Chicken Marsala

i had a rather unfortunate incident in college on a night i had chicken marsala for dinner. i'd hate to give too many details, but since this unfortunate incident involving seeing the chicken a second time around 4am, i haven't had chicken marsala again. that was 8 years ago.

i finally decided enough time has passed. after all, i really like chicken marsala. what's not to like - chicken, mushrooms, garlic, wine?? i am happy to say, i successfully ate it and survived the night. in fact, this is one of the best marsala recipes i have come across in a long time. it's adapted from cooks illustrated and it's delicious. the addition of pancetta really added tons of flavor. why hadn't i thought of it?

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Chicken Marsala
serves 4
(adapted from cooks illustrated)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 oz pancetta, cut into small cubes
3 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
3 large shallots, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs tomato paste
1 3/4 cup marsala wine
1 tbs flour
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs lemon juice
chopped parsley

heat oil in skillet over medium heat. sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. dredge in flour and shake off excess. cook chicken in oil approximately 3 minutes a side until cooked through. remove from pan and keep warm in 300 degree F oven.

add pancetta to pan and cook until crispy. remove from pan and set aside. add mushrooms and cook until tender. add shallots and garlic and saute 2 minutes. add cooked pancetta back into pan along with tomato paste. cook for 1 minute and add marsala wine. stir well and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer.

spoon out 1/4 cup of sauce and add 1 tbs flour to sauce. whisk well to combine. pour back into pan and stir well to distribute. let sauce simmer until reduced slightly and thickened. remove from heat, add butter and lemon juice. spoon sauce over chicken breasts and sprinkle with chopped parsley.