Chicken with Spinach and Apple Brandy Cream Sauce

Here's a chicken entrée that is elegant enough to serve on special occasions, yet easy enough to serve anytime you want something special. This delicious recipe is from the Blue Ribbon Cooking School, Seattle, Washington.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless
2 tablespoons butter - divided use
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup leeks, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup apple brandy
1 cup heavy cream
1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cooking Directions:

1. Between two sheets of plastic wrap, place chicken breasts. Pound with meat cleaver until chicken breasts are 1/2-inch in thickness. Set aside.
2. In large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon butter and vegetable oil. Add chicken; sauté for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove chicken, set aside and cover with foil to keep warm.
3. To same pan, add carrots, leeks and celery. Sauté until browned and very soft, about 4 minutes.
4. Add apple brandy to pan, ignite with match and let flames subside.
5. Pour in cream, reduce heat to low and bring mixture to simmer. Cook until cream is slightly thickened and reduced, about 3 minutes.
6. While sauce is cooking, place spinach leaves in saucepan with second tablespoon of butter. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to spinach; cook over low heat about 2 minutes to wilt.
7. To serve, spoon one-fourth of spinach in the middle of each of 4 individual plates. Place chicken breast on top of spinach. Spoon sauce and vegetables over chicken and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of the National Chicken Council. Used with permission.