Chicken Marsala

I love chicken.  It's a fairly lean meat, an excellent source of nutrition, and lends itself well to SO many dishes.  Of course, there's always the normal debate...white or dark meat.  Some types work better in certain recipes than others.  Chicken Marsala is a delectable way to use white meat without the worry of it being "dry".

My recipe for Chicken Marsala is full of flavor, yet remains reasonably low-fat.  Served over egg noodles, this fabulous dish screams WOW without taking a lot of effort. While the first time making this might take a bit of time, it'll be worth it. Your family will ask for this again and again, which means you'll have it down to a science in no time (30 minutes, start to finish).


Chicken Marsala

2 large whole boneless chicken breasts, split in half, then cut horizontally (total of 4 flat pieces). Alternatively, you can use non-breaded chicken "tenderloins", enough for 4 portions

3-4 tbsps all-purpose flour

salt (to taste...I recommend about 3/4tsp, unless you are on a low-salt diet)

black pepper (to taste...I recommend at least 1/2 tsp)

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsps unsalted butter (not margarine), divided

1 8oz package sliced bella mushrooms (you can use button)

1 medium shallot, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 cup chicken broth (low-salt works fine for this recipe)

2/3 cup dry marsala wine (if you can't find marsala, you can substitute dry sherry - NOT "cooking sherry" -, Madeira, or a Pinot Noir)

2/3 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)

2 tsps chopped fresh thyme

2 tsps chopped fresh parsley for serving (optional)


Directions

Prepare the chicken.  Once the breasts are cut up, lay them in a single layer on plastic wrap, cover with the wrap, then pound them until they are about 1/4" thick (if using tenderloins, flatten them, too).  In a zippy bag, place the flour, salt and pepper, and shake well to combine.  Drop the chicken, one at a time, into the flour, zip up and shake well to coat.  Repeat for the remainder of the chicken.  Lay each piece in a single layer on a plate (no paper towels...you want the juice), and set aside.

In a large skillet (big enough for all the chicken to fit without touching), heat the oil and 2 tbsps of the unsalted butter over medium heat.  Shake any excess flour from the chicken, then add to the pan, searing well (about 5-6 minutes).  Turn ONLY once, searing the other side (again, about 5-6 minutes).  Remove from pan, set aside.

Add the remaining butter to the pan.  Add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring often, until they have softened and start to brown (about 4-5 minutes).  Add the garlic, shallots, and 1/4 tsp salt, cooking an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, heavy cream and thyme, and bring slowly to a light boil.  Adjust the salt/pepper, if needed.  Continue simmering the sauce, stirring often (and scraping the bottom a bit to get all that good flavor mixed in) until it's reduced roughly by half (it will thicken a bit, and start to get browned), about 10 to 15 minutes.  

Once the sauce is ready, add the chicken back to the pan, coating all the pieces with the sauce.  Simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes (this heats the chicken through and finishes the cooking). Sprinkle with parsley (if using) just before serving.


I usually serve this over egg noodles, as I mentioned.  If you are doing the same, start the water for the noodles when you start the first fry of the chicken, and add the noodles to the water when you finish that part.  They'll be done perfectly at the same time the main course is!!

That's all there is to it, folks!  Great food that's sure to please.  ENJOY!!!