I received a text from Susan asking what was for dinner. I really hadn’t thought about it, so I asked for a suggestion. She immediately came back with Chicken Marsala and Mushroom Risotto. It sounded good to me!
My recipe for Chicken Marsala is an adaptation of Emeril Lagasse’s recipe as shown on foodnetwork.com.
Skinless and boneless chicken breasts that have been trimmed of all fat are horizontally cut into two to three thin slices. Recipes generally call for the chicken to be pounded into thin slices. Some time back, however, I decided that pounding the chicken for this type of recipe was entirely too much work – thus the horizontal slicing!
The chicken is dusted with a mixture of flour and Emeril’s Essence or some other Cajun seasoning, and then quickly cooked in a small amount of oil until golden brown on both sides.
Once the chicken has been browned, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add fresh sliced mushroom to the pan for a quick sauté on high heat. When the mushrooms are done, and the liquid given off has evaporated, add the Marsala, and cook over high heat until reduced by half. Then, add the chicken stock and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened. Some times, I add a bit of sour cream to the sauce to make it creamier. I did that tonight!
When the sauce is thickened and bubbly, the chicken is returned to the pan and cooked for five to six minutes to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked. If needed, add salt and freshly ground pepper, followed by a garnish of chopped chives or green onions. Yum!
½ cup all purpose flour Combine flour and Essence in a ziplock bag. Set aside. Trim chicken breasts of all fat. Horizontally slice chicken breasts into two to three thin slices. Place in ziplock bag. Shake to thoroughly coat. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about three minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the mushrooms to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minute, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. If desired, add sour cream and stir until well combined. Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan. Continue to cook until the chicken breasts are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped chives or green onions and serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.
1 Tablespoon Emeril’s Essence
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound (16-ounces) sliced mushrooms
¾ cup Marsala
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup sour cream (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped green onions or chives for garnish
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