Preparation:

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the chicken, skin side down; cover and cook until brown, about 12 minutes. Turn the chicken over; continue cooking, uncovered, until done, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to a warm serving platter. Add the shallots or onion and the brandy to the skillet and stir, scraping the drippings from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook over high heat to reduce slightly. When the shallots or onion are tender, lower the heat and briskly stir in the milk, cream, cornstarch mixture, marjoram, pepper, and salt if desired. (A whisk is better than a wooden spoon for this.) When sauce starts to boil and becomes bubbly, simmer approximately 4 minutes longer. Spoon sauce over chicken breasts, and garnish with fresh parsley. If desired, saute fresh mushrooms in butter, and add to the finished brandy sauce before serving.
Per Serving: 624 Calories (70.0% from fat); 43g Fat (22g Sat, 14g Mono, 4g Poly); 34g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 198mg Cholesterol; 146mg Sodium.  Food Exchanges: 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 6 Fat.