Who’s ready for a flavor adventure that won’t keep you chained to the stove all night? With a hat tip to the NYT Cooking, this Chicken Marsala is the perfect way to treat yourself to a restaurant-quality meal without leaving the comfort of your own kitchen. So grab your ingredients, put on your favorite cooking playlist, and let’s get this show on the road!
Note on the Marsala wine: To make the dish worth your while, the NYT recommends purchasing it at a wine store, not in the grocery aisle, and advises that for savory recipes like this, you will want the dry (“secco”) version and that for cooking purposes (versus sipping), the “Fine” (rather than the more aged “Superiore”) designation works just fine.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1½ pounds), pounded to ¼-inch thickness
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- ⅔ cup flour
- ½ pound cleaned and thinly sliced mushrooms (button, crimini, or shiitake – your choice!)
- 1 shallot, minced
- 4 tablespoons Marsala wine (see note above)
- 3 tablespoons veal glaze (can be found in the Market Hall freezer section) or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped chervil or parsley (optional, for garnish)
DIRECTIONS:
- Prep the chicken: Pound those chicken breasts until they’re about ¼-inch thick. Season them generously with salt and pepper, then dredge them in flour.
- Sizzle time: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Cook the chicken in batches until it’s golden brown and beautiful. Set aside and keep warm.
- Mushroom sauce: In the same skillet, sauté the mushrooms and shallot in the remaining olive oil until they’re tender. Pour in the Marsala wine and let it reduce by half.
- Sauce sensation: Stir in the veal glaze (or chicken stock) and simmer for a minute. Off the heat, swirl in the butter until it melts into a dreamy sauce.
- Plate it up: Arrange the chicken on a platter and drown it in that gorgeous sauce. Sprinkle some fresh herbs for extra pizzazz.
Serve with a side of linguine or roasted potatoes, and prepare for a standing ovation!
Bonus Tip: Feeling adventurous? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a spicy kick, or try a mix of different mushrooms for an extra layer of flavor.