CHICKEN MARSALA

Chicken Marsala

YIELD: 2-4 SERVINGS

CHICKEN MARSALA

The best recipe I’ve found for “chicken marsala” — and it’s yours to enjoy in just 30 minutes! Detailed recipe and photographs included.

TOTAL TIME: 35 MINS PREP TIME: 5 MINS COOK TIME: 30 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

salt and black pepper

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 1/2 ounces pancetta (about 3 slices), diced into pieces 1 inch long and 1/8 inch wide

8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)

1 medium clove garlic , minced (about 1 teaspoon)

1 tsp. tomato paste

1 1/2 cups marsala wine (**see tip below**)

1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice (from 1 small lemon)

1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, softened

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

optional: 1 lb. pasta (I used fettucine), cooked according to package instructions

DIRECTIONS:

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.

Return skillet to low heat and add pancetta; sauté, 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; sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom, until liquid released by mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, and cooked pancetta; sauté while stirring 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. (Serve over pasta if you would like.)