Grown-up Alice Spring’s Chicken

One of my favorite dishes from Outback used to be Alice Spring’s Chicken.  What’s not to love about chicken and bacon smothered in cheese and sauce… However, my taste buds have changed a bit and I’ve created a quick pan fried version that is flavorful and simple.  I sometimes use two frying pans to cut the cooking time in half, if this is too much for you to handle, it can all be done in one pan…  at a slower,  perhaps more normal pace :)

This can also be made completely dairy free if you omit the butter and cheese.  Equally delicious, but good for those who just can’t tolerate the dairy.

Grown-up Alice Spring’s Chicken

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 chicken breasts, sliced in half (for quicker cooking)
• 10 oz baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine  (chicken broth works fine too)
• 3 tablespoons dijon
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup (or more)  swiss cheese (I prefer gruyer)
• 4 slices proscuitto, chopped and pan fried until crisp
• a few springs of thyme

1. Preheat pan.   Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. In skillet, pan sear chicken in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, until golden brown on both sides, at this point it does not need to be cooked thru, it will finish cooking at the end.  Remove from skillet onto a plate.
3. Add shallots, cook until tender.  Add mushrooms and butter.  Give a quick stir, and then leave it alone.  Allow the mushrooms to “pan-roast”, after a few minutes flip.  Cook until golden.  Stir in garlic.
4. De-glaze pan with white wine, let it reduce down for 1 minute.
5. Add dijon and honey.  Stir to combine.  Turn burner down to low.
6. Arrange chicken on top.  Sprinkle with grated cheese and thyme.  Cover with lid (or foil, if you don’t have one to go with that skillet)  Keep covered and simmer on low until cheese has melted and chicken is cooked thru.
7. Remove lid, sprinkle with crisped proscuitto and serve warm.

I usually serve this with steamed rice and a simple salad.  But I’m Asian so rice goes with everything, perhaps mashed cauliflower or zucchini ribbons would work as well.

*Yields 8 servings