Sauteed Chicken with Butternut Squash in a Beer Maple Sauce Topped with Shitake Mushrooms

Recently a client that produces beer asked me to create a few menu items using their brand. Since I had never cooked with beer before I decided to experiment on a few friends. What resulted was this delicious dish that was a wonderful blend of savory and sweet and a perfect Fall dish--colors and all.

Serves 4

Ingredients.

12 fillets of boneless chicken breast (seasoned and dredged in flour)
1 butternut squash (quartered and seeds removed)
4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons maple syrup
6 oz beer
12 oz chicken broth
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 lb. shitake mushrooms (stems removed and sliced)
1/2 lb french beans (optional)

Bake the squash in a 400 degree oven until tender but still firm. Cool, remove the skin and any stringy particles still remaining. Dice into medium bite sized cubes and set aside.

In a small saute pan cook the mushrooms in hot (but not smoking) canola oil until golden and crispy (about 3 minutes). Remove and drain on paper towel, season with salt and set aside.
Steam or saute the string beans until tender but still firm. Season

In the meantime, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and cook the chicken until golden on each side and cooked through (about 4 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken). Remove, season and set aside. Lower the heat, add the flour and mix with the juices in the pan. Cook for about one minute until golden. Add the beer, stir and add the broth and the syrup. Reduce the sauce for about 2 minutes (add a bit more broth and beer if too thick) until it resembles the consistency of a thin syrup. Add the squash to the pan along with the butter. Toss until the pieces are warm and coated with the sauce.

Plate by piling the squash onto the center of each plate, anchored by the chicken. Drizzle with the sauce, top with the mushrooms and the beans. Serve and enjoy!