I love this chicken recipe. (Actually I love most chicken dishes.) But this one is particularly near and dear to my heart. (I think it has something to do with the Marsala wine, mushrooms, and fresh thyme.) Whatever it is (probably the combination of ingredients), I am completely hung up on this dish. I even dreamt about it the other night. Now that’s scary!

So when I opened my Jan/Feb issue of Cooking Light magazine, and there on page 28 was a close cousin recipe of my very own recipe for Chicken Marsala, I immediately checked my blog to see exactly what the differences were. What!?!? No recipe on my blog for this amazing Sicilian classic? How could I possibly have been so remiss? Well, starting today, you now have my recipe for one of the tastiest and easiest Italian dishes to prepare.

Now many people pound the chicken before frying it. Not me. Too much work. Plus I find that meat that has been pounded sometimes feels mushy. I love minced meat (ground beef, sausage, ground turkey and chicken), but I don’t like mushy. But if you like to hammer on meat, by all means use your mallet or the side of a wide butcher knife instead of cutting the meat with a knife. Really makes no matter. The chicken will still be delicious.

So enough blather Patti. It’s already way past time this recipe appeared on the blog!

(If you would like to know a bit more about this fabulous dish, read the note at the end of this post.)

• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise, then each piece cut in two (you should now have 8 pieces)
• kosher salt   
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2 c. thinly sliced fresh button or cremini mushrooms
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 1 T. all-purpose flour
• 2/3 c. dry Marsala wine
• 2/3 c. chicken broth
• 1-2 T. chopped fresh thyme (start with 1 tablespoon, then add more as garnish, if desired)  
• 2 T. chopped fresh parsley, opt.  

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large fry pan. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Fry the chicken pieces until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. (If you need additional olive oil – add a wee dram.) Remove the cooked chicken to a plate or other container; loosely tent with aluminum foil. Do not clean the frying pan.

Place the pan back on medium-low heat and sauté the shallot and mushrooms until all the liquid is evaporated, and the mushrooms start to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the butter and flour and cook for 1 minute. Off heat gently whisk in the Marsala, chicken stock, and 1 tablespoon of the thyme. Return to heat and cook for 2 minutes over low heat. Add the cooked chicken, cook for an additional minute. Adjust the seasoning.

Serve the chicken and sauce over or beside freshly cooked al dente pasta, brown rice, or polenta. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and a bit more chopped thyme, if desired.

Note:

Marsala is a dark, sweet, fortified dessert wine that resembles sherry. Chicken Marsala is an Italian dish made from chicken cutlets, mushrooms, and Marsala wine. It is a variation of a traditional Italian scaloppini dish. Chicken Marsala probably dates to the 19th century, when it most likely originated with English families who lived in Sicily, where Marsala wine is produced.