Chicken Marsala with Polenta

Chicken Marsala with Polenta

Chicken Marsala is a succulent Italian American dish of golden pan-fried chicken breasts and mushrooms in a rich Marsala wine sauce. Its name comes from the fortified Italian wine used to give the dish its trademark deep, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor.

INGREDIENTS

1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded ¼-inch thick (see note), or chicken tenderloins

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour Salt Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 (8-oz) package sliced portobello or button mushrooms

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, from 1 medium shallot

2 cloves garlic, minced

⅔ cup chicken broth

⅔ cup dry Marsala wine

⅔ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a zip lock bag.

Add the chicken to the bag; seal bag tightly and shake to coat chicken evenly.

Set aside.

Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (Use a stainless-steel pan for the best browning.

Place the flour-dusted chicken in the pan, shaking off any excess first, and cook, turning once, until the chicken is golden and just barely cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes total.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pan.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the shallots, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt; cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.

Add the broth, Marsala, heavy cream, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper; use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the pan into the liquid.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by about half, slightly thickened, and darkened in color, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the chicken back to the pan, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce thickens a bit more, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add your favorite side dish, (I used polenta).

Sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy!

Thank you for trying this recipe. Please let me know how you liked it. 

If you enjoyed this recipe, please take a look at other recipes on my fast, simple and good chicken page.

Chicken Marsala with polenta