# Chicken Marsala, what should it contain?



## AllenOK (Feb 2, 2006)

I noticed we had some chicken breasts, and I have a ton of mushrooms, and we ended up getting some Marsala wine yesterday.

I don't have a recipe on file, so I went looking.  I've been reading a few recipe off the internet, and noticed that there are very few common ingredients between the different versions, other than chicken, seasoning, flour, and the Marsala.  Some recipes have mushrooms, some don't, some use onions, some shallots, and one even had beef demi-glace!

What do you all think Chicken Marsala should have, other than chicken and Marsala wine?


----------



## Alix (Feb 2, 2006)

Allen, check out kitchenelf's recipe for this. I think it will help you figure stuff out.


----------



## GB (Feb 2, 2006)

I have never seen Chicken Marsala without mushrooms. For my it is chicken, marsala wine, and mushrooms (even though I pick them out cause I don't like em). Simple and delicious.


----------



## jennyema (Feb 2, 2006)

GB said:
			
		

> I have never seen Chicken Marsala without mushrooms. For my it is chicken, marsala wine, and mushrooms (even though I pick them out cause I don't like em). Simple and delicious.


 
Yep, I agree.  Though most recipes I have seen also use onion or shallots.  But hey all use GB's three main ingredients.


----------



## mish (Feb 2, 2006)

Do you have a veal marsala dish you prepare/enjoy? The procedure is pretty much the same, except for cooking time. The common ingredient is the Marsala. Re what 'should' go into the dish, is a matter of your taste. That's what makes cooking an adventure. Sometimes I prefer shallots over onions. Re the shrooms -- get creative - try shiitakes or a variety of mushrooms. Try a volintini (sp) type procedure, cooked in marsala. Invent your own dish.


----------



## In the Kitchen (Feb 2, 2006)

*Don't Know*

Marsala, is that the brand or the flavor?  Sorry never tried this.  Have to run to store to see is they have it.  Can you drink this alone or is it used for flavoring?  Thanks


----------



## middie (Feb 2, 2006)

must have mushrooms... like gb though i pick them out


----------



## kadesma (Feb 2, 2006)

While my DH and I both enjoy veal marsala, none of the kids do so I usually make the chicken version. I've made it for so long now that I always add shallots, garlic, then a sweet marsala and a sprig of rosemary to my sauce..I know many are going to say, what? sweet marsala, what, rosemary..yep that is what I do..We all prefer it this way...This to me is a dish that we can play with just for the fun of it and enjoy what we've made. What is nice is that we all toss out our ideas and it gives us different cocepts as to what others do, so we can change things around or leave them be 

kadesma


----------



## mish (Feb 2, 2006)

I agree kadesma.  I would not go with a standard recipe, unless, one has never made it before.  Another thought, try adding some artichoke hearts sauteed in the marsala.  The only common denominator in marsala dishes, imo, is the marsala.


----------



## In the Kitchen (Feb 2, 2006)

*Forget It!*



			
				In the Kitchen said:
			
		

> Marsala, is that the brand or the flavor?  Sorry never tried this.  Have to run to store to see is they have it.  Can you drink this alone or is it used for flavoring?  Thanks



Forget It!! Too big of hurry I didn't read the recipe thoroughly said it is dry wine.  Forgive my haste.  go will ask for dry marsala wine.


----------



## kadesma (Feb 2, 2006)

mish said:
			
		

> I agree kadesma. I would not go with a standard recipe, unless, one has never made it before. Another thought, try adding some artichoke hearts sauteed in the marsala. The only common denominator in marsala dishes, imo, is the marsala.


Mish, artichoke the frozen packaged ones and the fresh baby ones I've added several time, when I did this we served the marsala chicken over linguine..It's delicious..I agree that you should try a recipe just as it's written the first time, then take it and make it your own. Yes, the marsala is what what the dish is all about.

kadesma


----------



## GB (Feb 2, 2006)

mish said:
			
		

> The only common denominator in marsala dishes, imo, is the marsala.


this is true to a point, IMO, but once you start changing a dish around then it is no longer the original and should have it's own name. Chicken Marsala should be Chicken Marsala, whatever that may be, but if you decide that it tastes better with artichokes and sun dried tomatoes and capers and etc. then you have come up with a new and wonderful dish that is delicious.Give it it's own name. this is just my 2 cents of course. Please feel free to disagree.

Kind of like how everything served in a Martini glass these days is a Martini. there really is only one Martini but this is a completely different subject 

OK back to what goes into Chicken Marsala


----------



## kadesma (Feb 2, 2006)

GB,
agreed My original chicken marsala recipe contains, the chicken, marsala, shallots,garlic, mushrooms, chicken stock and rosemary sprig...The artichoke is a sometime thing and we've always just said chicken marsala when asked what's for dinner...Otherwise, my kids who don't know a chicken from a goose would not know what I was talking about 

kadesma


----------



## GB (Feb 2, 2006)

kadesmas I am going to put artichokes in mine next time. Sounds fantastic!


