Okay, Rockstar. This Friday is date number five, and we all know what that means. Yeah. It’s time to prove you’ve got what it takes to perform in the kitchen.
This is one of my favorite go-to date night meals because it tastes expensive and complicated, but it actually leaves a lot of time to do other things. Like figuring out if it’s your dirty gym socks or the toilet that’s making the whole apartment stink like something died under the couch. Or shaving your back. Whatever.
Sherried Chicken
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6-8 button mushrooms
4-6 Tbsp. flour
1 carrot
2 cups whole milk (2% or nonfat will curdle—it must be WHOLE milk)
2 cups dry sherry
Pasta or rice
Start by putting a clean, dry pan on the stove on high heat. This is a good time to start slicing mushrooms. After about five minutes, abandon the mushrooms and throw the chicken into the hot pan with some oil.
This will produce a lot of smoke and steam, and may or may not set off the smoke detector. Flip the chicken as soon as you can see the pan again. After about 2 minutes, dash about a ½ cup of the sherry into the pan. This will steam again for a moment and then settle down. Once the sherry has reduced to the point of almost burning, kill the heat and remove the chicken.
If the mushrooms are all sliced then pat yourself on the back, maybe take a moment to appreciate what a good job you did shaving. If not, finish slicing the mushrooms and the carrots.
Put them into the pan on medium-low heat with a little oil.
Start your pasta or rice and then return your attention to the vegetables. Add the flour and enough oil to just wet the flour. Stir.
Gradually whisk in the milk and the sherry until the sauce begins to thicken. Once thick, reintroduce the chicken, cover the pan and turn off the heat.
The chicken will finish cooking in the residual heat. Finish up the pasta or rice, and salt and pepper the sauce to taste.
Serve chicken and sauce over pasta or rice. Just like that, your meal is ready. Maybe you’ll even have time to prove you’ve got what it takes to perform outside the kitchen.