Chicken Marsala
May 19, 2024
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One legend has it that this dish was created by Napoleon's chef, when faced with a limited selection of supplies. Another holds that, while it was invented during the Napoleonic Wars, it was created by a Sicilian chef for a French family living in Sicily. In any case, the fact that it requires Marsala wine - a product unique to Sicily - legitimizes its claim to an Italian heritage.
My first exposure to this dish was at a small, but growing chain of Italian restaurants. My tastes in Italian food are fairly plebian: mostly meat or meatballs on pasta, drowned in marinara sauce. My Honey, on the other hand is more adventurous, and when we dine at an Italian restaurant, she's quite willing to try almost any dish she hasn't had before. On one occasion, while we were at one of the previously-mentioned restaurants, she decided to try their Chicken Marsala, and liked it well enough to have me try a bite. It was good. I haven't gotten their recipe, so when I decided I wanted to make the dish, I had to find out how other folks are doing it. This recipe represents my "distilled" version of how to make a Chicken Marsala.
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Suggested Equipment:
- Skillet, non-stick
- Shallow bowl (for dredging)
- Cutting boards
- Knives
- Meat hammer (studded)
- Spatula
- Tongs
- Garlic press (optional)
Ingredients:
- Most foodie recipes require breast halves, but My Honey loves thighs!
- If fresh cloves are unavailable, use ½ tsp dry garlic granules. Soak the granules in a small amount of fresh water (or milk) for 15 minutes before using.
- Drained weight
- Or a mix of the two!
- Use commercial or home-made broth; or in a pinch, make it up using chicken bouillon cubes.
| Item | | Amount |
|---|
| Chicken1 |
Skinless, boneless |
½ |
lb |
| Flour |
All-purpose |
½ |
cup |
| Green onions |
Fresh, chopped |
2 |
Tbs |
| Garlic |
Fresh cloves2 |
2 |
ea |
| Mushrooms |
Sliced,4 oz can3 |
1 |
ea |
| Oil |
Butter or olive oil4 |
2 |
Tbs |
| Wine |
Marsala |
½ |
cup |
| Broth |
Chicken5 |
½ |
cup |
| Salt |
Common |
½ |
tsp |
| Black pepper |
Dry, ground |
½ |
tsp |
Directions:
The key to success in creating this dish, is preparation for the task. Equipment and ingredients, including the meat, should be staged, and all measurement should be completed before attempting to process the meat.
- Add the flour, salt, and black pepper to the dredging bowl, and stir to mix thoroughly.
- Slice the chicken into pieces about ¼ inch thick, then pound with the meat hammer to tenderize and make it even thinner. When you are satisfied that you have it as thin as practical without it becoming chicken purée, it's ready to cook.
- Add the oil or oils to the fry pan, and apply medium heat. Using a touch of butter will make it easier to know when the oil is hot enough - the butter will melt, then sizzle. When it stops sizzling, it's ready.
- If you are using fresh garlic, rather than dry granules, crush the garlic with the press, and mince. Add the garlic and the onions to the hot oil. Cook until the garlic is lightly browned.
- Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour-salt-pepper mixture, ensuring coverage on both sides, then add the chicken to the hot oil.
- Brown the chicken lightly, on both sides, in the hot oil, then remove the cooked chicken and set aside.
- Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping the pan with the spatula to make certain the capture of the cooked bits.
- Add the broth and mushrooms to the pan, and cook until the volume is reduced by half.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, and lower heat to a simmer. Let it simmer until the gravy has reached your preferred thickness, usually about 10 minutes or so.
- Plate the chicken, and ladle the gravy and mushrooms over the meat. Add appropriate sides, and serve.
I've made this dish twice now, with some variations. This recipe reflects what I've settled on for ingredients and processing. It worked very well for a Sunday dinner, with vegetable sides, including some mashed turnips. This recipe produces two generous servings, and is easily multiplied for larger groups.
Poultry, Chicken, Wine, Gravy