Chicken Breasts with Blackberry Brandy Cream Sauce. . .

This recipe is great for fall.  Although I originally designed this recipe with Chicken in mind, the sauce works wonderfully with Turkey and Pork as well.  I hope you enjoy it.

Chicken Breast with Blackberry Brandy Cream Sauce

6 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 Scallions finely chopped, including white and green part of scallions
1/3 Cup Chopped Walnuts
1 Large Red Apple cored and chopped with skin left on
1/4 Tspn. Sea Salt (for sauce) + Salt to taste to prepare Chicken Breast
1/4 Tspn. Ground Black Pepper (for sauce) + Pepper to taste to prepare Chicken Breast
1/4 Tspn. Ground Dried Mustard
1 Tblspn. Dried Parsley
1/8 Tspn. Freshly ground Nutmeg
2 Tblspn. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tblspn. Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Chicken Stock
2/3 Cup Blackberry Brandy
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tspn. Cornstarch
1.5 Tblspn. Water

Rinse Chicken Breasts and pat dry.  Lightly sprinkle each side of each breast with salt and pepper and set aside.  Heat extra virgin olive oil and unsalted butter in heavy skillet over medium high heat.  Place chicken breasts in the skillet after it is up to temperature and cook until breasts are golden brown on each side.  Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add Chicken Stock and Blackberry Brandy to pan, stirring to deglaze pan and incorporate the pan drippings.  Add scallions, walnuts and apples to pan and allow the stock and brandy to cook down by half.  Add cream, salt, pepper and dried mustard. Stir and allow to cook for approximately 1 - 2 minutes.  Mix cornstarch and water together in separte bowl and mix.  (This is a cornstarch flurry for thickening).  Add cornstarch flurry to sauce.  Stir and allow sauce to remain at a low boil until sauce begins to thicken.  (The sauce should coat a spoon, but should not be paste like in consistency.)  Add chicken breasts back to the pan.  Sprinkle with the Parsely and fresh ground Nutmeg.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  Spoon sauce over each breast for serving.

Serves 6

Note:  Either steamed rice or Rosemary Roasted potatoes accompanies this dish well.