certain dishes.

You can serve this over rice, eat as is, or serve on a bed of noodles

Chicken Florentine Recipe [Adapted From Giada De Laurentis Recipe]

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons shallots, sliced
4 tablespoons chopped portabello mushrooms 
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan reggiano
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock 
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed, drained

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly. Shake off any excess flour. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until brown, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep it warm.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, mushrooms and garlic and saute until the shallots are translucent, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, about 1 minute. 

Add the wine and chicken stock. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Add the cream as well as parmesan cheese, and boil until the sauce reduces by half, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the sauce, and turn the chicken to coat in the sauce. Let sit for 4 minutes, then remove from heat. Remove chicken, set aside, and cover.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in another large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and saute until heated through. Season the spinach, to taste, with salt and pepper. Arrange the spinach over a platter. Place the chicken atop the spinach. Pour the sauce over and serve.