I Told You I Love Her: Chicken With Mushroom and Balsamic Cream Sauce

I made this Rachael Ray recipe tonight at Nick's request.  (See?!  He loves her too, he just can't admit it.)  

I follow RayRay's (that's how BFF we are -- she lets me call her RayRay) recipe almost to the letter, but I use a few modifications that make it simpler and more to suit our tastes.

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS AND BALSAMIC CREAM SAUCE

• 1/2 pound orzo pasta
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• approx 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 large portobello mushroom caps, thickly sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbs fresh thyme leaves (about 8 sprigs) or 1 tbs dried thyme leaves
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 tbs flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbs half-and-half
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper

Season chicken with salt, pepper, and thyme.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown chicken breasts (about 5 minutes on each side).  Remove chicken from pan and cover with foil to keep warm.  

Cook the orzo to al dente according to package directions in liberally salted water.  

As soon as you drop the pasta into the water, begin cooking the sauce.  (Don't begin cooking earlier or it won't all come together at the same time!)  

Add butter to the pan you used to cook the chicken. Melt over medium-high heat.  Once the butter melts, add the mushrooms and brown (about 4-5 minutes). Once the mushrooms are brown, reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, thyme and shallots. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the shallots are wilted. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Whisk in the stock, balsamic vinegar, and the half-and-half.  Just before serving, stir in the parsley.  

Slice the chicken on an angle. Pile orzo on dinner plates, top with sauce, then add sliced chicken to the top of the dish.  Serve with a sliced tomato salad.

(Serves 4)

Sorry for the horrible pictures.  It tastes better than it looks.