Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is one of those delicious, southern Italian dishes that is in frequent rotation in my house. It is easily paired with a creamy Parmesan polenta, garlic mashed potatoes, some wide, flat pasta, or, even rice pilaf. It can be prepared well in advance, does not require last minute attention, and needs only one pan.

Chicken cutlets are pounded thin for quick and even cooking. After a short braise, they become fork tender. Sweet Marsala wine is used to deglaze the pan and, along with some chicken stock, creates a terrific pan sauce.

For a special occasion, you can substitute veal cutlets for the chicken, keeping the rest of the recipe exactly  the same. This variation cooks even faster than the chicken!

Chicken Scallopini with Marsala Sauce

Chicken Marsala

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

A delicious chicken and mushroom dish from Southern Italy

Author: Marilena Leavitt

Recipe type: Main dish

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 sm. chicken breasts (skinless and boneless), pounded to ¼” thickness (or 2 larger ones cut in half width-wise and lightly pounded), about 1.5 lbs.
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ½ cup flour (for dredging)
• 1 TBSP. olive oil
• 1 TBSP. butter
• 2 oz. pancetta, chopped
 (optional)
• 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 med. shallots, sliced
• 3 lrg. cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP. fresh sage, minced (plus more for garnish
)
• 2 TBSP. tomato paste
• 1 cup sweet Marsala wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 TBSPS. butter
• --- juice of half a lemon

Instructions

1. Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap (or in a zip-top freezer bag) and pound it flat using the flat side of a meat tenderizer until it has an even thickness. Meanwhile, add the flour to a wide, shallow bowl and season with salt, black pepper and dried oregano. Dredge the chicken in the flour, patting off any excess.
2. Place a large and deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil and 1 TBSP. of butter. Once the butter has melted but before it gets brown, place the flour coated chicken into the pan and cook for about 4 minutes on the first side, until golden brown. Turn the chicken over and continue to cook for 3-4 more minutes or so. Remove the chicken from the pan, place it on a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
3. Add the chopped pancetta to the pan and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove and place on a plate covered with several layers of paper towels to soak up the grease. Next add the sliced mushrooms to the pan, season with a little salt and pepper and cook until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally, making sure to scrape up any bits left in the bottom of the pan from the chicken and the pancetta. (You may have to add a little more olive oil if the pan seems too dry.)
4. Next add the shallots, garlic and sage and cook for a minute. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook until the shallots have softened, which should take about 3 minutes, and then add the Marsala wine. Turn the heat to high and bring the sauce to a vigorous simmer. Continue cooking until the sauce has reduced and thickened a little. Add the chicken and any juices that have collected on the plate to the pan, as well as the chicken stock. Braise for about 20 minutes, turning the chicken a couple of times to coat in the sauce. Once the sauce is slightly reduce, add the lemon juice and the remaining 1 TBSP. of butter and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
5. To serve, place the chicken on a plate and spoon over some of the sauce and mushrooms. Sprinkle with some of the cooked pancetta and a little of the remaining chopped sage.

Notes

Marsala wine is a fortified sweet Italian wine, originated from the island of Sicily. Marsala wine is similar to sherry or Madeira. It is not red, nor is it white or pink -- it's a golden-brown color. Marsala wine has a flavor sometimes described as "sweet and nutty," and is a key ingredient in many classic Italian dishes. In the event that you can’t find Marsala wine, dry Sherry can be used instead!

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