This Italian/American classic is a delicious way to prepare chicken. It takes quite a bit of preparation, but it cooks rather quickly. Marsala is a fortified wine, similar to Sherry and Madeira. Fortified with brandy or another spirit, this process helped the wine stay fresh on long journeys. Chicken Marsala is believed to have originated as a scaloppini dish in Sicily (where Marsala also originated) but was popularized by Italian restaurants in the United States. You may be able to find authentic Sicilian Marsala in the store, otherwise there is a common version available by the cooking wines.This recipe is based on dishes by Willi Parisi, Sip & Feast, & Not Another Cooking Show.
8-12 oz mushrooms; cremini, or baby bellas, cleaned and sliced
2-4 shallots or 1 small red onion, diced (~1 cup total)
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cup of Marsala cooking wine
1.5 cup chicken broth
2 tsp lemon juice
½ cup heavy cream
½ Tbsp corn starch (optional)
2 tsp dried thyme
2-3 Tbsp fresh parsley or chives for garnish
Serve over rice or pasta
Instructions
Slice the thinner tail of the breasts off, and then cut the thicker portion in half the long flat way, if some are still thicker, pound them to a uniform thickness, ¼ – ½“. Add kosher salt and pepper to taster.
Put the flour onto a pie plate and add some salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour; set aside on parchment paper on a plate or sheet pan.
Heat your pan with medium high heat, and add 2 Tbsp of olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter.
Once the butter is melted, put the heat on medium and brown the chicken cutlets, 4-5 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second. Don’t overcrowd the pan to ensure good browning. Set the cutlets aside on a plate and keep warm.
Add the pancetta to brown it and render the fat out.
Add the mushrooms and cook until browned.
Push the mushrooms to one side and then add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then mix them all together.
Add the wine to de-glaze the pan and cook for a couple of minutes to drive the alcohol off – if you’re feeling fancy, you can gently tip the pan and flambe’ the wine.
Add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the pan and cook until reduced by half.
Add the thyme and mix through.
Add the remaining butter to the pan to finish the sauce, allow to melt and stir through.
Add the heavy cream, mix through and cook until thickened. You can mix the corn starch into the cream first if you want the sauce thicker.
Add the chicken cutlets back to the pan and nestle into the sauce. Cook until heated through, ~5 minutes.
Serve over rice or pasta, and garnish with chopped parsley or chives.
