Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

  • Prep time: 15
  • Cook time: 45
  • Yield: 8
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Ingredients
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2-3/4 cups dry marsala wine
  • 1-1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 packets powdered unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 oz pancetta, diced
  • 1 shallot, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1-1/2 tbsp worcestershire
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1 tbsp chunks
  • fresh parsley, chopped
Nutrition Facts
Serves 8

Description

Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian-American dish that features tender chicken breasts or cutlets cooked in a Marsala wine sauce. It’s known for its rich and savory flavors, and it’s often served with a side of pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. Here’s a description of the dish:

Ingredients:

  1. Chicken: Typically, boneless and skinless chicken breasts or cutlets are used. The chicken is usually pounded to an even thickness for quick and even cooking.

  2. Marsala Wine: Marsala wine, a fortified wine from Sicily, is a key ingredient that gives the dish its distinctive flavor. The wine adds depth, sweetness, and complexity to the sauce.

  3. Mushrooms: Sliced mushrooms, often cremini or button mushrooms, are sautéed in the sauce, providing a savory and earthy element.

  4. Chicken Broth: Chicken broth or stock is used to add liquid to the sauce and enhance the overall flavor.

  5. Flour: The chicken is typically dredged in flour before cooking. This not only helps to thicken the sauce but also gives the chicken a golden brown crust.

  6. Butter and Olive Oil: A combination of butter and olive oil is often used for cooking the chicken and mushrooms. The butter adds richness, while the olive oil can withstand higher cooking temperatures.

  7. Garlic and Shallots: These aromatics are often used to flavor the sauce, adding a savory and slightly sweet undertone.

  8. Herbs and Seasonings: Common herbs include thyme or rosemary, and salt and pepper are used to season the dish.

Preparation:

  1. Dredging the Chicken: The chicken is dredged in flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, and then cooked in a skillet until golden brown and cooked through. The flour coating helps create a nice crust on the chicken.

  2. Sautéing Mushrooms: Sliced mushrooms are then sautéed in the same skillet, picking up the flavors from the cooked chicken.

  3. Making the Sauce: Marsala wine, chicken broth, garlic, and shallots are added to the skillet to create the sauce. The mixture is simmered, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.

  4. Combining Ingredients: The cooked chicken is returned to the skillet, and it simmers in the sauce briefly to absorb the flavors.

  5. Serving: Chicken Marsala is often served over a bed of pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. The sauce, enriched with the Marsala wine, coats the chicken and adds a luscious finish to the dish.

Variations: Some variations of Chicken Marsala may include additions like capers, sun-dried tomatoes, or different herbs to customize the flavor profile.

In summary, Chicken Marsala is a delightful and comforting Italian-American dish known for its tender chicken, rich Marsala wine sauce, and earthy mushrooms. It’s a classic that continues to be enjoyed in many households and Italian restaurants.

Instructions

  • 1. Butterfly chicken and pound into 8 evenly thin cutlets. Generously salt both sides.
  • 2. Combine marsala and stock in sauce pan and whisk in gelatin. Add dried mushrooms and bring to boil. Hard simmer until reduced by around 50%, about 20 minutes.
  • 3. Strain reduced stock and discard rehydrated dried mushrooms.
  • 4. Dredge chicken in flour to lightly coat.
  • 5. Heat large pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil to pan and cook chicken 2 minutes on first side and an additional minute on the second side, working in batches if necessary. Reserve to chicken to plate.
  • 6. Add more oil to pan and add sliced mushrooms. Cook mushrooms until browned. Reserve to separate bowl.
  • 7. Add more oil to pan if needed and add pancetta. Cook until crispy and fat has rendered. Reserve with mushrooms.
  • 8. Add shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • 9. Add garlic, tomato paste, and oregano and cook another minute.
  • 10. Deglaze pan with a splash of marsala, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spatula.
  • 11. Add mushroom stock and bring to simmer.
  • 12. Add chicken back to pan and baste to reheat chicken through.
  • 13. Reserve chicken back to plate and continue cooking sauce until it begins to thicken.
  • 14. Add reserved mushrooms and pancetta.
  • 15. Remove from heat and stir in butter, one chunk at a time, until emulsified into sauce.
  • 16. Stir in chopped parsley.
  • 17. Serve chicken over polenta or noodles with sauce and garnished with more fresh parsley.