Monday, September 15, 2008

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

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Wow! You are so detailed. Thanks for sharing this recipe. =)