Red Wine Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Onions

It is anticipated that the weather is going to drastically change from the lovely, mild fall we have been experiencing thus far to the wild, wicked winter weather to which I have grown accustomed since moving to South Bend five years ago.  Therefore, a very short window of opportunity was available to complete the Christmas decorating and hang the outside lights before such a task will surely result in frostbite. So out came the bags and boxes of ornaments, lights, bows and bells from the closet, garage and attic.  I frantically put away the remaining autumn and Thanksgiving decor and replaced it with the glimmering, glitter of Christmas spirit.  However, while innocently adorning the front shrubs with white lights, I subtle wrong move caused an unexpected and unexplainable injury to my knee which rendered me immobile last evening and the better part of the today (I am currently, however, on the mend).  I had already thawed a chicken breast for dinner, so a fast browning in a skillet and a quick braise in some red wine made dinner a breeze.  I still had to clean up, but since this quick and easy meal is made virtually in one pan, my limping self had it under control in no time. 

Red Wine Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Onions
1 chicken breast, bone-in and skin on
5 or 6 cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/2 onion, medium diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup brandy
fresh thyme
salt and pepper

Coat chicken in flour and season with salt and pepper.  In a medium skillet, brown chicken in melted butter until golden brown.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.  Add mushrooms, onions and thyme to pan and saute until softened.  Return chicken to the pan, turn off stove flame, pour brandy over and flambe.  Once flames subside, add red wine, turn heat back on, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until chicken reaches 165 degrees (about 30-40 minutes).  Serve over fluffy white rice.