My mom made this Chicken Marsala probably once a week as I was growing up, and it is so delicious that I just had to share. Traditionally it is served with mushrooms, but if you’ve been reading along you will remember my dad doesn’t eat mushrooms (they are not a food, they are a fungus), so this Chicken Marsala came freshly plated on Monday or Tuesday evenings sans mushrooms.

It never came on Thursdays because that was pasta night. And as far as I know, still is pasta night at their house. I never participated because I am not a huge pasta (or tomato sauce) fan. I prefer to get my lycopene in other forms – like Bloody Mary’s.

For once in my life I followed her recipe exactly.

That is, until I remembered a Chicken Marsala dish that I had one night in college at a tiny restaurant on Mount Washington. I don’t remember the name, but I remember the food. So I had to add my personal touch to the dish.

Begin with chicken TENDERS. Tenders people – not breasts.

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For some reason I find this raw meat a bit more offensive than my previous post.

I love this meat tenderizer. It is from Pampered Chef and I received it as a wedding shower gift.

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Please go order one of these now. It tenderizes meat like nothing I’ve ever seen. And no, Rachael Ray – smacking the meat with a frying pan does NOT tenderize the meat, at least not in my experience. Not like this guy.

The key is to tenderize BOTH sides.

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So hit it once, then flip each piece over and hit ’em again. They get very, very thin.

I created a mixture of flour, salt, pepper and my boyfriend, smoked paprika.

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The smoked paprika was my addition to the recipe, but it didn’t add as much smokiness as I anticipated.

I added 3 whole garlic cloves to my skillet, along with about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.

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I  probably would have minced the cloves, but per my mom’s suggestion I added them whole. I am so glad I did.

Dredge both sides of the chicken tenders in the flour mixture.

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You want to add a thick coat of flour so some residual flour stays in the pan – it helps to thicken the sauce later.

Saute for about 2-3 minutes on each side, just to brown the chicken.

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Then remove and let drain on a paper towel.

To make the sauce, I add Marsala wine and some chicken stock.

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Also, a few additional teaspoons of flour may be needed to thicken the sauce.

On a side note, check out that garlic.

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What a beauty! Not as yummy as these, though.

Additions of the Marsala and chicken stock, and my favorite ingredient…

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Cinnamon! A few years back I had this dish and it had a hint of cinnamon in it. It was amazing. Amazing enough for me to still taste it.

Let the sauce come to a boil so it can thicken a bit.

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Then begin layering the chicken back in the skillet.

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After baking for about an hour, it comes out so tender and juicy. IMG_1121

When I lived at home, the hour that the chicken was baking was the longest. hour. ever.

The house smelled so good and I was always starving as usual. I wish time went that slowly as we got older, don’t you?

I’m sure that mushrooms would be a delicious addition, but I just can’t imagine the dish with them. Possibly because this is a comfort dish for me?

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I must say I am suprised that I have never added mushrooms, since I carmelizes a plethora of them every week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Marsala Sans Mushrooms

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Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Pound chicken tenders on both sides to tenderize. Heat skillet on medium heat and add 3 tablespoons olive oil and 3 garlic cloves.
  • Mix flour, salt, pepper and smoked paprika together. Dredge chicken through flour mixture, coating both sides. Add chicken to skillet and brown for 2-3 minutes on each side. Do not cook through. Remove chicken and let drain on a paper towel.  You may need to do this in batches if your skillet is not very large.
  • After the last batch of chicken has been removed, turn up the heat to medium-high and add Marsala, chicken stock and cinnamon. Let come to a boil. You may also need to add a few teaspoons of flour to thicken the mixture – it is your preference.
  • Add chicken back in skillet and cover. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.
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Enjoy!

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