Inspiration can come from the most unusual places. While on the phone with a fantastic customer service representative, conversation gravitated towards food – no surprise, as it was supper-time. If you’re reading this, Anthony, your suggestion of modified chicken alfredo prompted this amazing dish. Two batches later, I’m still hoping for leftovers!
How does this compare to alfredo sauce? They are both rich and creamy, chicken and mushrooms smothered by sauce, and loaded with garlic and cheese. But that’s pretty much where the similarity ends.
- Instead of cream, this has cream cheese.
- Instead of parmesan, this has smoked gouda.
Let me tell you a little bit about gouda —
Gouda is a semi-hard cheese from the Netherlands. In fact, while visiting Amsterdam, I learned that the name of this cheese is actually pronounced more like “cHOW-da” than the typical American “GOO-da”. It is one of my favourite cheeses, especially when I can find product actually imported from the Netherlands, rather than Wisconsin-style cheese. Smoked gouda has a rich and deep flavour – tastes a bit like bacon. Aged gouda is just as wonderful – and without the salted pork taste.
Here are some tips for the preparation:
- Crush dried thyme before combining it with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Rub the thyme mixture on the chicken breasts, then put each breast in a ziploc bag and pound it to an even thickness. This presses the seasonings into the meat.
- Slice the chicken into strips and brown over medium-high heat. Don’t crowd the pan or the meat will sweat more/brown less.
- Keep browned meat covered so it doesn’t dry out.
- Having roasted garlic on hand makes this a much quicker recipe. Any time you have the oven going for an hour or so, roast a few more heads (of garlic, silly!) and store in the refrigerator.
- Season the mushrooms as you brown them over low heat in the same pan, so they can pick up some of the wonderful flavours.
- Deglaze the pan with cream cheese. You read that right! You don’t need wine or broth to deglaze, just let the cream cheese melt in the pan and pull up all those wonderful brown bits.
- Squeeze out the roasted garlic from its skin, and mash with a knife before adding to the cream cheese and dijon mustard.
- Add the chicken broth 1/4 cup at a time, with the final addition being mixed with cornstarch.
- Let the gouda melt before returning the chicken and mushrooms to the pan. Make sure every piece is covered in that incredible sauce.
- IF you have any leftovers, they reheat better stovetop than micro. (The mushrooms get rubbery in the micro.) Just add another dash of broth or water to smoothen the sauce as it is reheating.
Creamy Smoked Gouda Chicken and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken breast
- 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 8–10 ounces mushrooms (combination of shiitake and portabella is nice)
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 head roasted garlic
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 cup grated gouda cheese (either aged or smoked, depending on your preference)
Instructions
- Crush thyme, then combine with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Rub all over chicken breasts. Place chicken into a ziploc bag one at a time, and pound until all one thickness, pounding the seasoning into the meat.
- Slice chicken into 1/2 – 1 inch strips.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil, then brown the chicken strips in batches, making sure you don’t over-crowd the meat. Cook about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown, then flip for another 4-5 minutes.
- Remove chicken to a plate and cover to prevent drying.
- While chicken is cooking, slice mushrooms, squeeze roasted garlic from its skin and mash with a knife, and shred gouda cheese.
- In the same skillet, reduce to low heat, add the remaining olive oil, and cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove mushrooms to the same plate as chicken, and cover with foil.
- Add the cream cheese to skillet over low-medium heat, allow it to melt a little, Then begin scraping up all the delicious brown bits left behind by chicken and mushrooms. Add the mashed roasted garlic and dijon mustard, stirring well.
- Stir in the chicken broth 1/4 cup at a time. After 3 additions, take the remaining 1/4 cup broth and add cornstarch. Pour that into the sauce and allow it to thicken (this takes just a moment).
- Reduce heat, stir in the grated gouda, and then return the chicken and mushrooms to the skillet. Stir well to make sure every piece is coated in the garlicky, cheesy, goodness.
- Serve with a salad or roasted vegetables. (No need for rice or pasta!)
