chicken marsala
I’m bringing this recipe to you this winter season at the request of a friend of mine in Sharpsburg, MD. We often go over recipes and new ideas and she asked about this dish so I worked on it and decided that the most flavorful recipe to date was one that I learned at the Culinary Institute of America. I however substituted chicken for veal in the recipe from the CIA Professional Chef – 8th edition. I also wanted to go more “Green” with my cookware and decided upon a new line from Cuisinart called GreenGourmet –Hard Anodized. They have a petroleum-free ceramic-based nonstick interior and an Eco-friendly riveted stick handle made from 70% recycled stainless steel, and it’s oven and broiler safe. They key to this recipe is making a great sauce and starting with fresh ingredients and purchasing your poultry locally if possible. You will need a pan that can handle even browning and searing to give you the best-finished product, that’s why I recommend the GreenGourmet line.
Ingredients
- MARSALA SAUCE - MAKES 32 FLUID OUNCES
- 1 ounce minced shallots
- 2 sprigs thyme, leaves
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, whole
- 8 ounces dry red wine
- 32 ounces demi-glace
- 8 ounces marsala wine
- - salt to taste
- - ground black pepper, as needed
- 4 ounces butter, diced
- CHICKEN MARSALA
- 10 - 7-8 ounce chicken breasts, trimmed with fat removed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 ounces flour (optional, but i tend to use it)
- 2 ounces clarified butter
- 1/2 ounce shallots, minced
- 6 ounces white wine (dry is preferred)
- 24 ounces marsala sauce
- 5 ounces butter (optional - but adds a nice finishing touch)
How To Make chicken marsala
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Step 1In a saucepan, combine the shallots, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, and wine. Reduce by half over medium-high heat.
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Step 2Add the Demi-Glace and continue to simmer until the sauce has developed a good flavor and consistency. Add the Marsala and return to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a clean saucepan.
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Step 3Finish the sauce by swirling in the butter. The sauce is ready to serve now, or it may be rapidly cooled and refrigerated for later use.
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Step 4-------------------------------------------------- Cooking the Chicken
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Step 5Pound each breast between sheets of layered plastic wrap to a thickness of ¼ inch. Blot dry and season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, if desired. (This is to remove any remaining moisture and assist in browning.)
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Step 6Heat butter or oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until it is almost smoking. Sauté the chicken until it is cooked through at 165 degrees, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm while completing the sauce.
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Step 7Skim the fat off the surface of remaining liquid if breasts were not trimmed and add the shallots and Sauté until they are translucent, about 1 minute.
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Step 8De-glaze the pan with the wine; reduce until it is almost dry (au sec).
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Step 9Return the sauce to a simmer and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Swirl in the butter to finish the sauce, if desired.
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Step 10Serve immediately with the sauce
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