Simple and Healthy Chicken Marsala

Great food has never been so simple. There is no need to spend the money at a restaurant for great Italian food when it is so easy to make at home….. in your pajamas. 

I am literally (yes, I just said literally) kicking myself right now. How have I never had Chicken Marsala before? My friends rave about it and I’ve come across it many times featured in my favorite magazines but no, I’ve never actually had Chicken Marsala before tonight. My world just changed forever in a very, very good way. Literally.

I know why I haven’t ordered it at our favorite Italian restaurants in the past. Eggplant Parmesan or some decadent seafood dish always catches my eye first. I’m a sucker for scallops, prawns and fresh veggies sprinkled with Romano Parmesan. But now that I’ve made Chicken Marsala in my own kitchen I am wondering why on Earth I’ve waited this long for such a crazy simple dish that knocks you speechless with flavor. Literally.

Moving on and putting this on the menu at least once a month from now and forever more. Note to self, make enough to bring to lunch the next day in lieu of cafeteria tuna salad.

Serve with spaghetti, fettuccine, egg noodles or even orzo! Would also be good served along side garlic mashed potatoes.

Cooking the onions in olive oil on medium heat untouched caramelizes them and makes them oh so sweet. Add a bit of real butter and fresh crimini mushrooms and cook until you have a wonderful brown glaze on the bottom of your pan. Pour the Marsala wine in slowly while gently scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or plastic spatula to remove the flavorful browned bits. This, along with the sweet Marsala wine,  is what adds some serious flavor to this dish.

Good, quality ingredients like Marsala, fresh herbs and freshly grated aged Parmesan cheese really and truly make this Italian dish go from so so to  knock your socks off.

Serve with a buttery, white wine such as this Chardonnay from Match Book.
Pairs well with grilled zucchini or grilled broccolini.

TIME        20 MINUTES             SERVES 4-6

Ingredients

1 package egg noodles, cooked to package directions
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup Organic, free range chicken broth
1 small yellow onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon real butter
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
fresh Parmesan, grated
fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, let heat up for 2-3 minutes. Add onion, toss to coat with the oil then let sit still for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil water for egg noodles,  chop mushrooms and smash the garlic cloves with the back of a chopping knife. Stir the onions and let sit still for 3-4 more minutes until dark golden brown. Create a small ‘well’ in the center of the pan and add butter. Let melt to a golden brown. Add mushrooms and garlic to pan and toss to coat. Let sauté for 5-6 minutes stirring just once. This will create a wonderful brown glaze on the bottom of the pan and also allow the vegetables to cook perfectly.

Slowly, pour in the Marsala wine while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon (just don’t use metal). When all of the browned bits are loosened from the bottom of the pan, allow the wine to simmer in the veggies for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the broth and cook another 2 minutes stirring once or twice. Carefully, transfer the onions and mushrooms mixture to a large, glass bowl and cover with a plate.
Place the thawed chicken breasts in a large/gallon size zip lock bag making sure there is no air in the bag. Put the bag on a dish towel and fold the towel over in half to cover the bag. Using a large wooden rolling pin or a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken several times to flatten it to about 1/2″ thick. You want them to be thin so they cook quickly.  Pat them dry with a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. {Make sure to pat them dry or they will splatter in the grease!}

Carefully wipe the pan clean with a few wadded up paper towels. Return to heat. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the chicken to the pan and let cook for 4-5 minutes. Using a pair of tongs, check to see if the bottom side is browned, when so, flip over and cook another 4-5 minutes until browned. Pour the mushroom mixture into the pan and reduce heat to medium low. Cook a minute or two until heated through. Serve on top of noodles. 

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