My Daily Bread: Chicken Marsala

You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you meet someone famous? Or when you have a one-on-one conversation with someone you admire or look up to? Well, I recently experienced those butterflies as I tried to stay calm, cool, and collected while meeting one of my own chef inspirations- Ellie Krieger. (Flip on the Food Network and you will probably catch her). She is a dietitian turned chef (just like me!). I not only admire her lovely demeanor, but also her culinary talent, as she is able to keep her recipes tasty and healthy.

So needless to say, I felt inspired to go home and experiment with one of Ellie’s favorite Italian dishes….Chicken Marsala (with a Regina flare). I hope this encourages you to get in the kitchen and do the same!

PS- This dish is classically laden with butter, but I only used ONE tablespoon!

Chicken Marsala

4 servings

Ingredients:

4, five ounce chicken breasts (boneless/skinless), pounded to ½ inch thick.

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ tsp paprika (I use smoked)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, minced (about ¼ cup)

1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, thinly sliced

½ cup Marsala wine

1 cup chicken broth (low sodium is preferred)

1 tablespoon butter

Garnish- 4 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

Combine flour, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a shallow dish. Add chicken one piece at a time and toss to coat.

Reserve 1 tablespoon of remaining flour mixture.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned (about 2-3 minutes per side). Transfer chicken to plate.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil the pan and heat over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until softened.

Add half the mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften, then add remaining mushrooms and cook until they release their water (about 5 minutes).

Add the reserved 1 tablespoon of flour mixture and stir to coat mushroom/shallot mixture for about 1 minute.

Add Marsala wine and bring to boil; continue to cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 1 minute). Add chicken broth and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until liquid is reduced slightly (about 2 minutes) and add chicken back to pan. Spoon sauce over chicken and continue cooking over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken (about 5-7 minutes).