# Allen’s Duxelle Stuffed Baked Chicken Breasts



## AllenOK (Feb 5, 2007)

I made this for dinner tonight.  I got to thinking about it a couple of days ago at work, and decided to do it.  PeppA, my other half, likes it.  The only changes that I did, compared to what's mentioned here, is that I used Roasted Garlic Puree, both in the duxelle and in the sauce, as well as using a little milk to thin down the mushroom soup.  I didn't think about all the liquid the chicken breasts would release as they cooked, so you don't want to thin it down to much.

Allen’s Duxelle Stuffed Baked Chicken Breasts
Yields:  8 servings

For the Duxelle:
4 – 5 large mushrooms, ~ 2 oz
¼ c chopped onions
1 t minced garlic
-or- 1 – 2 T Roasted Garlic Puree
1 T oil
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ c bread crumbs
For the Chicken:
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Thyme
Sage
One 12 oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup
¼ c chicken stock
Oil for sautéing

	For the duxelle; in a food processor, combine the mushrooms, onions, and garlic.  Process until finely minced.  Heat a sauté pan and add the oil.  Sauté the duxelle mixture until soft, then season with salt and pepper to taste.  Off the heat, mix in the bread crumbs.
	To stuff the breasts, lay each breast out flat, and using a thin, sharp knife, slide the blade into the thickest part of the breast, making the cut lengthways, parallel to the cutting board, and not poking through the sides.  You want a long, thin, “pocket”, with the only hole being at the thick end.  Hold the breast up, so the thin part hangs down, the opening faces up, and stuff with enough of the duxelle to fill the pocket, but not to “burst the seams”.  This is easily done by hand when the mixture is cold, however, if you have a piping bag, you can pipe the warm duxelle into the chicken.
	Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Season the chicken to taste with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and sage.  Heat a sauté pan with some oil.  Brown the chicken breasts, and arrange in a 9 x 13” baking pan.  Deglaze the skillet with chicken stock, then add the cream of mushroom soup.  Bring to a simmer, stirring to make the sauce smooth.  Once it’s smooth, pour the sauce over the chicken.  Cover with foil, and place in the oven.  Bake for 1 hour.
NOTE:  You need to check the temperature of the stuffing with a probe thermometer.  The stuffing needs to reach 165°F to eliminate any risk of salmonella.


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## SizzlininIN (Feb 5, 2007)

Ohhhh this sounds wonderful. Def. adding it to my chicken recipe box.  Thanks for sharing!


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## BreezyCooking (Feb 6, 2007)

Sounds wonderful - both delicious & easy!!  Thanks!!


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## tsim (Feb 7, 2007)

Sounds great!  I was wondering: I'm in college and usually just fixing for one.  On the duxelle, would I need to simply reduce those amounts by 1/8?  Or should I just make the recipe as you listed it and just save the leftover for another time?  Thanks again for posting!  (I should really get back to studying now...  )


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 7, 2007)

Allen, you make me a happy man with this recipe as I love both chicken and shrooms.  I might just have to do a bit of grocery shopping tonight. 

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Constance (Feb 7, 2007)

Allen, that really looks good! We will definately try that one. I'll bet you could do the same thing, using pork loin chops.


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## tsi88kid (Feb 7, 2007)

Isn't duxelle traditionally cooked with a wine or some type of cognac? I could be wrong but that is just the impression I was under.


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## velochic (Feb 8, 2007)

I've always known a duxelle to be with wine, too.  But it's a nice recipe.

The only changes that I would make for us is that I would salt and pepper the mushrooms, onions (and I'd probably use shallots), and garlic so that they give up more liquid and I could reduce more.

I also don't use canned soups, so I'd try to use a simple bechamel for the cream sauce.

That's what makes a good recipe, though... making other cooks think.  

Thanks Allen!!


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## AllenOK (Feb 8, 2007)

It's quite possible that a classic Duxelle has wine in it.  I never checked a recipe, just "shot from the hip" on memories that are 9 years old, and incorporated my own tastes into it, i.e., the roasted garlic.

I actually did add some salt and pepper to the mushrooms.  I might not have added enough.  I've been trying to be a bit conservative on the amount of salt I use, as I've noticed that I've been over-salting food lately.


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## velochic (Feb 9, 2007)

AllenOK said:
			
		

> I've been trying to be a bit conservative on the amount of salt I use, as I've noticed that I've been over-salting food lately.



I add it at the beginning of cooking (like in onions before they saute, etc.), so I get more bang for my buck... that is, I can use less salt for more taste than I would if I added it at the end.

I TOTALLY understand the over-salting.  It is so delicious, but all of us could probably use less.  

I love the recipe!  I was just adding some of my own comments about how I might change it.


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## StirBlue (Feb 9, 2007)

AllenOK:  I just made the cream of mushroom soup, with garlic, onion and seasoned with ground black pepper, earlier this week.  It is soo good!  
   I made a slow cooker veggie/cheese lasagna.  I put this mixture in the bottom of the dish and then a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles.  Then the seasoned tomato sauce, a layer of bells & onions, cheese mixture, more noodles and so on.  It cooks in about 6 hours.  
   I add 1/2 cup water to the mushroom soup and a full cup to the tomato sauce for the moisture needed to cook the noodles.  
   It makes a white sauce/red sauce lasagna that is unique and very good.  
   When in season I will use fresh mushrooms with the bells & onions and probably some zucchini too.  

   I keep canned soups in my pantry as a staple as most people do.  I also use frozen bells & onions.  It is off season and fresh produce is not so plentiful.  
   I am going to try your technique for cutting the breast piece for stuffing.  Slicing from the side just makes two layers and not a pocket.   Did you use seasoned bread crumbs or plain.  
   I am more of an herbs & spice person than salt.  Although in cookies & sweets the salt will perk up the sugar and make it taste better....hence that dab of salt is good for something after all!


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## AllenOK (Feb 9, 2007)

StirBlue, your lasagne recipe sounds intriguing.

I've never tried frozen onions.

Mushrooms don't really have a "season", unless you are buying some wild variety that cannot be cultivated.  "Button" mushrooms take two weeks to mature, from "planting" to harvesting.  There's a really interesting eppy of "Dirty Jobs" that shows how mushroom farmers work.  All they really have to do is split their total growing volume into two different times, and "plant" one half one week, the second half the second week, harvest and replant the first one the third week, harvest and replant the second half the fourth week, etc., ad naseum.


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## StirBlue (Feb 9, 2007)

Then I assume that we must have seasonal prices!!!  

I check the expiration date on some expensive dairy products like ricotta cheese. Then I recheck it a few days before the date. The store always runs an in-store special on it. This saves me major bucks. 
I wish they would do that with fresh fruit & veggies. They have some yellow squash right now that is $2.49 per lb. It is quite rotten. They removed the rotten $2.49 per lb. zucchini (didn't replace it either). 
I never ever buy close to expiration date dried herbs & spices though. They are no good. 
I will pay the high price for fresh raspberries & blueberries. It's time to make that Presidential Cake.


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