Chicken Marsala for Two

(from lawmama’s recipe box)

Source: Cook's Illustrated

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves 2 people

Categories: Cook's Illustrated, chicken, dinner

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1.5 ounces pancetta
  • 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 3/4 cup sweet marsala wine
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon parsley

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof plate on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees.

  2. Place flour in shallow dish. Season pounded, paper-towel-dried chicken with salt and pepper. Working one piece at a time, coat both sides with flour.

  3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy-bottomed, 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

  4. Cook chicken until golden brown on first side, 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining oil and using tongs, flip chicken; continue to cook until meat feels firm when pressed gently and second side is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer.

  5. Transfer chicken to heated plate and return plate to oven.

  6. Return skillet to low heat and add pancetta; cook, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits, until pancetta is brown and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towel-lined plate.

  7. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom, until liquid released by mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, about 4 to 6 minutes.

  8. Add garlic, tomato paste, and cooked pancetta; cook while stirring until tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute.

  9. Off heat, add Marsala; return pan to medium heat and simmer vigorously, scraping browned bits from pan bottom, until mushroom sauce is slightly syrupy and reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 4 minutes.

  10. Off heat, add lemon juice and any accumulated juices from chicken; whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time.

  11. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in parsley. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

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