With its combination of great flavor and richness, Chicken Marsala is an incredible main-dish that will make you think you are dining in an expensive Italian Ristorante. In this easy recipe, pounded chicken cutlets are lightly sautéed with earthy mushrooms and salty prosciutto and then topped with a sweet and savory pan-sauce made with Marsala wine.
2skinless, boneless chicken breastsabout 10 to 12 ounces each
½cupall-purpose flour
1teaspoonKosher salt
½teaspoonground black pepper
¼cupolive oil
4ouncesprosciuttothinly sliced and cut into strips
8ouncesmushroomssliced
¾cupMarsala wine
¾cupchicken stock
2tablespoonsunsalted butter
¼cupflat-leaf parsleychopped
Instructions
Place a single breast on a cutting board. Place your hand, palm down on the breast to steady it. With the other hand, take a sharp fillet knife and slide the blade in at the thickest point. Then slice the breast in half horizontally into two even pieces. Repeat with the other piece.
After slicing the breast, pound each piece to make it a uniform thickness. To do this, place a single breast in a plastic zip-top bag, then pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet starting at the center and working out to the edges until it is one-quarter of an inch thick. Repeat with the rest of the fillets.
Next, lightly sprinkle kosher salt and pepper on both sides of the cutlets and put them in a gallon-size plastic storage bag, along with the flour, and shake well.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and once it is hot, add the cutlets. Don't crowd them; cook them in batches if you need to—cook for about one and one-half to two minutes on each side or until they golden brown. If your cutlets are thicker than one-fourth of an inch, they might need to cook a little longer.
Once the cutlets are done, remove them from the pan, and set aside.
Lower the pan heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings. Saute for one minute. Now add the mushrooms and saute for about five minutes, or until all moisture has evaporated and they are a deep golden brown.
Add the Marsala to deglaze the pan, and let it come to a boil. Use a spatula and scrape up any pan bits. Add the chicken stock and cook for another minute or so. Stir in the butter and, when it is melted, add the chicken back to the pan. Simmer gently for one minute to reheat the chicken.
At this point, taste the sauce and add more kosher salt and pepper, if needed. (Remember, prosciutto is really salty, so be sure to taste your sauce before adding any more salt.)
Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
If you don't have a meat mallet, you can also use a rolling pin or small heavy cast-iron skillet to pound the chicken breasts. You can usually find prosciutto in the deli section of your grocery store. Ask them to slice it thinly for you. I usually use button or white mushrooms, portobello, or cremini mushrooms in this dish. If you need to clean them, wipe them off with a paper towel. If they are really dirty, give them a brief rinse in cold water, drain on a clean dish towel, and then dry with a paper towel. Do not let them soak or stand in water. I usually make my own chicken stock; here is a link to my homemade chicken stock recipe. It's a great way to recycle chicken carcasses and clean out your vegetable drawer.If I'm out of homemade stock, I use jarred Better than Boullion. It can be found where the regular boxed stock is in your grocery store. It makes excellent stock, and you can make just as much as you need. I don't have any relationship with this company; I just like this product. Leftover Chicken Marsala can be stored in your refrigerator covered for up to four days. To reheat, place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 30-45 seconds.