Flying Chicken

Why did the chicken cross fly across the road? Cuz she was in a hurry of course.

This recipe came to me as I cooked it. I got home late from work and had nooooo idea what I was going to do with the 2 chicken breasts I had defrosted in the fridge (this is a common occurrence).  As I pulled the chicken out, I thought I was going to make a simple creamy garlicy herby sauce (again. and I was not thrilled with the idea) but as I started the process, and began looking through my fridge...it evolved into something completely different.

And new.

The results were...well....yummy. I've been informed that I need to make more "pantry" meals. Probably one of the best compliments I've received in a long time.

So here I sit....writing down this recipe before I forgot what the hell I did...but I couldn't think of a name. My daughter gave me some strange (only a teenager could understand) names. I suggested Chicken on the Fly and she thought that was gross.

LOL...guess she's not all too familiar with the saying "on the fly"...thus it became Flying Chicken.

I don't have pictures of the process. I didn't know I'd be adding it to my blog, but here I am....and here we go....(keep in mind that the seasoning ingredients are approximate. Use it as a guide and do with it as you wish)

2 chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch chunks
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive Oil
6 crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
2 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1/3 can of milk
Shredded mozzarella cheese to garnish

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and saute in olive oil until brown, remove from pan and set aside.
Add mushrooms to the pan with a bit more olive oil if needed and saute until just barely tender. Remove from pan and set aside
Add garlic and the rest of the seasonings and saute briefly...about a minute.
Pour the tomatoes and milk into the pan and stir to combine.
With an immersion blender, puree the tomato mixture. Because my pan was so wide, I had to remove the mixture to a tall, narrow container to puree properly without making a huge mess. Once pureed, return to the pan along with the chicken and mushrooms. If needed, add more salt and pepper to taste.
Heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
Serve over pasta.

Poof....dinner is served.

It's creamy yet not too rich. I didn't want anything "Italian". No reason...just not in the mood, so I stayed away from the Italian seasoning that was calling to me from the spice cupboard. There's a slight after "bite" to it. Probably from the paprika....but it's just enough to catch your attention. Fast, easy and satisfying. The perfect working mom's weekday dinner.

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