Who knew I (or more to the point, Paris) was so ahead of the curve? Last year, when I wrote about the preponderance of purple populating Paris, a few readers pointed out that the color orchid was named The Color of the Year by tastemakers, Pantone.
And recently, I made Marsala-baked pears, only to find out that, yup – this year, Marsala is the color of the year. So if you’re interested in finding out what the color of the year is going to be for next year, keep an eye on this blog.
The other night I invited some friends over for a very “family style” dinner. I’ve been utterly swamped so wanted to make something that I could pretty much prepare in advance, that I could put together at the last-minute, and didn’t involve too many dishes.
So I made spaghetti and meatballs, which I explained to my French guests was “Italian-American” fare, not really Italian, as you wouldn’t find Italians in Italy serving meatballs on top of plates of spaghetti. Due to the massive influx of Italians that immigrated in America, Italian-American cooking takes cues from both cultures. So pasta and meatballs it is.
I’m not sure if chicken Marsala is something you’d get in Italy, but it’s popular in America, and is even easier to make than spaghetti and meatballs. And only requires one pan. Even better, in this age of everyone wanting a dish that are fast, easy, and not too rich, chicken Marsala checks all those boxes.
(And I suppose it could be frozen, but it’s so easy, and so much better when freshly made, why would anyone want to?)
Pounding the chicken breasts into paillards, thin pieces of meat, helps them cook quickly and evenly. And there’s more surface to absorb the burnished Marsala glaze. Putting them in a plastic bag helps makes clean up easier.
Once you season the breasts, a quick dredging in flour is all that’s needed before frying them up in a big skillet. The finished dish has mushrooms, a bit of stock, and a good pour of Marsala. The final flourish is a sprinkling of chopped parsley. (Which I use a lot of, so perhaps “parsley” will be the color of the year next season.)
If you can’t get Marsala, substitute dry sherry. I serve this with wide noodles, but it’s also good with rice or orzo.
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 1/2 pound, 680g), cut in half crosswise
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 8 to 10 ounces (230-280g) button mushrooms, stems trimmed and sliced
- 3 tablespoons (total) olive oil
- 4 tablespoons (total) unsalted butter
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- about 1/3 cup (50g) flour
- 1/3 cup (80ml) chicken stock or water, 80ml
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 2/3 cup (160ml) Marsala wine, preferably dry
- 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Put the chicken pieces between two sheets of plastic wrap, or in a sturdy zip-top freezer bag, and pound them with a rolling pin until they’re 1/2-inch, (1,5cm) thick. Put the pieces in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a wide skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over high heat until the butter starts to sizzle. Add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook – stirring occasionally – until the mushrooms are seared and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic to the mushrooms during the last-minute of cooking.
Scrape the mushrooms onto a plate and wipe the pan clean with a paper towel to remove any bits of garlic. (If not, those bits will burn when frying the chicken.)
To sauté the chicken, spread the flour onto a plate and dredge half of the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off most of the excess. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Add chicken pieces so they are in a single layer; don’t crowd them in the pan. (If you have a very large pan, you can sauté them all in one batch. But I use a 10-inch/23cm skillet, and do them in two batches.)
Sauté the breasts, turning them over midway during cooking, until they are browned on each side. (They don’t need to be completely cooked through at this point.) When browned, remove the chicken pieces to a separate plate and heat another 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan, and sauté the rest of the chicken.
While the chicken is cooking. Stir the corn starch into the stock or water until it’s completely dissolved, then mix it with the Marsala.
When the second batch of chicken is done and removed from the pan, pour about one-third of the Marsala mixture into the pan, scraping the pan with a wooden or silicone spatula to scrape up the browned bits, then add the rest of the Marsala mixture, as well as the mushrooms and chicken pieces.
Cook the chicken and mushrooms with the sauce over medium heat, turning the chicken pieces over occasionally, to make sure they’re well-basted in the sauce, until the chicken is cooked and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in another 1 tablespoons of butter, the balsamic vinegar, and chopped parsley. Taste the sauce and season with more salt, if necessary.
Notes
Serving: Chicken Marsala is best served with warm, with wide noodles or another pasta. Mashed potatoes would work well, too.
FAQs
However, when we tried both styles in recipes for chicken Marsala, mushroom stuffing, and zabaglione, tasters preferred the dry style in all instances. Though both were acceptable, tasters found that dry Marsala offered more depth of flavor, while sweet Marsala added sweetness and some flavor but wasn't as complex.
