Asparagus, Spinach, and Basil Stuffed Chicken with a Mushroom Cream Sauce

Spent the evening helping a friend move to a new apartment.  In the course of events, I decided to head over to the store and get something to make dinner while he was doing something that didn't require my help.  I figured I'd just get something quick and easy, but on the way to the store, this is what i came up with.

I'd have to say that my best ideas often just come to me this way, when i'm planning on doing something familiar and simple, and decide to try something new.

Anyway, here's the recipe

ingredients
(I don't often use measuring cups and stuff, so bear with me with my measurements and units)
Serves 3 (sorry for the weird number of servings, this is just how it happened)

the stuffing
6 stalks of asparagus
a handful of fresh basil
a large handful of fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

the sauce
1 small red onion
4-5 cloves of garlic
10 medium sized crimini mushrooms
1 cup Crème fraiche
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable stock
(chicken stock would be fine too)

the chicken
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

instructions

Preheat the Oven to 400 degrees

Finely chop the asparagus and mince the spinach and basil. Combine all of this in a bowl. Add olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for now.

Mince the garlic.
Slice the mushrooms into thickish slices (1/4 inch)
Slice the Onion into thin crescents
Set this aside for now

Cutting the chicken is a little hard to explain without just showing somebody.  Most boneless skinless breasts come already kind of butterflied, with one thicker chunk, and one smaller chunk.  What you want to do is start at where these two pieces join together, and cut the thicker chunk in half almost to the end.  This way, it ends up like a tri-folded piece of chicken. Do this to all 3 breasts and either pound or roll them flat. (I just kind of wailed on them with my flat palm...)

Once your chicken is laid out flat, salt and pepper the surface lightly, and then spread the stuffing evenly across the top of each piece.  Roll these pieces up carefully and put onto a double layer of foil.  Close up the foil around the chicken and put on a baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, it's time to make the sauce.

To start off, heat up some olive oil in medium or large pan. Add the garlic and onions and sautee until the onions are semi-transparent and very flexible.  Next add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms have soaked up most of the remaining oil.  

Once the mushrooms are nice and tender, add the chicken stock and reduce by about half.  Then add the Crème fraiche and cook for another 15 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently.

If timed, properly, the chicken and the sauce should both be pretty much done now.

Serve with 1 rolled breast per plate, with a big spoonful of the sauce. (I also served some steamed baby broccoli and some baby bok choy)

Very happy with how this turned out, especially since it was just kind of off the top of my head and out of the blue. All in all it was a very good evening.