Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Chicken Marsala

I found this recipe on a google search from Cook's Illustrated:
4 -6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to tasteu
2T olive oil
2 1/2 ounces pancetta, cut into pieces 1 inch long and 1/8 inch wide ( Iused 6 slices of bacon chopped in small pieces)
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups sweet Marsala wine
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place large heatproof dinner plate on oven rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees F. Heat 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (you can hold your hand 2 inches above pan surface for 3 to 4 seconds), about 3 minutes. Pat chicken breasts dry. Meanwhile, place flour in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Season both sides of chicken cutlets with salt and pepper; working one piece at a time, coat both sides with flour. Lift breast from tapered end and shake to remove excess flour; set aside. Add oil to hot skillet and heat until shimmering. Place floured cutlets in single layer in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip cutlets and cook on second side until golden brown and meat feels firm when pressed with finger, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to heated plate and return plate to oven.
Return skillet to low heat and add bacon ; saute stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits until bacon is brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high; saute stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom, until liquid released by mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, and cooked bacon ; saute while stirring until tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute. Off heat, add Marsala; return pan to high heat and simmer vigorously, scraping browned bits from pan bottom, until sauce is slightly syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, about 5 minutes. Off heat, add lemon juice and any accumulated juices from chicken; whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in parsley. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings

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