Directions

1. Pound chicken breast with a meat mallet between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap until meat is uniform thickness; about 1/4-inch. Cut into serving-sized pieces (2 or 3 pieces per breast).

2. Heat the butter with *1* Tbsp of olive oil in deep, heavy skillet or saute pan over medium heat.

3. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour. Add to hot oil/butter in skillet. Saute until golden on each side, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from pan.

4. Add remaining olive oil to hot skillet. Saute onion, mushroom, and garlic until mushrooms begin to brown.

5. Add white wine to skillet, scraping up all the browned bits that are at the bottom of the pan (this is called "deglazing"). Bruise the fresh thyme by twisting it between your fingers or hitting it with the dull side of a knife in a few places. Add thyme to mushroom/wine mixture in pan and reduce by half.

6. Add the chicken back to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

7. Remove chicken from pan. Add the cream and heat through. Add the Manchego cheese (if you like it strongly flavored, use 1/2 cup; not as strongly flavored, use the 1/4 cup -Manchego is a powerful cheese and you can even use less for just a whisper of flavor. I like it strong so I used 1/2 cup).

8. Cook, stirring constantly over low heat until cheese melts. Continue cooking until sauce is reduced by about half. If you wish to skip the reduce step, you may thicken the sauce slightly with about 1 Tbsp instant flour or 1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water...  however, the reduction will taste better.

9. Add chicken back to pan and heat through.

10. Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme. May be served over any pasta.