April 5, 2007

Chicken Marsala


I found this recipe for Chicken Marsala from Cook's Illustrated a few years back. Over the years, I've made some adjustments. I think I've got it down to just about perfect now. If you like a thicker sauce, prepare a slurry of cornstarch and cold water, the add that to the sauce after you've melted in the butter. Serve atop a bed of fettuccine, with a side of fresh sauteed green beans. Absolutely delicious! Recipe can easily be halved by just using 2 chicken breasts instead of 4. I'd recommend using the same amount of sauce though. Enjoy!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices of bacon or pancetta, chopped
2 cups white or cremini mushrooms
2 large garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp.)
1 tbsp. minced shallot
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Marsala wine (sweet)
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (1 small lemon)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter cut into 4
pieces, room temperature
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place large heatproof dinner plate on oven rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (you can hold your hand 2 inches above pan surface for 3 to 4 seconds), about 3 minutes. Pat chicken breasts dry. Meanwhile, place flour in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Season both sides of chicken cutlets with salt and pepper; working one piece at a time, coat both sides with flour. Lift breast from tapered end and shake to remove excess flour; set aside. Add oil to hot skillet and heat until shimmering. Place floured cutlets in single layer in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip cutlets and cook on second side until golden brown and meat feels firm when pressed with finger, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to heated plate and return plate to oven.

2. Return skillet to low heat and add pancetta; saute, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits until pancetta is brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towel--lined plate. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high; saute, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom, until liquid released by mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and shallot Saute for 1 minute. Add cooked pancetta and tomato paste. Stir while sauteing, until tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute. Off heat, add Marsala; return pan to high heat and simmer vigorously, scraping browned bits from pan bottom, until sauce is slightly syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, about 5 minutes. Off heat, add lemon juice and any accumulated juices from chicken; whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in parsley. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

8 comments:

Adrienne said...

I just came across your blog and YUM! I LOVE Cook's Illustrated, everything I have made from there I have loved. I am a serious foodie, good to find others!

~Amber~ said...

I really really need to try this dish. It sounds so wonderful and you rave about it all the time. I think your food porn sold me. I NEED to make it soon.

What's Cookin Chicago said...

Looks delicious!

Deborah said...

Yum, looks fabulous!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I'm not sure if I would have gone for the enchiladas or this Chicken Marsala dish. What a wonderful combination of flavours!!

Jon said...

This looks great. I will try this dish tonight and let you know how it turns out!

Jon said...

the meal turned out great. Thanks for the recipe

Anonymous said...

Keep up the good work.