Grandma Schenk's Chicken Chicken Breast

My husband's grandmother was an extraordinary cook.  I was never lucky enough to eat her meals but I hear they were amazing.  They were always the first dishes to disappear at family reunions and the hardest to recreate.  Her meals were simple, made with readily found ingredients that she often grew herself.

Before Grandma passed away, her daughter's (in-law) had the good sense to pick her brain for her recipes. They presented each family with a cookbook that year at the family reunion. Some of the recipes are straightforward and some you can take liberties with.

This recipe is calls for using your imagination.  The book's instructions are to flour and fry your chicken, pour the gravy on top and bake for an hour.  The gravy ingredients are listed but not the flour mixture to fry with. I don't know what spices Grandma used (if any) or if she had any special techniques or secrets.  I have included what I used to bread the chicken. If you have a breading that you prefer, feel free to use that.  My husband said that he doesn't remember eating this at Grandma's but that my version is delicious.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts or thighs, pounded thin

2 c flour

2 tsp ginger

2 tsp thyme

2 tsp sage

2 Tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne

salt and pepper to taste

4 eggs

1/2 c milk

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/2 c beer

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 can mushrooms

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, ginger, thyme, sage, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.  In a separate bowl, scramble the eggs and milk. 

2. Dip the chicken into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then back into the flour, making sure it is evenly coated each time. Set aside to allow the breading time to stick to the chicken.

3. Heat 1/2 inch oil in a skillet over medium heat.

4. Place the chicken in the oil and brown, about 4-5 minutes each side.  Don't worry about cooking all the way through. Drain and place in a baking dish.

5. In a bowl, mix the cream of chicken soups, soy sauce, and beer.  Pour over chicken.  Top with mushrooms.

6. Bake uncovered at 350 for 60 minutes.