CHICKEN MARSALA

Chicken Marsala is a popular chicken dish with a

 wine and mushroom sauce. The dish name originates

from the particular wine, Marsala, used to create the

 sauce. The wine is reduced to make a rich, thick

 sauce that often contains onions or shallots as well

as various spices and mushrooms.

Marsala is produced in Sicily, Italy, and is one of the

 country's most famous wines. Its flavor can range

 from sweet to dry, and it is used as a dessert wine

 or aperitif, as well as added to other ingredients

 for a variety of dishes, like chicken or veal Marsala.

Chicken Marsala is a traditional Italian dish that

starts with boneless chicken breasts that are coated,

 usually with flour. The sauce for it is made of butter,

 olive oil, mushrooms, Marsala wine, and sherry. Salt,

 pepper and oregano season the dish. Some recipes

 also include capers and lemon juice. The popularity

of the dish dates back to the 19th century, when it most

 likely originated with English families who lived in the

western Sicily region, where the Marsala wine is produced

To prepare chicken Marsala, chicken breasts

are pounded into thin pieces and coated with flour.

 They are then cooked over medium heat in olive oil,

turned occasionally. The dish is seasoned with salt,

 pepper, and lemon juice. Once the chicken is cooked,

half a bottle of Marsala wine is poured over the

 chicken and stired gently as it thickens. Parsley and

 capers are then added, if desired, to season the dish.

The sauce used in chicken Marsala is created by

 reducing the wine, along with onions or shallots,

 to a syrup-like consistency before adding seasonings

 and mushrooms. The sauce used for this dish is also

 used on pork or veal dishes and sometimes contains

heavy cream. Other recipes exist for vegetables,

such as carrots, with Marsala sauce.

Marsala wine is made from white grapes, including

grillo, inzolia, and catarratto. This amber wine has a rich,

smoky flavor, and it can be served with strong cheeses,

 such as Parmesan, Gorgonzola, or Roquefort. Marsala

 is a fortified wine that contains ethyl alcohol, which

was once needed to preserve it on ocean voyages.

The mass production of Marsala wine began in the

 late 18th century.

 Italian chicken and mushroom dish that's as simple

 to make as it is flavorful. The main flavoring component

 is Marsala wine, an aged and fortified Italian wine

often served for dessert or before dinner. The wine

 lends a sweet, almost smoky flavor to the dish that

pairs well with the earthy mushrooms and gives new

 life to the familiar chicken breast.

Besides the wine, the dish doesn't require a whole

 lot in the way of ingredients. The drill is familiar for

anyone who has read about the "sauté, glaze, and

serve" method. While this technique is often used

for French food, the method works well for some

Italian dishes as well, such as this one.

Chicken breasts are pounded out until thin and then

are lightly coated with flour. They are browned in

 butter on both sides and set aside so that the mushrooms

 can brown in the pan next. The wine is then added

 and brought to a boil, brown bits at the bottom are

scraped up, and a bit of chicken stock is added for

 body and to balance out the flavor of the wine. The

sauce is reduced to a glaze and rounded out at the

 end with just enough butter to keep the sauce from

 becoming too sweet. Add the chicken back in and

 heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

What are some things to keep in mind when making

this old favorite? It's best to pat the chicken breasts

 dry before dredging them in flour, so that the

 coating doesn't get soggy or form clumps. Make

sure the pan is nice and hot before adding the chicken

 breasts so that they brown properly, and resist the

urge to move them around while cooking or the

 flavorful crust won't form. And, most importantly, never

 crowd the pan. This will most likely yield steamed

chicken breasts instead of light and crisp ones.

 The same thing goes for the mushrooms! And always

 keep a bit of extra chicken stock on hand — if the

 sauce becomes too thick, it's easily fixed with a

 bit of chicken stock. If the sauce is too thin and you're

 getting impatient, make a mixture of equal parts

butter and flour (not much — what the French

 call a beurre manié) and mix it in. Bring to a boil

and remove from heat.

Directions