Pan-Seared Chicken & Barley

🥘 Ingredients

• Barley
  1.13 c
• Black Pepper
• Butter
  2 tbsp
• Button Mushrooms
  8 oz
• Carrot
  24 oz
• Chicken Cutlets
  20 oz
• Chicken Stock Concentrate
  4 unit
• Cooking Oil
  2 tsp
• Cream Cheese
  4 tbsp
• Fry Seasoning
  2 tbsp
• Garlic Powder (divided)
  4 tsp
• Olive Oil
  2 tsp
• Salt
• Veggie Stock Concentrate
  2 unit
• White Wine Vinegar
  5 tsp
• paper towels

🍳 Cookware

• small pot
• baking sheet
• large pan
• medium bowl

1. 

   1

   Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring 1/2 cup Barley (1 cup for 4 servings; save the rest for another use), half the Fry Seasoning (you'll use the rest later), 3 cups water (5 cups for 4), and a big pinch of Salt to a boil in a small pot . Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, 30-32 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup barley cooking liquid (⅓ cup for 4), then drain and return the barley to the pot.

   Barley: 1.13 c, Fry Seasoning: 2 tbsp, Salt
2. 

   2

   While barley cooks, wash and dry all produce. Trim, peel, and cut Carrot on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice Button Mushrooms (skip if your mushrooms are pre-sliced).

   Carrot: 24 oz, Button Mushrooms: 8 oz
3. 

   3

   Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a drizzle of Olive Oil . Season with half the Garlic Powder , a pinch of Salt , and Black Pepper . Roast on the top rack until tender, 20-25 minutes.

   Olive Oil: 2 tsp, Garlic Powder: 4 tsp (divided), Salt, Black Pepper
4. 

   4

   Heat a drizzle of Cooking Oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms in an even layer and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, another 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat, transfer mushrooms to a cutting board, and wash out the pan.

   Cooking Oil: 2 tsp
5. 

   5

   Pat Chicken Cutlets dry with paper towels and season all over with remaining Fry Seasoning, salt, and pepper. Then heat another drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. TIP: If the chicken begins to brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium and cover. Turn off heat, transfer the chicken to a cutting board, tent with foil, and wash out the pan. Let the pan cool slightly.

   Chicken Cutlets: 20 oz, paper towels
6. 

   6

   In a medium bowl , whisk together Cream Cheese , half the White Wine Vinegar (all for 4 servings), half the Chicken Stock Concentrate , the remaining garlic powder, and the reserved barley cooking liquid. It’s OK if there are lumps—the cream cheese will melt as it cooks. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop the mushrooms and stir into the cream cheese mixture. Add this mixture to the pan used for called chicken and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Butter . Taste and season with salt and black pepper. TIP: Add a splash of warm water if sauce seems too thick.

   Cream Cheese: 4 tbsp, White Wine Vinegar: 5 tsp, Chicken Stock Concentrate: 4 unit, Butter: 2 tbsp
7. 

   7

   Add Veggie Stock Concentrate and remaining chicken stock concentrate to the pot with barley and stir to combine. Slice the chicken crosswise. Divide the barley, chicken, and carrots between plates. Spoon the mushroom sauce over the top and Serve the extra sauce on the side. Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

   Veggie Stock Concentrate: 2 unit