Chicken Marsala

As I look through the pictures I've taken of the meals I've made recently, I am kind of annoyed because I have only taken pictures all the way through of ONE dish; however, I have 4 unfinished sets of pictures :(. For now, I will obviously post the completed one and I may still post some of the others just with less pics. Sorry! It's hard when preparing a meal and you have multiple burners going, chopping up some veggies, to stop and think to take a picture, haha!

Anyway, this one is a meal I made because Sal said he would love to have it...chicken marsala!!!

This recipe is very quick and quite easy! It looks a lot more impressive than the work it requries, which is always nice. ;) The only thing about this recipe that may be a little off-putting is the spice mix you make to apply to the chicken. I had to buy a few spices I didn't own, but personally since I enjoy cooking it's good to build my spice collection for future dishes! What I am going to list below is made in bulk for uses beyond this recipe. Right now I have the left over sitting in a jar for future use and if you personally know me or live by me, let me know and I can share some with you if you're interested in doing this recipe!

Ok, so let's get started. What you need:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon spice mix (listed below)
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in halves (vertically, not horizontally)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup Marsala cooking wine (found near vinegar in your local grocery store)
• 1 cup chicken stock (found near soups)
• salt and pepper
• optional: chopped chives for garnish

Spice mix (called Essence, made by Emeril Lagasse):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions:

All the spices for the rub (not pictured: salt!)

 1. I started by combining all of the spices in a jar, shaking well to mix them up.

The spices in my jar all mixed together.

 2. Cut your chicken breasts in half and pound them down (tenderize) so they are quite flat and the same thickness across. (This is because we're frying them and you want everything to cook evenly).

looks nasty! I also cut off the fat (the white, goopy stuff on the raw chicken)

3. Mix the flour and a tablespoon of the spice mix in a shallow bowl or small plate.

4. Take the pieces of chicken (one at a time) and put them in the flour-spice mix, covering the piece completely with the mix. Set aside. Do this for all 4 pieces. This process is called "dredging".

5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (but not smoking).

6. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides. I cooked each side for 3 minutes.

just added the chicken

Other side, finishing up!

7. After the chicken has cooked, remove to a plate and set aside.

8. In the same pan add 1 tablespoon of butter and add the mushrooms.

pick any kind of mushrooms you like...I chose a mix!

 9. While the mushrooms are cooking, continuously stir them around so they don't burn. They are ready when the edges are golden browned. (You can test taste to see if they are cooked.)

10. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil. Since the wine has alcohol, it will "burn off" so the liquid amount will reduce almost by half after a few minutes. Stir during this time. You'll see some black/brown specs, this is normal and correct!

11. At this point, add the chicken stock and cook for about 3 minutes until the sauce thickens a little bit.

I did not buy enough mushrooms, so your pan will probably look more full!

12. Lower the heat to medium (it should have been at medium-high the entire time up to this point) and return the chicken breasts to the pan. Continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce is a little more thickened (5-6 minutes). Remember, the chicken is cooked through when it is no longer pink, the juices run clear, and the chicken is kind of "stringy" looking.

13. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, add salt and pepper to taste. You may garnish with chives and serve immediately.

I did not garnish with chives.

And there you have it! Chicken marsala dish. It is great served over a bed of rice or noodles.

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Source: I found this recipe from Food Network.com and take no credit in coming up with it for myself!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/chicken-marsala-recipe/index.html

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.