[chicken madeira]

It looks harder than it is - this is our new favorite dish.  It's amazingly light and delicious.

Serves 2-4
For two: serve with garlic bread, each serving having 2 breasts
For 4: Serve with garlic mashed potatoes, one breast each

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 skinless chicken fillets

8 asparagus spears

4 mozzarella cheese slices

Sauce: 

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups sliced fresh white mushrooms

3 cups Madeira wine

2 cups beef broth

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Pound chicken breasts to about 1/4 inch thick.  Sprinkle each fillet with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet/sauce pan over medium heat.  Saute the chicken fillets 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until the chicken has browned up a bit.  Remove chicken breasts and wrap them together in foil to keep warm while you make the sauce.  Don't clean the pan - add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and keep pan at medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add the Madeira wine, beef broth, butter and pepper.  Bring sauce to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce reduces to about one-quarter of it's original volume.  When the sauce is done it will thicken and turn a dark brown color.  

As the sauce is simmering, bring a medium saucepan filled about halfway with water to a boil.  Add a little salt to the water.  Toss the asparagus into the water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes until they're tender, but not mushy.  Drop the asparagus into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.  (Keep them in the bath until sauce is done.)

When sauce has finished, set oven to broil.  Arrange chicken breasts on a baking pan (discard the foil).  Lay two asparagus spears on each fillet and cover each with a slice of mozzarella cheese.  Broil chicken for 3 to 4 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt with light brown spots.  

Serve with a ladle of sauce (with mushrooms) on each breast.