by Carol C » Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:53 am
Kim,
This is my very favorite Chicken Marsala recipe. It is from Cook's Illustrated. Looks long but really very easy--Cook's does give you every detail!!!
CHICKEN MARSALA
1 cup all purpose flour or KY Col Seasoned Flour
4 bnl/skl chicken breasts (about 5 oz. each)
Salt and pepper (if using plain flour)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 ½ ounces pancetta (about 3 slices), cut into pieces 1 inch long and 1/8 inch wide
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 ½ cups sweet Marsala (Florio)
1 ½ Tablespoons juice from 1 small lemon
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, softened
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place large heat proof 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 or use Kentucky Colonel Seasoned Flour; 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.
2. Return skillet to low heat and add pancetta; saute, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom to loosen frowned 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; saute, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pan, until liquid released by mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste and cooked pancetta; saute 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. (I don’t always use the parsley and can’t tell difference). Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.