When cooking with wine, always remember the rule: only cook with a wine you would drink. Marsala is a fortified wine of Sicily, and a key component of this classic dish. The wine adds a sweetness to the sauce. The recipe is easy and also adaptable. You could add more herbs, such as basil, or also incorporate onion and garlic into the sauce. The dredged chicken pieces get a great sear on the outside while remaining juicy on the inside. Dryness is an all too common fate for a chicken breast, so don't overcook it. The version here is sauce light. If you prefer a saucier Chicken Marsala, you can always add more wine and more stock, and adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
Ingredients
- 1 split chicken breast
- Salt and pepper
- Flour
- Olive oil
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/3 cup Marsala wine
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tbs butter
- Chopped flat leaf parsley
Instructions
Remove the skin and bones from the chicken. Next, butterfly the chicken breast. This is probably the most difficult step, and mine admittedly didn't turn out the best. Cover each piece with plastic wrap and pound evenly to about 1/2 inch thick. Dust each side with salt and pepper.
Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan (preferably not non-stick), just enough to cover the bottom. Dredge the chicken in flour and add to the hot pan. Cook 3 minutes each side so the chicken is nicely seared. Remove chicken and set aside. I kept them on a plate in the oven on "warm."
Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute until nicely browned on both sides. Deglaze the pan with the Marsala, and reduce. Add chicken stock and oregano, simmer for several minutes. Add butter and stir until melted and mixed in.
Serve the chicken with the mushroom sauce poured over. Garnish with parsley. The dish goes well with any starch. I went with rice. As it turns out, the Pay Less supermarket of West Lafayette also has a good beer section, and I enjoyed a Woodchuck Summer cider with this meal.
Another great classic dish. In the 80's, many in the "gourmet" community debated about whether to use dry or sweet Marsala with this classic. Many went with the dry but I thought they were wrong. People in the 80's automatically thought that dry was the right answer for every question related to wine. That was wrong not just about Marsala. Since I brought the Marsala to Sebastian, I know he used the sweet. The sweetness adds a nice balance to this dish. I often used beef stock or beef essence instead of the chicken. It really depends on whether you target for a darker, richer sauce or a lighter one. A touch of lemon juice can be used in the sauce if it is too heavy or if you want a bit of brightness. Either pasta or rice works. At Sarello's in Moorhead, they do this dish with pounded beef tenderloin in a darker Marsala sauce and always serve it with Anna Potatoes. The Salice de Salentino red wine from Puglia (the heel of Italy) would work great with this dish. Also, hydrated mushrooms of will work as well. Porcini is great with this one. Have fun.
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