Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is a dish that I chose to include in the Sicily section of Cucina DiBella not because it's a traditional dish in Sicily, but because it could not be made without the amazing wine that is produced in the Marsala region of Sicily.  Tucked into the northwestern coast of Sicily, Marsala is best known for its wine production. However, it is also a gorgeous coastal city with much to offer. The island of Mozia, located slightly north of Marsala, is a true testament to the history of Sicily.  Here, you can see the remnants of ancient Pheonician settlements in the ruins that have been preserved and in the museum on the island.  At the same time you can see grapes being harvested and experience a wine tasting on the island.

The ruins at Mozia

 
 Grapes being harvested at Mozia
 

 
 A wine tasting at Mozia
 

Sorry for the tangent...back to the Chicken Marsala.  Though there are other ingredients that you can substitute for Marsala wine in this dish to achieve something similar, it is impossible to really replicate the taste without using real Marsala wine. If that is hard to find in your area, you could substitute sherry or even just use dry white wine and chicken broth.  The dish won't be Chicken Marsala, but you can create something delicious nonetheless. The version of Chicken Marsala that I made uses wine, butter and chicken stock to create a delicious sauce.  However, you can also add a little heavy cream to the sauce if you wish to make it even creamier and more decadent.

Chicken Marsala

Adapted from The Italian Chef

-Serves 4-

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt

pepper

oregano

1/4 cup flour

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 ounces mushrooms

1/2 cup Marsala wine

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chicken broth

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

Process:

1. Pound the chicken out to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Season with salt, pepper and oregano.
2. Put the flour on a plate.  Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken.  Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, just until the chicken is golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and put on a plate. Cover to keep warm.
4. Add the mushrooms to the pan.  Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the Marsala wine to the pan.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to release all of the brown bits - this is where much of the flavor is held.
6. Add the butter, chicken broth, lemon juice, and some salt and pepper to the pan.  Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half.  This will take about 5 minutes.
7. Return the chicken to the pan.  Simmer another 10 minutes.  Serve hot with pasta.

Ryan's rating of Chicken Marsala - 4.5.

Comments

[Sean]

Yummmmmmmmm....mmmmmmm! Just made the Marsala and it was a party in our bellies. Really easy and very tasty. We ate it with farfalle, which really held the sauce well. Keep up the good work. The Red Floozie has nothing on this site!

[Jeanne]

I might have wanted to drink the extra sauce off the plate at the end. And maybe I did.

[Sue]

Haha, thanks, Sean! Im so glad you guys liked it! Jeanne, plate licking is totally acceptable.

[Jeanne]

It was so good, we're making it again already!

[Sue]

Cha-ching! Youll have to let me know if you and Sean make any improvements to it!

[Jeanne]

Nothing to improve upon; it's brilliant! The flavor was a bit different this time but I suppose it will always vary a little since we eyeball ingredients more than we use precise measurements. Um...I also ate the leftovers for breakfast this morning since we had plans for lunch and dinner and I wanted to make sure I got some today. This one will be in regular rotation. Thanks!