Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala makes any occasion special.  We made this incredible dish last week for our 12th Wedding Anniversary. Perhaps this dish is so good because it's the tender chicken, or the Essence spices, or the Marsala wine sauce that caramelizes the mushrooms. This recipe had the addition of the Essence spice, which gives the dish a little kick.  My husband had made the Essence previously for another recipe, so we had it on hand.  If you like a little "kick" in your food, add the spice mixture, but personally, I would leave it out next time, but my husband would add it. We had made this recipe 3 years ago, but redid this recipe with our newer camera.

We served the chicken over Linguine, Scott's favorite pasta, but you could use rice or noodles as well.  Whatever pasta or rice you use, you won't be disappointed.  This dish comes together quickly, but tastes like it has been cooking for hours.  The Marsala wine makes this dish in my opinion with it's rich flavor, without being sweet.  Here is the recipe that I promised to you last week. Enjoy!

Chicken Marsala-adapted from Emeril Lagasse-FoodNetwork

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Essence (  recipe to follow)
• 2 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in halves and pounded thin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake)
• 3/4 cup Marsala
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped chives, for garnish, we used Italian Parsley

***TIP** You can use a heavy bottomed pan to pound the chicken breasts between two pieces of parchment or waxed paper. This pan method works well if you don't have a tool for that.

Directions:

1. On a plate. or on a bowl, mix flour and Essence. Dredge the pounded thin chicken breasts in flour.
2 .Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat until hot.  Add 1 Tbsp. of butter and sauté the breasts until they are a golden brown, which is about 3 min, per side.
3. Put the chicken breasts on a plate and set aside.
4. Add 1 Tbsp of the butter to pan and add the mushrooms.  Cook the mushrooms until they are brown   around the edges, and have given off their liquid.
5. Add the Marsala wine and de-glaze the pan, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, and  add chicken stock, and cook until the sauce is partially thickened.
6. Lower heat to medium and return chicken breasts to pan, and cook until they are cooked through and the sauce is thickened.  Add additional butter and stir. (Optional if you want lower fat. ) Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Garnish with chopped chives, but we used Italian Parsley.
8. Serve over pasta, noodles or rice.

Essence Recipe from Emeril 

• 2 1/2 tbsp. Paprika-(We used Smokey Sweet)
• 2 Tbsp. salt- You can use less, if you want lower sodium
• 2 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp black pepper
• 1tbsp. onion powder
• 1tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1tbsp dried thyme

Combine all ingredients until well mixed and place in an airtight jar or container.  Makes 2/3 cup

  I linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #70
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!