CHICKEN MARSALA

• 4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 - 16 ounces crimini (portabella) and/or porcini mushrooms, stemmed and halved (depending on how much you like mushrooms - I like a lot of em'...)
• 1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Optional - 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

1) Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. 

2) Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

3) Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet, be careful not to burn the oil

4) Dredge both sides of the chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. gently lay the chicken into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the chicken doesn't all fit into the pan. 

5) Once cooked - place the chicken into a casserole dish in a single layer and keep warm in the oven.

6) Lower the heat to medium and (if using prosciutto - add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, sauté for 1 minute to render out some of the fat). 

7) Now, add the mushrooms and sauté until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. 

8) Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. 

9) Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. 

10) Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded ¼-inch thick (see note), or chicken tenderloins
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 (8-oz) package pre-sliced bella or button mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, from 1 medium shallot
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 2/3 cup dry Marsala wine
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving (optional)

 NOTE: If your chicken breasts are large, it’s best to first cut them in half, horizontally, to form two flat fillets, then pound them to an even 1/4-inch thickness. If you pound large chicken breasts without first halving them, they’ll be too thick.

1. Place the flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a ziplock bag. Add the chicken to the bag; seal bag tightly and shake to coat chicken evenly. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (Use a stainless steel pan for the best browning. Nonstick will work too, but you won’t get that nice golden color on the chicken.) Place the flour-dusted chicken in the pan, shaking off any excess first, and cook, turning once, until the chicken is golden and just barely cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the broth, wine, heavy cream, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper; use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the pan into the liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by about half, slightly thickened, and darkened in color, 10 to 15 minutes (you’re going for a thin cream sauce; it won’t start to thicken until the very end of the cooking time). Add the chicken back to the pan, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce thickens a bit more, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.