Description
Classic Alton Brown chicken marsala combines tender chicken breasts with rich mushroom sauce from Italian culinary traditions. Sautéed mushrooms and marsala wine create elegant flavors you can easily master in your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¼ lbs (567 g) chicken breast, 2 large or chicken tenders
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 8 oz (226 g) brown button mushrooms, halved or thickly sliced if very large
- ¾ cup dry marsala wine, not sweet
- ¾ cup chicken stock, reduced-sodium
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsps parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preparation: Slice chicken breasts lengthwise into four cutlets, then flatten between plastic wrap until uniformly thin.
- Seasoning: Coat chicken pieces with flour, shaking off excess, and season with salt and black pepper.
- Searing: Heat skillet over medium flame with olive oil and butter until fat mixture shimmers. Cook chicken cutlets 3-4 minutes per side, achieving golden-brown crust and reaching 165°F internal temperature.
- Resting: Transfer cooked chicken to warm plate, tenting with foil to preserve heat.
- Mushroom Sauté: In same skillet, caramelize mushrooms until liquid evaporates, releasing deep, rich flavors.
- Aromatics: Add garlic and onion powder, stirring briefly to activate fragrant notes.
- Deglazing: Pour Marsala wine into pan, scraping browned bits to incorporate intense flavor profile.
- Sauce Creation: Reduce wine, then blend chicken stock and heavy cream, simmering until sauce thickens and develops luxurious consistency.
- Final Assembly: Return chicken to skillet, coating with sauce and reheating gently to merge flavors.
- Serving: Garnish with fresh parsley and plate immediately, ensuring sauce remains warm and glossy.
Notes
- Slice with Precision: Cut chicken breasts carefully to ensure uniform thickness, which guarantees even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
- Flour Power: Shake off excess flour completely to prevent burning and achieve a perfect golden-brown crust that seals in moisture.
- Temperature Matters: Use medium heat to control browning and prevent burning, allowing chicken to cook evenly and develop rich caramelization.
- Sauce Secrets: Reduce Marsala wine and sauce to concentrate flavors, creating a luxurious, velvety consistency that clings beautifully to the chicken cutlets.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg