Green, o beautiful green. I never knew I loved you so much! From green leaves to green grass and yes even those green vegetables. I just can’t get enough, especially after our long, long winter. Fresh, locally grown produce is a welcome sight around here and we take full advantage of it. Especially with this healthy pan fried chicken with creamy mushroom and asparagus sauce, amazing, but isn’t anything coated in sauce?
Honestly, I have been quite turned off by meat this pregnancy and have a hard time thinking about it. But coat it in gravy or sauce and I am all in. So that is really all we have been eating lately. I don’t think Payton minds either. We seem to fight over the leftovers. I had this meal all thought out in my head one afternoon and was preparing to work on it when disaster struck, and the thoughts of cooking anything quickly went out the window.
My cute butter-ball of a nephew got himself into a little pickle at our place. Up until this point he has been the picture perfect baby. You know those babies that sleep through the night before they are even a month old? Yeah, I’ve never had one of those either. You can be a hater just like me. Although I enjoy the fact that he is a pretty easy-going, laid back kid (since I do have him eight hours a day) but I must say I had been wishing for trouble just so his parents could somewhat understand what it is like. I guess I just wished for it in the wrong place.
It seems like ever since he turned one, he thought he would turn into this toddler who just looks for trouble (don’t worry he still sleeps through the night, as usual. Disgusting). Anyways, he found trouble and it was under my watch. It turns out he shut himself in our bathroom and opened a vanity drawer so you guessed it, we couldn’t get in. With only a little crack to look through we could tell that the drawer was definitely open and there was no way we were going to get it shut.
I tried to coax him into coming to the door and pushing it shut, but that is easier said than done with a thirteen month old. The talk of food and poppy (grandpa) didn’t even get him excited enough to want to come out. Later we realized why, he had destroyed nearly every roll of toilet paper he could find. He was having quite the time in there. So, while he is in there having a great time, I am on the outside panicking quietly. Luckily it was the end of the work day so my husband was home as well as my dad. After some finagling and finally taking the trim off around the door and breaking the door jam we were able to get the little booger out.
Although funny now, it was not a situation I hope to be in again. I’m not sure my husband has fully gotten over the experience either. Not much stresses him out, but house stuff, big money stuff, that is a different issue. He probably would have sat there until he got him to close the drawer on his own. But that wasn’t going to happen. The look on his face was priceless after all was said and done. I would share a picture but I don’t want to push him over the edge. He is still working through the grieving process on this one.
So that was our night and after all of this we didn’t get a glorious supper like I had hoped. I did pull through the next night though (maybe trying to lift his spirits a little bit) with this little number. It was worth the wait. We served it up with some wilted buttered greens and lots of the mushroom and asparagus gravy, which I’m convinced would probably taste good on anything.
Moral of the story, life is never dull with kids around!
- 4 chicken breast halves
- 3 cups chicken stock (broth), divided
- ½ cup cream
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder (may need to add more if it is not thickening)
- 1 (8 oz) package sliced button mushrooms
- 1 (8 oz) package sliced portobello mushrooms
- Half a bundle of asparagus, chopped
- ½ medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2-3 Tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- In a skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat.
- Season chicken breast with salt and pepper.
- When oil is heated, add chicken breast and pan fry for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Remove and place in sauce pan and cover with broth.
- Place a lid on and let simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until cooked through.
- Meanwhile in skillet with drippings, add additional 3-4 Tbsp butter, onion and mushrooms. Cook until tender and then add asparagus and 1 cup stock.
- Place a lid on skillet and let simmer for 5-10 minutes or until asparagus is tender.
- Meanwhile in a small bowl mix together cream and arrowroot powder.
- Slowly add to skillet with mushrooms and asparagus and stir until thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper and add back in chicken breasts.
- Serve!