How do I thicken chicken Marsala sauce? ›
Flour plus fat (butter) = roux. A roux is used as a thickening agent in sauces. Sooo, with the butter from the pan and the butter the mushrooms have absorbed, plus the chicken cutlets coated in flour… This all means when the cutlets get added back to the sauce – that flour and butter combo is what thickens the sauce.
What is Marsala sauce made of? ›
Add olive oil to heavy hot saucepan. Add onions, garlic, mushrooms, saute until mushrooms are tender. Add flour and cook about 1 minute then deglaze pan with Marsala wine. Add beef stock and cook until thick and flavors are blended.
What can I use instead of Marsala in Chicken Marsala? ›
The best substitute for marsala wine is madeira, another kind of fortified wine with a similar flavour profile. Other alternatives include other fortified wines such as commandaria, sherry, vermouth, and port.
What is the best wine to use in Chicken Marsala? ›
For cooking savory dishes like this one, use a secco (dry), fine (aged one year) ambra or oro Marsala. This impressive dish leans on the wine's flavor profile, giving it a deep and nutty richness. Even better, it comes together quickly, which makes it just as suitable for busy weeknights as weekend entertaining.
What is the best wine for making Chicken Marsala? ›
Best Brand Of Marsala Wine For Chicken Marsala
- Florio Sweet Marsala. 4.6 out of 5 stars. 19 reviews. ...
- Carlo Martinez Marsala Sweet DOC. 4.2 out of 5 stars. 14 reviews. ...
- Florio Dry Marsala. 4.8 out of 5 stars. ...
- Colombo Marsala Sweet. 4.1 out of 5 stars. ...
- Cribari Marsala. 4.2 out of 5 stars. ...
- Colombo Marsala Dry. 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Chicken Marsala is a traditional Italian dish that is made with chicken, white wine, and sweet marsala wine. Chicken Marsala is served with tomato sauce and creamy white sauce. The marsala wine used in this dish is a dry marsala.
Why is my Marsala sauce runny? ›
When the Marsala sauce has begun to boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer it. The liquid should reduce by half and thicken. If the Chicken Marsala sauce is not thick enough, you can combine 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (or arrowroot starch for gluten-free version) with 1 teaspoon of the sauce in a small bowl.
How long does it take for Marsala sauce to thicken? ›
Deglaze the pan by pouring in the marsala, and cook for about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium, stir in beef broth and port, and cook until sauce starts to reduce and thicken to your preference, 10 to 12 minutes.
How to make masala thick? ›
Coconut is a great ingredient used for thickening curries. It can be used in any form – milk, cream or grated. This method is most suited for Thai, South Indian and other Asian curries. It not only makes your curry flavorful, but also makes the curry creamier.
The sauce is made with Marsala wine which is a dry and sweet wine which has a 15-20% alcohol content but don't worry, all of the alcohol will cook out of the sauce. The wine creates a nutty and rich caramelized sauce for the chicken.
Is Chicken Marsala made with dry or sweet Marsala? ›
Should you use sweet or dry Marsala in your Chicken Marsala recipe? It doesn't make a huge difference, and either option will produce delicious results, but I would go for dry because the sweet Marsala has a bit too much sugar for such a savory dish.
How long is leftover Chicken Marsala good for? ›
Transfer your leftover chicken marsala to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze your leftovers, store in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Thaw either in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of chicken broth.
What makes a Marsala? ›
Marsala is made from a blend of wines - usually from three local grape varieties (Grillo, Cataratto and Inzolia). The blend is fortified with neutral grape brandy then sweetened, either with boiled down must (mosto cotto) or with grape juice whose fermentation has been stopped with spirit (mistela).
What type of marsala wine is best for chicken Marsala? ›
For cooking savory dishes like this one, use a secco (dry), fine (aged one year) ambra or oro Marsala. This impressive dish leans on the wine's flavor profile, giving it a deep and nutty richness. Even better, it comes together quickly, which makes it just as suitable for busy weeknights as weekend entertaining.
What is the best marsala wine for chicken? ›
Best Brand Of Marsala Wine For Chicken Marsala
- Florio Sweet Marsala. 4.6 out of 5 stars. 19 reviews. ...
- Carlo Martinez Marsala Sweet DOC. 4.2 out of 5 stars. 14 reviews. ...
- Florio Dry Marsala. 4.8 out of 5 stars. ...
- Colombo Marsala Sweet. 4.1 out of 5 stars. ...
- Cribari Marsala. 4.2 out of 5 stars. ...
- Colombo Marsala Dry. 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Chicken Marsala is a traditional Italian dish that is made with chicken, white wine, and sweet marsala wine. Chicken Marsala is served with tomato sauce and creamy white sauce. The marsala wine used in this dish is a dry marsala.
