Chicken Marsala

I love to make this dish and just don't make it enough.  I found this recipe years ago from Tyler Florence and I have made just a few alterations.  It's another entree that doesn't take too long to make but not easy to make ahead.  I love finding a sale and making full use of it and this week, I purchased chicken breasts, two packages for the price of one.  My dinner party menu last night was created by looking through my pantry and fridge, seeing what I already had and worked my way forward using the chicken as the main ingredient.  With that, I decided to make the chicken marsala along with roasted butternut squash and a mushroom risotto.  For dessert, I added a trifle made with brownies, strawberries and whipped cream.

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
All purpose flour for dredging
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound prosciutto, chopped
1 pound mini portabello mushrooms sliced
1 & 1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
6 ounces unsalted butter
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley-chopped

Directions:

Slice each chicken breast in half making two slices.  Place saran wrap over the chicken and with a mallet, pound until thin.  If they are too large, simply cut in half.  Place flour in a platter and add salt and pepper using a fork to mix.

Heat oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet.  When the oil is nice and hot, dredge the chicken in the flour, shake off excess and fry for a couple of minutes on each side.  I sometimes add butter to the oil for additional flavor.  Turn once and remove to a platter covered with foil to keep warm.  When all the pieces are done, lower the heat and add the prosciutto to the pan for about a minute.  The prosciutto gives it a great layer of flavor.  Add the sliced mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and the moisture has evaporated about five minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

























Add the Marsala to the pan and boil own for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol.  Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce slightly.  Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan.  Simmer until heated.  Season with salt and pepper and grnish with parsley.



While it seemed like a lot of chicken, I had seven eating and there was one lonely piece of left. I'm thinking no one wanted to take the last one...  Served with the mushroom risotto and the healthy roasted butternut squash to offset the heavy meal, it was a winner.  Oh, after all that, they still had room for dessert!

Sitting here in the sunshine of Naples feeling very fortunate for our life.  It just doesn't get better than this.  Enjoy your week everyone.  Do something special to spread sunshine to someone who needs it.  I know I will.

LID