Chicken Marsala

Last week I started experimenting with cooking with wine.  First, I made my incredibly flavourful Rustic Mushroom and Cream Cheese Tart using white wine; then I made a Zabaglione with lots of sweet Marsala wine (which you will get to see in the upcoming iYellow Wine Club August Newsletter); and finally, I made a comforting Chicken Marsala.  I loved the sweet yet bold flavour of the Marsala and wanted to try and make a savory dish with it.  I have eaten Veal Marsala many times and absolutely love it! I love any dish with lots of sauce, and a Marsala sauce is really something special! I had never prepared veal before so I decided to take things one step at a time and start with chicken.  Turns out I enjoy Chicken Marsala just as much as veal! The chicken was tender and juicy with each bite filled with lots of sweet Marsala sauce and tasty mushrooms.  I couldn't get enough! For some beginner cooks this may seem complicated, but it is actually very simple.  Just take it one step at a time.  Trust me, when you taste the end result, you will see that it was all worth it!

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

about 1 cup flour (for coating chicken) plus 2-3 tbsp, reserved

1-2 tbsp dried oregano

2 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter

2 cloves garlic, pureed 

about 2 cups mushrooms, sliced (I used Mini Bella Mushrooms)

3/4 cup Marsala 

2/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth

2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped

olive oil (for frying)

salt and pepper, to season

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1.  Rinse and paper towel-dry chicken breasts.  Pound each breast flat using the flat side of a mallet.  You may want to fold over a piece of plastic wrap around the breasts to keep your work station clean and safe from cross-contamination.

2.  In a large skillet, heat oil on medium high for frying chicken.

3.  In a shallow dish, mix 1 cup flour, dried oregano, and 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp pepper.  Dip the chicken breasts into the flour mixture to coat.  Transfer chicken to skillet and fry about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. You will need to do several batches in order to fit all the chicken in the skillet.

4.  When all the chicken is cooked, transfer to serving dish and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.  

5.  Add butter and garlic to the skillet  and cook until golden brown.  Add the mushrooms and cook until soft and darkened, about 10 minutes.  Stir in reserved 2-3 tbsp flour (add flour amount depending on how much mushrooms were used).  Cook and stir for another 5 minutes, allowing flour to cook and mixture to thicken.

6.  Add the Marsala and stir, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.  Continue to cook until liquid had reduced and thickened, about 8 minutes.  Add the stock and simmer for 5-7 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. 

7.  Remove from heat and add sage.  Season with salt and pepper. Let sit for about 2-3 minutes allowing sauce to thicken up.  Remove foil from chicken and pour sauce over. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over chicken and sauce and serve.