My Favorite Chicken Marsala

My husband and I just love a good Chicken Marsala.  In fact, I'd be so daring as to say that this could be both of our favorite food.  Well, at least it's mine and for my husband, it comes as close to a favorite as something that's not beef possibly could.

The secret to a good Chicken Marsala is...(drumroll)...the Marsala wine.  I didn't say that this was going to be rocket science!  Seriously, the most important ingredient is the Marsala wine so if you are serving it for a special occasion or for company, I'd splurge on a bottle of Marsala wine for your cooking.  For other times, cooking Marsala wine (found in the supermarket) works fine and is, in fact, what I usually use when we have this for a weeknight meal.  Just note that cooking wines are high in sodium so you may want to cut the additional salt that is added, until after you have taste-tested it.  You could always add more.

I have tried many Chicken Marsalas and this one is our favorite because it is flavorful and light; there is no flour in the sauce so it won't get clumpy.  It really enables you to taste the chicken, mushrooms and the sauce without hiding the flavors in extra flour. It's delicious served atop some wide egg noodles, some angel hair or other pasta or with rice.  We go heavy on the mushrooms since we love them, but you can reduce those as well.  Enjoy!

Chicken Marsala

3 large chicken breasts, cut in half to form 6 pieces

1-1/2T olive oil

3-1/2T butter

1/2c. flour seasoned with salt and pepper

1 onion, sliced very thin

1lb. mushrooms, sliced thin

1c. Marsala wine

1c. chicken broth

1T. lemon juice

2T. freshly chopped parsley (or 1tsp. dried parsley)

Combine flour with salt and pepper to taste.  Pat chicken dry, place between two pieces of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet.  Cover in flour mixture.  Heat 1-1/2T butter and oil in skillet.  Add chicken, turning once until cooked through and lightly browned.  Transfer chicken to a platter.  Saute onions and mushrooms.  Add Marsala and cook until almost evaporated.  Add chicken broth and lemon juice.

Simmer sauce until liquid is reduced to about 1C.  Remove skillet from heat and add remaining 2T butter and any additional salt and pepper (to taste).  Spoon sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

*Note:  You certainly can make this a gluten-free meal by omitting the flour coating on the chicken and just seasoning the plain breasts with salt and pepper, then sauteing in the skillet until very lightly browned.

Happy cooking!