----------



## kadesma (Feb 2, 2006)

I hope you enjoy it GB, we do..It's really nice over pasta.

kadesma


----------



## AllenOK (Feb 2, 2006)

Oh wow, I opened a big can of worms!

Thanks everyone, for your suggestions.  I do have a copy of KE's Chicken Lombardi recipe, and now that I have some Marsala, might just give that a try.  Also, I knew that Veal Marsala would basically be the same thing, just with a different meat, but by the time I had read this thread again to remind me of that, I had already made the dish.

Here's the recipe I came up with, on my own, thinking about what sounds good with chicken, to me:

Herbed Chicken Marsala
Yields:  2 servings

Two 6 oz chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
For the seasoning:
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Paprika
Thyme
Sage
¼ c diced onions
-or- shallots
2 oz (~½ c) sliced mushrooms
½ t garlic, minced
~ ¼ c flour, for dredging
¼ c Marsala wine
½ c chicken stock
1 T butter, cubed
Oil and/or clarified butter for sautéing
Salt and pepper, to taste

	If the chicken breasts are thick, place them between a piece of folded plastic wrap, and pound them a little with a mallet or meat tenderizer, until they are slightly flattened.  Season the breasts to taste with the salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders, thyme, sage, and paprika.  Place them in the refrigerator while you prep the remaining ingredients.
	Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and/or clarified butter, to about 2 T.  Lightly dredge the breasts on both sides with the flour.  Shake the excess off, and lay them carefully, skin-side down, in the pan.  Brown the breasts, then flip and brown the second side.  Remove the breasts from the pan and place on a plate or platter and keep them someplace warm.
	If needed, add a little more fat to the pan.  Add the onions or shallots, mushrooms, and garlic.  Sauté quickly over medium high heat until the mushrooms begin to wilt, and the onions begin to turn translucent.  Carefully pour in the Marsala wine.  Be careful, as it may flare up.  Stir with a spoon to scrape up any of the brown bits from the pan to deglaze the pan.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a quick boil.  Add the chicken breasts back to the pan, and stir or shake a bit to cover them slightly.  Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is done, about 10 minutes.
	When it’s done, remove the chicken to serving plates or platters.  Remove the pan from the heat, and add the butter, shaking or stirring the sauce to thicken it a bit.  Taste to check the seasoning, and season with salt and pepper if needed.  Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

This recipe is basically what I used and the technique, as well.  The only real change was that I have some HUGE chicken breasts, so I cut one breast in half, horiztonally, to get two thin chicken pieces with the same area as the original.  I also pounded them out pretty thin, and basically had a two chicken scallopinis.  I seasoned those, dredged them in flour, and sauteed them.  However, I had the heat up a bit to high (me and that high-heat cooking method I'm used to doing at work), and ended up burning some of the flour while I was sauteing the dish.  I drained the oil from the pan, getting as much of the scorched stuff as possible, while leaving the nice "fond" to enhance the flavor.  Also, I did reintroduce the chicken to the pan after the sauce was basically done, but I only simmered it for about a minute, as I had flattened them out so thinly.

The results:
I had two pieces, so I gave one to PeppA, and tried the other myself.  She likes it!  She couldn't pick up on the burnt taste from the scorched flour, and neither could I.

Plans for next time:
I may cut the breasts in half again, if I have some big'uns.  However, I don't plan on pounding them, nor do I really plan on flouring them, although I will season them.  PeppA wants me to try a batch and dust the breasts with Italian-flavor breadcrumbs.  I don't really want to do that, as the breadcrumbs will change the texture significantly, and I don't think she realizes that.  I know why she wants that, though, as PeppA and my MIL are addicted to breading chicken with Italian-flavor breadcrumbs for EVERYTHING!  I'll report back at a later date when I try another batch.


----------



## jennyema (Feb 2, 2006)

Allen

That's basicallyhow I make mine (including dumping the burned-flour oil).  But I use about 3/4 cup marsala.  I have used both sweet and dry.  America's Test Kitchen says use sweet, and I tend to agree, though dry is nice to.

I say no to the breadcrumbs, too.  Plus, w/out egg, they'll fall off.

I don't even like flour, as I think it makes the chicken slimy.  So sometimes I even skip that step.


----------



## mish (Feb 2, 2006)

GB said:
			
		

> kadesmas I am going to put artichokes in mine next time. Sounds fantastic!


 
Glad I brought it up.


----------



## GB (Feb 2, 2006)

Sorry Mish, I didn't mean to exclude you from that! Great idea


----------



## AllenOK (Feb 2, 2006)

And I just realized that I even have some fresh shiitakes in the downstairs frige, one of the things I brought home from work!

One of these days, I'm going to go and tromp off into the woods in Spring, looking for some of those wonderful MI morel mushrooms.  When/if I even get some, I'd like to try a batch of Chicken Marsala with Morels.


----------

