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Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

Cuisine:Italian

Course:Dinner

20m prep 30m cook 50m ready

Chicken cutlets are pan-fried and served with a rich Marsala mushroom sauce made with pancetta, cream, and herbs. This classic Italian-American dish is hearty and flavorful.

Ingredients

Servings:
  • 1
    • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ cup flour
    • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 ½ cups dry bread crumbs
    • (¼ to ½ cup grated Parmesan [1 to 2 ounces])
    • (1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary, thyme, or oregano, crumbled)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • ½ cup flour
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Have ready: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
    2. Trim any fat around the edges. Butterfly each breast by holding the knife parallel to the work surface and slicing lengthwise through the thicker side. Continue slicing through the breast, stopping ½ inch from the opposite side to form a hinge. Open each breast like a book and flatten it with your hand. Place a butterflied breast between sheets of wax paper and pound with a mallet or rolling pin to flatten to ¼ to ½ inch thick. If the breasts seem too large for the pan once they have been pounded, cut them in half.
    3. Season with: 1 ½ teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper
    4. Spread on a plate: ½ cup flour
    5. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Heat in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
    6. Working in batches, coat the cutlets with the flour, shake off the excess, and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes each side, adding more oil between batches if the skillet looks dry. As they finish cooking, transfer the cutlets to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels and keep warm in the oven. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
    7. CHICKEN MILANESE
    8. Butterfly and pound chicken breasts as for version I. Combine in a wide shallow bowl: 1 ½ cups dry bread crumbs; (¼ to ½ cup grated Parmesan [1 to 2 ounces]); (1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary, thyme, or oregano, crumbled); 1 ½ teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper
    9. Whisk together in a shallow bowl: 2 large eggs; 1 tablespoon water
    10. Spread on a plate: ½ cup flour
    11. Coat the chicken with the flour and shake off the excess. Dip in the egg mixture, then coat with the bread crumb mixture, patting with your fingers to make the crumbs adhere. Set aside on a plate. Preheat the oven to 200°F.
    12. Pan-fry the cutlets as directed in version I, using: ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    13. CHICKEN KATSU
    14. These Japanese-style cutlets have an appealing golden-brown panko crust. To make this with the traditional pork, butterfly and pound the pork as directed in Breaded Pork Chops or Cutlets and substitute for the chicken in this recipe.
    15. Butterfly, pound, season, and flour chicken breasts as for version I.
    16. Whisk together in a shallow bowl: 2 eggs; 1 tablespoon water
    17. Add to a second bowl: 1 cup panko bread crumbs
    18. Dip the floured chicken in the egg, then coat with the panko. Place on a plate. Preheat the oven to 200°F.
    19. Pan-fry the cutlets as directed in version I, using: ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    20. Serve with: Katsu Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 ounces diced pancetta or bacon
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 8 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup chicken stock or broth
  • ⅔ cup dry Marsala
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • (1 tablespoon tomato paste)
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Several drops of lemon juice

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1 Pan-Fried Chicken Cutlets I
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 ounces diced pancetta or bacon
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 8 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup chicken stock or broth
  • ⅔ cup dry Marsala
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • (1 tablespoon tomato paste)
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Several drops of lemon juice

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Prepare and keep warm in a 200°F oven: Pan-Fried Chicken Cutlets I

  2. Step 2.

    Wipe out the skillet, place over medium heat, and add: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  3. Step 3.

    Add and cook, stirring, until rendered and browned: 3 ounces diced pancetta or bacon

  4. Step 4.

    Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet and add: 1 small onion, chopped

  5. Step 5.

    Cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add: 8 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced

  6. Step 6.

    Cook, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the cooked pancetta to the skillet, along with: 1 cup chicken stock or broth; ⅔ cup dry Marsala; 3 garlic cloves, minced; (1 tablespoon tomato paste); 3 sprigs thyme

  7. Step 7.

    Bring to a boil and cook until the mixture has reduced to one-quarter of its original volume, about 5 minutes. Add: ¼ cup heavy cream

  8. Step 8.

    Boil until the sauce is thick enough to lightly coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs and stir in: 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley; Salt and black pepper to taste; Several drops of lemon juice

  9. Step 9.

    Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

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