Chicken Breasts Perigord

Source:  Lucy Waverman

This flavorful and elegant chicken is stuffed with a combination of fresh and dried mushrooms.  Because the breasts are stuffed under the skin, the stuffing moistens the chicken meat and keeps it juicy.  Use either dried porcini or dried Chinese mushrooms; they have the most flavor.  The sauce can be made ahead of time and the breasts stuffed a few hours before baking.

6 Dried mushrooms
1/2 cup boiling chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
4 shallots
8 ounce fresh mushrooms finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or basil
3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup whipping cream
3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 single boned chicken breasts, with skin on.

Sauce

1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup mushroom-soaking liquid
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons port or Madeira
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

1. 
Soak the mushrooms in boiling chicken broth for 20 minutes.  Drain the
mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid and the mushrooms
separately.Chop the mushrooms.

2.
Preheat the oven to 375°F

3.
Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the
shallots and dried and fresh mushrooms.  Saute until all the liquid has
evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the basil
or tarragon, bread crumbs, cream and parsley.  cook until the cream has
reduced and the filling is thick. Season with salt and pepper.

4.
Divide the filling in six portions.  with your fingertips, make a
pocket between the skin and the flesh of each chicken breast.  Stuff
the filling under the skin of the chicken breasts.  Season the breasts
with salt and pepper and place in a buttered baking dish large enough
to hold the breasts in one layer.

5.
Bake for 30 or 40 minutes, basting occasionally, until the juices run
clear.

6.
To make the sauce, in a frying pan, combine the onions and wine.  On
high heat, bring to a boil and reduce until you have 1 tablespoon of
liquid.

7.
Pour in the mushroom liquid, reduce to 2 tablespoons and then add the
chicken stock and continue to boil until the stock is reduced by half.
Add the port and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the sauce is
smooth and strongly flavored.

8.
Combine the cornstarch and cold water and stir into the sauce,
simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.  Season
with salt and pepper and add any juices from the chicken.  To serve,
pour the sauce over the chicken breasts.