chicken marsala

I love to cook. I learned from my dad and watched him create many a dinner growing up. His technique was always one that came from within, as recipes were rarely followed. Sometimes they turned out great, sometimes they didn't. He has an inate ability to just know how to create something. I'm not sure where this ability comes from, but it must be partially genetic, because I have it too.

 

I've always been able to make some sort of meal using random ingredients in the pantry and fridge. Sure, I use recipes sometimes and I even follow them to a "T" on occasion. I will look through several recipes for ideas and inspiration and then wing it. Chicken Marsala, for example, I've looked up several recipes, all slightly different but all with the same main ingredients. Here's my version of this dish. Bear with me though, there are no measurements as my recipe was created in the moment and tweaked as I went along.

 

Here are the ingredients that I used:

Thin-sliced chicken breast

crimini mushrooms

shallots

chicken broth

cream

marsala wine

butter

olive oil

cornstarch

salt and pepper

 

el pollo

 

I start off by cooking my chicken breast in a little olive oil and butter, until golden brown on both sides. Then I remove them from the pan and set aside. Using the same pan, I add a little more butter and cook the mushrooms a few minutes, then add the shallots and cook together until both the mushrooms and shallots are cooked through. I then add a little marsala wine for flavor.

 

this smells amazing, by the way...

 

After the mushrooms and shallots are done, I remove them from the pan and set aside. Into the empty pan, I add the chicken broth (I used about 2 cups) and marsala wine (about 3/4 cup) and bring to a slow boil. I then add the chicken breast back into the pan. Lower the heat and cover, allowing the chicken to simmer in the sauce. After 10-15 minutes, remove the chicken breasts again. Whisk a little cornstarch with some marsala wine and add to the sauce to thicken. Once it's at the consistency you like, add however much cream you want. I don't like my sauce too creamy, so I added about 3 TBPS of cream. Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Add the mushrooms, shallots and chicken back to the pan. Cook for a minute or so just to heat everything back up.

 

voila!

 

Serve chicken with the mushrooms and sauce poured over. I served my chicken with roasted, red potatoes and green beans. Oh, and don't mind the fancy plate, it's all we have right now. Enjoy!