Chicken Marsala

 

                                                              Chicken Marsala 

 

 

Ingredients

• 8 ounces fresh button or cremini mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  
• ¹/₂ cup plus 1 splash sweet Marsala wine, divided
  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
  
• ¹/₂ cup heavy cream
  
• ¹/₂ cup chicken broth
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

 

 

Directions

1. In a large skillet, sauté mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until lightly caramelized. Remove mushrooms from heat and set aside in a small bowl.
2. Carefully slice each chicken breast horizontally, making four thinner pieces of chicken total. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken breasts.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in the same skillet and brown chicken breasts on each side until almost done (They will continue to cook in the sauce in Step 6.). Remove from skillet and keep warm.
4. Deglaze the pan with the 1/2 cup Marsala wine. Add the garlic. Continue to cook until wine is reduced to be thick and syrupy (au sec).
5. Add cream and reduce slightly. Add the broth and continue to reduce slightly until sauce coats the back of a spoon.
6. Nestle chicken breasts into the skillet, add the mushrooms and spoon sauce over top. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
7. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm.
8. Swirl butter into the sauce remaining in the skillet, season to taste with salt and pepper, and allow to reduce slightly. Add a splash of Marsala wine to the sauce and pour over the chicken. Serve immediately with a side of linguine or risotto, if desired.

Chicken Piccata

 

                                                             Chicken Piccata 

 

 

ngredients

• 2 large lemons
  
• 6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded until 1/4 inch thick
  
• 1 pinch salt
  
• 1 pinch black pepper
  
• ¹/₂ cup flour
  
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
  
• 6 servings couscous or angel hair pasta

 

Directions

1. Cut one lemon in half lengthwise. Trim the ends from one half and cut across into thin slices about 1/8 inch thick; set aside. Juice the remaining half and whole lemon to obtain about 1/4 cup juice; set aside.
2. Season both sides of the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Place flour into a shallow dish or pan. Coat each breast with flour, and shake to remove excess.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Cook half the batch in the skillet without moving them until lightly browned on the first side, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Turn and cook until the second side is lightly browned, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate kept warm in the oven, or cover with aluminum foil. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering. Add remaining chicken pieces and repeat. Add cooked chicken to previous batch and keep warm in 200 degree oven.
4. Using the pan in which you cooked the chicken, sauté the shallots in the oil and browned bits remaining in the pan. Once shallots become translucent, add the chicken broth and lemon slices. Allow to cook until lemon slices are well-softened.
5. Add the capers and lemon juice, and allow to reduce to concentrate flavors. Remove pan from heat and swirl in the butter until it melts and thickens the sauce. Swirl in the parsley. Spoon over chicken and serve immediately over a bed of couscous or angel hair pasta.