Sunday, February 20, 2011

Chicken with Marsala, Mushrooms, and Gorgonzola

Mushrooms. Gorgonzola, Parsley. Chicken. What's not to love about Chicken Marsala? Not much. Unless mushrooms aren't your thing. But they are ours in this house and we love this entree. So easy to cook up. If I don't have fresh mushrooms on hand, I'll use canned mushrooms and Jared almost likes it better.

(adapted from Jennifer Armentrout from finecooking.com)

There are two things about chicken breasts that every busy home cook should know. First, the possibilities are endless, and second, slicing boneless breasts on an angle and searing the slices over medium-high heat, makes for quick-cooking, golden brown, juicy chicken.We recommend serving this version of Chicken Marsala over mini penne, but any pasta shape will do. Serves 2-3
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz. cremini or white mushrooms, sliced 1/8 inch thick (about 2-1/4 cups)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1/3 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola (1/3 cup)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Trim the chicken, removing the tenders, and slice on an angle into 3/4-inch-thick pieces; season generously with salt and pepper.

In a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add half of the chicken and cook, flipping once, until lightly browned and just barely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the chicken to a plate; repeat with the remaining chicken. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil.
Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt, and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened and well browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Pour in the Marsala and scrape the pan with the spoon to loosen any browned bits; simmer until the Marsala is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the cream and simmer until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add two-thirds of the Gorgonzola and stir until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
Taste the sauce; add salt and pepper as needed. Add the chicken along with any accumulated juices and turn to coat with the sauce. Serve immediatly, sprinkled with the remaining cheese and the parsley.

I served this meal with blanched broccoli and cubed butternut squash (as shown in the picture - yes, that's a large fishtank in the background, thanks husband). I think there was a spinach salad in there somewhere too. Love this meal.

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