Chicken Dish Is Elegant Treat : Boneless Breasts, Mushrooms Are Simmered in Champagne

You don’t need to have guests to serve a special meal--treat your family to this elegant chicken dish. Boneless chicken breasts and mushrooms simmered in Champagne are topped with a velvety cream sauce.

But this would also make a luxurious dish for a dinner party.

CHAMPAGNE CHICKEN

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon tarragon, finely crushed

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

4 (7-ounce) half breasts chicken, boned

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 tablespoon oil

1 (187-milliliter) bottle Champagne

3/4 cup mushrooms, halved or sliced

1 cup whipping cream

Cherry tomatoes

Parsley

Combine flour, salt, tarragon, white pepper and paprika. Pull off and discard any excess fat from chicken. Roll chicken in seasoned flour to coat lightly.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter with oil in large skillet. Add chicken breasts, skin side down. Brown slowly on both sides. Spoon off any excess fat. Pour Champagne into pan. Set lid ajar on skillet and simmer until chicken is tender and Champagne is reduced by about half.

Heat remaining tablespoon butter in small skillet until bubbly. Add mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Remove chicken to serving dish, add mushrooms. Keep warm.

Add whipping cream to pan in which chicken was cooked. Simmer just until slightly thickened. Strain and serve over chicken. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and parsley. Makes 4 to 6 servings.