Description
Barefoot Contessa Chicken Marsala brings Italian-American comfort to dinner tables with elegant simplicity. Golden chicken cutlets nestled in rich mushroom sauce create a restaurant-quality meal anyone can master at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Seasonings and Herbs:
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- ¼ cup (15g) fresh parsley, chopped
Cooking Ingredients:
- 125 grams (4.4 ounces) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 60 milliliters (2 fluid ounces) extra-virgin olive oil
- 280 grams (9.9 ounces) sliced mushrooms (baby bellas or cremini)
- 300 milliliters (10.1 fluid ounces) chicken stock or broth (divided)
- 240 milliliters (8.1 fluid ounces) Marsala wine
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
- 30 grams (1.1 ounces) butter (or vegan butter)
Instructions
- Tenderize the chicken breasts by placing them between plastic wrap or parchment paper. Gently pound to a uniform 1/4-inch (6 millimeters) thickness using a meat mallet. Slice each breast into two equal cutlets. Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Create a seasoned coating by mixing flour and dried rosemary in a shallow dish. Carefully dredge each chicken cutlet in the herbed flour mixture, ensuring an even coating and shaking off any excess flour.
- Heat of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high temperature. Cook the chicken cutlets in batches, allowing 3-5 minutes per side until they develop a golden-brown exterior and reach full internal doneness. Add remaining oil between batches as needed. Transfer cooked cutlets to a paper towel-lined plate, then keep warm in an oven set to 90 degrees Celsius (200 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Without cleaning the pan, introduce thyme sprigs and sliced mushrooms. Sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat, seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Pour in 60 milliliters () of chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful browned bits with a spatula. Add minced garlic and cook until aromatic.
- Pour Marsala wine and remaining 240 milliliters of chicken stock into the pan. Allow the liquid to simmer for 2-3 minutes, melding the flavors together.
- For a thicker sauce consistency, whisk of cornstarch with 60 milliliters of cold water until smooth. Gradually incorporate the mixture into the simmering sauce, continuing to cook until it reaches desired thickness.
- Incorporate butter into the sauce, stirring until completely melted. Let the sauce continue simmering for an additional 2-3 minutes to develop deeper flavors.
- Retrieve the warm chicken cutlets from the oven and nestle them into the pan. Generously spoon the mushroom Marsala sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley as a final garnish. Serve immediately alongside creamy mashed potatoes, steamed rice, buttered egg noodles, or a selection of seasonal vegetables.
Notes
- Pound chicken breasts to an even ¼-inch thickness for consistent, tender cooking that guarantees a perfectly prepared meal.
- Select a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet to distribute heat evenly, creating a beautiful golden-brown crust without scorching the meat.
- Capture maximum flavor by deglazing the pan with browned bits, transforming simple pan drippings into a rich, deeply seasoned sauce.
- Create a silky sauce consistency by whisking cornstarch with cold water, allowing the mixture to thicken the sauce rapidly and smoothly.
- Brighten the dish’s appearance and taste with freshly chopped parsley, adding a vibrant green garnish that cuts through the sauce’s richness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 770
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 442mg
- Fat: 37g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 68mg