Creamy Braised Chicken

1/2 pound pearl onions
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons butter
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup Chardonnay or other white wine
1 1/3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup half-and-half or evaporated milk
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered

in a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add pearl onions and boil 3 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water, peel and set aside.

In same pan, sauté sliced onion, carrot and celery in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Remove from pot and set aside.

Add chicken to pot and brown on both sides. Remove from pot and keep warm. Add wine and simmer till reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in broth and seasonings. Return chicken to pot, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove chicken to a platter and keep warm.

Combine flour and milk until smooth and gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return vegetables to pan and remove from heat, cover and set aside.

In a nonstick skillet, sauté reserved pearl onions and mushrooms in remaining butter until tender. Add the onions and mushrooms to platter. Discard bay leaf from sauce. Spoon over chicken and vegetables.

Serves 6.