Balsamic Mushrooms and Chicken

Mushrooms are weird. They're technically a fungus which is weird. When considering nutrition though, are they technically a vegetable? There was a simpler time when anything yucky looking or sounding could be assumed to be a vegetable. That time was called childhood. The only place where mushrooms would crop up was in my dad's pasta sauce or on a supreme pizza. Both acceptable places to hide mushrooms amongst other tastier things like cheese.

 

 Now you know you're an adult when you actively pursue mushrooms: portobello burgers, grilled cheese with mushrooms, homemade supreme pizzas and straight up mushrooms by themselves! I made an egg scramble a couple weeks ago using some mushrooms and balsamic vinegar and it was devine. So I decided to recreate the experiment with a dinner version. Chicken form still included plus some parsley for extra pinache.

In a frying pan, diced chicken is browned after marinating in balsamic vinegar. While the chicken is browning on one side, slice up some mushrooms. Apparently there are different kinds of mushrooms besides portobello and 'other' but let's not get too fancy by knowing names. I think these are button mushrooms? Or cremini? Basically any mushroom will do.

 

 Once the chicken is browned on both sides, add the mushrooms and another dash of balsamic, just to be safe. Chop up some parsley because we're fancy like that. Add to the skillet, reduce heat and cover to let the chicken cook completely. Oh and there's some garlic in there too! I definitely added this as an afterthought but I recommend adding it with conviction earlier in the process.

 

 I served this up with some quinoa (go big or go home on the adult front). And now I have lunch for the week!

Recipe

• 6 small mushrooms sliced (possibly cremini, possibly button, could do portobello but recommend the smaller varieties)
• Diced chicken (however much you'd like, really)
• 1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Coconut oil (or vegetable oil) for browning
• Quinoa or rice as a side

1. Pour balsamic vinegar over the chicken. Not too much, the chicken will be cooking in it so 2 Tablespoons should suffice.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
3. Add the chicken to the pan, reducing heat if the oil splatters too much.
4. Brown the chicken on both sides before adding the mushrooms.
5. Add the mushrooms and parsley to the pan, reducing heat to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook until the chicken is cooked through.
6. Meanwhile, you can cook rice or quinoa to pair with the mushroom chicken.
7. Once the chicken and mushrooms are cooked, serve with the quinoa/rice or refrigerate for lunch/dinner later.