Chicken Marsala

Chicken marsala is a special recipe to me. It isn't because I'm partial to it as for the mushrooms (although, I am). It's not because I get to open a bottle of wine in the process (though I won't complain). And it really isn't what I order at Italian restaurants (chicken or eggplant parm for life, my friends). Instead it's a special memory of mine.

I posted a version of this recipe several years ago (holy moly, NINE years ago! Don't judge my horrendous cell phone photos, plz). I'd gone to visit my grandmother, and due to  how things played out, I was able to cook for her. She loved this dish, and I'd never made it before. Naturally, challenge accepted.

After making a 7am grocery trip, only to realize that I could not buy a bottle of wine at that hour, I was able to grab cooking wine and that did the trick. You may have noticed that marsala wine isn't something you see in the wine aisle, ready to be uncorked and sipped on. The truth is that it is a very drinkable wine from Sicily, but is often used in cooking, and ends up in the cooking section as a result. Unlike many wines, which tend to have a standard color (e.g., Chardonnay is white, Merlot is red), marsala can be a mix of grape colors.

The cooking wine worked out fine, and I made my grandmother a [very basic] chicken marsala, which I packed into individual meals for her to eat later. It was special because my grandmother was always the cook, always the caretaker, and I got to do this for her. It was only a few few months later when she passed away unexpectedly, and I'll never forget the memory of getting to cook for her.

I did have to wonder where this dish came from. When most think of Italian food, at least from an American perspective, it's pasta. But chicken marsala is a standard at Italian restaurants, right alongside the best of the stuffed noodles. It seems there is likely some French influence there, with French residing in Sicily during the Napoleonic wars desiring a dish more close to home. Marsala is a province in Sicily. The dish continued developing as Italians migrated to America, where they used the ingredients they had (noticing a pattern in the food history/). The most interesting part? This dish is more popular in the US than in Italy. 

It starts out with thinly sliced chicken. I dredged it in flour and then cooked it in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 5-6 minutes per side. The breading turned a golden brown.

I set the chicken aside, then added my baby bella mushrooms. They cooked for about 5 minutes, until they were soft.

Next, I added shallots and garlic, continued cooking, and followed that with chicken broth, my wine, thyme, and cream. In my case, I used oat milk. but cream is the standard.

I let this simmer for about 15 minutes, until the sauce thickened, and served it with the chicken over some mashed potatoes.

I was very happy with how this came out.

So what's the verdict? A fairly simple dish to make, chicken marsala was a win at my house. The oat milk worked out better than anticipated; a slightly longer simmer did the trick to thicken it up. The levels of broth wine, and cream can be adjusted for more or less gravy, depending on preference. 

Chicken Marsala Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless thin sliced chicken breasts (or buy chicken breasts and tenderize them)

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2  pepper

3-4 tablespoons cooking oil (I used avocado)

1 package sliced mushrooms (8 ounces)

1 medium shallot, finely chopped

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup dry Marsala wine

1/3 cup milk (or heavy cream, which is ideal if you want it thicker; I used oat milk)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving (optional)

Cooked pasta or mashed potatoes (for side)

Instructions:

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add flour to a plate. Dredge chicken in it, coating lightly. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add more oil and the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened, then add shallots and garlic. Continue cooking until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Next, add the broth, wine, milk or cream, thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat to a simmer, then let it cook for 10-15 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the chicken back to the pan and reheat for 3-4 minutes. Serve. over pasta or mashed potatoes.

adapted from chicken marsala