Chicken Marsala
Cook time
40 mins
Total time
40 mins
Author: Mirlandra Neuneker
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups good quality Marsala wine (see note)
- ¾ cup good quality chicken or beef stock (homemade if you got it!)
- 2 ½ tsp. unflavored gelatin (or one packet)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (1 ¾ pounds total)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp. course ground black pepper
- ½ - 1 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms
- 4 - 6 medium shallots (about 9 ounces total), minced
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves, additional to garnish if desired
- 3 Tbsp. butter
Instructions
- Combine wine and stock in a large measuring cup. Sprinkle the gelatin all over the surface and set aside.
- Use a meat mallet, a rolling pin, or a strong wine bottle to pound the chicken cutlets until they are no more than ¼” thick. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of each cutlet. Dredge each cutlet in flour on both sides and set aside.
- Slice the mushrooms thinly (I use a food processor with the slicer blade attached) and set by the stove. Mince the shallots and set them by the stove too. (Tip: I slice my shallots in the food processor and then finish mincing by hand.)
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is simmering but not smoking. If your skillet will not fit all the chicken, work in batches. Add the chicken to the oil and cook about 3 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through (160 F on a thermometer) and brown on both sides.
- Do not drain the oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook stirring quite frequently until the mushrooms have released their juices and browned well, about 10 minutes. Add the minced shallots, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring, until the shallots are translucent, about 2 more minutes. Add additional oil at any point if needed to prevent burning.
- Pour the Marsala mixture into the pan with the mushrooms, making sure to scrape all the gelatin into the pan. Bring to a boil whisking until the liquid is reduced by half to three-quarters. Add the butter and continue to whisk constantly until the sauce comes together and takes on the consistency of heavy cream. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if you need it.
- Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over them to warm them through. Serve over thick noodles such as Egg Pappardelle (I used the Trader Joe's Egg Pappardelle).
Notes
Do not go to the grocery store and buy Holland House Marsala Cooking wine. It is disgusting and has nothing to do with true Marsala wine. The real stuff is not too spendy. A decent bottle will run you about $12. It is a fortified wine and in some states this means you need to find it at a liquor store. I prefer a sweet Marsala wine but you can choose a drier version if you like. The sweet version brings out the flavor of the shallots nicely!
