Chicken Marsala

My grandmother has always made the best food.  One of my goals is to one day make chocolate chip cookies that taste as perfect as the ones she bakes at Christmastime.  The last time she came to visit, I made Bruschetta Chicken for dinner, and she mentioned that Chicken Marsala is one of her all time favorite dishes.  When I went to visit recently, I decided to do some cooking for her, making a Quiche for lunch.  The next morning, I set out to the grocery early to get everything I needed to make the dream of Marsala a reality.

I found a Chicken Marsala recipe to follow and stuck to it for the most part, though instead of a dry white wine I used a sweeter Chardonnay, swapped chicken stock for broth, and added some herbs.

The recipe called for chicken breasts split in half.  I used chicken tenderloins, and started off by using a tenderizer to pound them under some plastic wrap until they were about 1/2" thick.  I then seasoned both sides with a bit of salt and pepper.

Next, I dredged the chicken in some flour to coat both sides.

I heated some olive oil in a nonstick skillet, then added the chicken and cooked it until it was browned on both sides and fully cooked throughout.

After I set the chicken aside, I added the sliced mushrooms and some butter to the skillet.  I had already rinsed the mushrooms thoroughly and let them dry for a few minutes in a colander, so they were cleaned up and ready to go.  I sauteed the mushrooms for 8 or 9 minutes, until they were very soft.  The original recipe called for cooking them for 5 minutes, however I wanted them much softer so I gave it more time.

Now it was time for the main part of the dish, the Marsala sauce. I added Marsala wine, chicken broth (in my case, bouillon), white wine, basil, and parsley, and let the pan simmer for about 4 minutes.  I used a bottle of cooking Marsala wine rather than regular wine, as I had run to the store but I was outside the allowed times to buy alcohol.  Fortunately, cooking wine is exempt from the rule, so I was still able to put this dish together.  As the sauce cooked, it smelled fantastic!

I took a taste test and the sauce was amazing.  The mushrooms were cooked to the right level of softness and the sauce had a great flavor.  I made this for my grandmother to eat later--we had already had lunch, but I wanted to set aside some meals to make her dinner choices easier for a few days.  I divided the sauce and chicken into containers, freezing some of them.  When she tried them later she told me it was fantastic--she loved the chicken and the sauce was great.  Now she wants me to come cook for her again.  That I can do!

Chicken Marsala Recipe

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts (or 4 chicken tenderloins)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions:

Slice chicken breasts in half, and use a tenderizer to pound them under some plastic wrap until they are about 1/2" thick. Season both sides with a bit of salt and pepper, then dredge chicken in some flour to coat both sides.  Heat some olive oil in a nonstick skillet, then add the chicken and cook until brown on both sides and fully cooked throughout.  Rinse mushrooms thoroughly.  Set the chicken aside, then add the sliced mushrooms and butter to the skillet.  Saute the mushrooms for 8-9 minutes minutes, until they are very soft.  Add the Marsala wine, chicken broth, white wine, basil, and parsley, and let the pan simmer for about 4 minutes. Serve the sauce over the chicken.