Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

If you like fresh garlic, this one's for you!

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic
1/8 to 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I used 1/4)
3/4 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon butter

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute the chicken until it is nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes).
Add the garlic. Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue frying, shaking the skillet and stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover tightly and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Set aside. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, over medium high heat for about 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter or margarine and discard the bay leaf. Pour this mushroom sauce mixture over the chicken and serve.

Although my 10 and 11 year old loved this, I'm not sure it will pass the toddler taste test. You could remove a piece of the chicken after browning, before balsamic goes in. Also, I recently learned this garlic tip. When sauteing garlic, it's a temptation to immediately stir it around, like chopped onion. But it needs to heat up for 30 seconds or so before it will spread properly. Amazing!