Pasta House Recipe for Chicken Marsala

The traditional Italian American restaurant has brought many dishes into the homes of Americans over the last hundred years: spaghetti and meatballs, veal parmigiana and, of course, chicken marsala. Many home cooks are intimidated by the presentation of this dish and assume that it is too difficult or costly to duplicate. With a little know-how, though, you too can make chicken marsala just like your local pasta house.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 4 chicken breasts
• Plastic wrap
• Meat tenderizer
• Large sauté pan
• Olive oil
• Flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 cups button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup Marsala wine
• 1/2 chopped yellow onion
• 1 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped

1. Prepare the chicken. Line your work surface with plastic wrap and lay a chicken breast on top, then cover the chicken breast with another piece of plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of the meat tenderizer, gently pound out the chicken breast, using fluid motions moving away and out, turning the chicken breast as you pound it. Continue until the chicken breast is 1/4-inch thick. Repeat until all breasts have been pounded out. Season both sides of each chicken breast with liberal amounts of salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in a dish of flour, covering both sides completely. Shake each breast to remove any excess flour, and place it to the side. Place the chicken on a plate, covered in the refrigerator.

2. Cook the mushrooms. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is almost smoking, add the mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms have cooked down in size and are just beginning to crisp. Remove them from the pan and keep them in a dish to the side.

3. Sauté the chicken. In the same sauté pan as before, add 2 more tbsp. of olive oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add two of the breasts to the pan. Sauté each breast for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, then remove the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the next two breasts, adding another tablespoon of oil if needed. Cover the plate of finished chicken breasts with aluminum foil until serving.

4. Make the sauce. Reduce the heat of the sauté pan to medium and add the Marsala wine. Stir the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to remove all of the browned bits. Add the onion, sage and mushrooms. Let the sauce cook for 2 or 3 minutes and reduce by about 1/3. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if needed.

5. Plate the dish. Place one chicken breast on each plate. Pour the Marsala wine sauce over the top of each chicken breast, equally. Serve alongside buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.

Tips & Warnings

• Whenever handling raw poultry, be sure to wash your hands with hot water and soap afterward. Be sure to clean any surfaces or utensils that have come in contact with raw poultry with an antibacterial soap or a cleaner with bleach, as well.

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