Recipe: Chicken Marsala*

OK all you romantics out there--I have the perfect Valentine’s Dinner for you.  Even if you’re planning to eat out on Valentine’s Day instead of cooking, that’s OK. With the 14^th on a Friday this year, we really should be celebrating the whole weekend long, right?  You can still make a nice dinner for the whole fam on Saturday or Sunday.  My husband’s birthday is tomorrow, but we’re waiting until Friday night to celebrate it, because I’m going to take him to the special Valentine’s Buffet at Elements Restaurant for his birthday.  Don’t tell him—all he knows is that we’re going somewhere for dinner, so he better not eat much during the day!  But I digress—let me tell you about the delicious meal you could make your loved ones for Valentine’s this year.  But first, you have to be crazy about (or at least enjoy) mushrooms and asparagus. But if my favorite veggies are your favorites too, then read on!

This week’s recipe is a delightful dish called Chicken Marsala.  My sister made it for me for the first time a few years ago, and it was so yummy and easy—yet possessing of that gourmet flair I don’t often achieve with my everyday cooking.  Served with steamed Asparagus Spears and a decadent dessert (which you will have to come up with on your own, as I’m on a no-sugar diet and don’t like to contemplate dessert!), you will feel like Julia Child herself and everyone will be singing your praises.  

Ingredients:

4 lbs boneless chicken thighs or 3 lbs boneless breasts

¾ cup flour

2 teas. salt

1 teas. coarse ground Black Pepper

2 teas. dried Majoram Leaves

2 teas. dried Basil Leaves

5 large Garlic Cloves, minced

4 Tablespoons butter + 1 Tablespoon Butter

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 lb Sliced fresh Mushrooms

1 can chicken broth

1 1/2 cup Marsala Cooking Wine (in condiment aisle of grocery store)

½ bunch fresh parsley leaves, minced

24 oz. Linguini, cooked according to package directions

Instructions:

1.      Remove any fat from chicken and cut into large chunks. 

2.    Mix flour with all spices except basil.  Reserve and set aside 4 Tablespoons of this flour mixture.

3.    Use the rest of the flour mix to coat chicken pieces.  This can be done by shaking them with the coating mix in a bag in small batches at a time, adding about a fourth of the chicken and a fourth of the mixture at a time so it will coat well.

4.    In large heavy bottomed skillet heat up the 4 Tablespoons olive oil with 4 Tablespoons of the butter on med to med/high heat.  Cook the chicken, in batches if necessary, until it’s browned nicely and just barely cooked through.  Be careful not burn the bottom of the pan, as you will need the browned bits to make the sauce.  Remove the chicken to a baking dish, cover, and keep warm in 150 to 200 degree oven while you make the sauce and cook the pasta.

5.    Add the garlic to the pan and sauté very briefly.  Add the Marsala cooking wine to the pan and scrap with a spatula to loosen all the browned bits in the bottom of the skillet.  Simmer about five minutes to allow the alcohol to dissipate.  Whisk the reserved flour mixture into the chicken broth and add this to the pan, whisking quickly to avoid lumps and simmer until thickened.  Add the Basil.

6.    Add mushrooms to the sauce and simmer slowly for about five or ten minutes until mushrooms are done.  Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter to the sauce.  Remove the chicken from the oven and place back into the pan with the sauce.

7.    Place in a serving dish and sprinkle with the minced parsley.

8.    Serve over hot cooked Linguini.  Serves 8.

*Originally distributed February 2014