Chicken Marsala

I love chicken. It's just so easy.

But it can get boring to have it the same way over and over.

So I like to mix it up.

And really, it's not that tough.

Last night I made a dish I have had several times at different restaurants, but had never made at home: Chicken Marsala.

Basically this is sauteed chicken breast cutlets in a mushroom sauce flavored with Marsala wine.

I served this with some capellini pasta and simple steamed baby green beans.

It was a very easy meal to make. Restaurant food at home!

Why do I eat out again?

Oh yeah... Then I don't have to do the dishes.

I planned on one piece of chicken for each of us and then a couple extra for leftovers for lunch today.

Chicken Marsala

(4 servings)

4 chicken breast steaks or boneless, skinless breast pieces pounded to about 1/4 inch thick

salt and pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large shallot, finely chopped

6-8 ounces mushrooms, sliced or quartered

(I used 6 baby portabellas and the rest were small Italian brown mushrooms. I cut the baby portabellas into eighths and the small brown mushrooms in half. White mushrooms would work fine for this, too.)

1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine

1 fresh rosemary sprig

3/4 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoon of the butter with the olive oil on medium-high heat.

Cook the chicken until golden brown on each side, mine took about 2 minutes on each side.

Transfer to another dish and cover. Set aside.

In the same pan, melt 1 more tablespoon of the butter and add the garlic and shallots.

Cook about 30 seconds.

Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook about 3 minutes.

Mushrooms should be tender and the juice should be cooked off.

Add the Marsala wine and the sprig of rosemary.

Cook until wine reduces by about half, 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and cook about 5 more minutes or until broth is reduced by about half.

Stir in parsley.

Add chicken and any juices back into pan and cook about 1 minute, until heated through.

Remove and discard rosemary sprig.

Stir the last tablespoon of butter into the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Top: Baby portabellas

Middle: small Italian brown

Bottom: portabellas,
cut into eight pieces each