My Chef's Hat - Pan-Seared Chicken with Balsamic Cream Sauce, Mushrooms and Onions

I've never really been a fan of white meat chicken.  It always seems very dry and over-cooked.  I much prefer the leg & thigh meat, as it has a lot more flavor and stays very moist.  I know dark meat is higher in calories, but to me it's worth it. 

I've found that using chicken thighs is a perfect substitute for the breast because the cooking time is about the same.  I found what looked like a really delicious recipe on Pinterest...Pan-Seared Chicken with Balsamic Cream Sauce, Mushrooms and Onions and decided to try it out.

As soon as I read the menu I made a few adjustments to lighten it up.  I caramelized the onions in just a tiny bit of Smart Balance.   To brown the chicken I used a combo of margarine and Smart Balance instead of butter, and also cut back on the amount.  I did a combo of heavy cream and half-and-half for the cream sauce.  I also made some egg noodles to complete the dish.

Here is the official version

And here's my version:

In a word...yummy!  The sauce had a rich flavor, but really didn't feel super heavy.  The caramelized onions added a great depth of flavor, along with the balsamic vinegar.  I made extra of the sauce, and it was perfect over the egg noodles.

Will I make it again?  Definitely!  I plan to lighten it up more too:  Pam to caramelize the onions, all half-and-half for the sauce, and only Smart Balance to brown the chicken.  I'll also reduce some white wine before adding the chicken broth, to add even more flavor.


Recipe found on Peace Love and Low Carb