Chicken Marsala

For many years, I have wanted to make chicken marsala. But I wasn't sure where to find marsala wine. Then I realized - duh - a wine store. And guess what? They have it at the Trader Joe's wine store! So a week later, I made this. If you've never had chicken marsala before, you should try it. It's so good! Whip up this chicken with mushrooms (one of my favorite things ever) in a delicious, light sauce and have a happy dinner time!

This is especially fun to make for dinner if you've had a rough day - pounding out chicken breasts is extremely therapeutic. Start by laying out the chicken on a cutting board

then covering with cling wrap and pounding with a meat mallet until each chicken piece is about 1/4 inch thick.

Pour the flour in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, according to your own taste. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When it's hot, dredge the chicken piece in flour, shake off the excess

and place in the pan.

You don't want to crowd the chicken, so you may need to do this in batches. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes before turning it.

Cook another 5 minutes on this side, then remove to a platter, and repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Now reduce the heat to medium and add the mushrooms.

Saute for 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms have released their juices and they turn darker in color. Then add the wine

and cook for a minute or so til it reduces slightly. Then add the chicken broth.

Now use your spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan - that will help flavor the sauce.

Once the liquid has cooked down a bit, add the butter.

Stir to melt the butter, then return the chicken to the pan and let simmer in the sauce for a minute or two to warm the meat through.

Spoon the chicken onto a serving platter and cover with the mushrooms and sauce, then sprinkle with parsley. And feel relief that you know now where to buy marsala wine.

One year ago: Jamabalaya
Two years ago: Cherry Oatmeal Muffins
Three years ago: Vanilla Chip Cranberry Blondies

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Chicken Marsala

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the mushrooms to the pan. Saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all the browned bits. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Recipe Source: Adapted from the Food Network