Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Chicken Marsala

This is probably one of my all time favorite meals. This is ofcorse totally my own twist on chicken marsala but it is totally delicious!

You will need:
1 package chicken breasts
1 package fresh white button mushrooms
2 med-small leeks (or one large)
snadwich baggie full of potato chips
1/3 cup flour
dry oregano
ground white pepper
1 stick of butter
sweet marsala wine
sherry
2 tablespoons veg oil

After cleaning the chicken breasts (I used 4 medium sized breasts for this, leftovers are always good) and taking all the fat and stringy things off, lay the chicken on a sheet of cling wrap, then fold the cling wrap over that make a bit of a pocket, fold over the edges so the chicken doesn't fly out. Pound the chicken flat with the flat side of a mallet until all the pieces are the same thickness.

You'll also want to take a few good handfulls of potato chips, put them in a ziplock and crush those also with the flat side of the mallet until very small crumbs. Doesn't matter what kind but you don't want flavored obviously. Stale chips work also.
In a bowl, mix together the potato chip crumbs, about a third cup of flour, few dashes of white pepper, and about 3 heaping tablespoons of dry oregano. Fresh oregano is always best but I had dry on hand and it tastes nearly the same.
Make sure the chicken is a little moist and then dip and cover with the potato chip mixture. I try to really pat it on the chicken to make sure it sticks well. (you could dip the chicken in a beaten egg before the crumb mix but that's an extra step and I'm all about fast, plus I really don't see much of a difference)
Make sure the oil in the pan is hot before you add the chicken. Cook about 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through and slightly browned. You only want to flip once or the crust will fall off. A tongs is better than a pancake flipper.
While the chicken in browning I cut up my leeks. I use two medium small leeks for this. Slicing down the middle before chopping makes it real easy. Most recipes don't call for onion or leek but I think the leek gives it so much more.
Next i de-stem the mushrooms so I have just the caps, i rub off any dirt and if needed run under the facuet real fast. You don't want to use much water as the mushrooms will absorb it very fast. You don't have to take the stems out, most people just leave them in and they taste the same as the caps, I however just like the caps, I feel like the stems are a little tough.
I don't slice too thin but it's all about your preference. You can quarter the mushrooms or just leave them whole. I'm a texture person and I like mine sliced.
Next I transfer the chicken to a plate and in the same oil I add the mushrooms and leeks and add a couple tablespoons of butter. Stirring constantly over medium heat I sweat the veggies until soft, about 3-4 minutes. The pancake flipper is good to use here.
I use sweet marsala wine and regular cooking sherry. Nothing too fancy. I've tried the dry marsala wine but it's just not the same, I definately encourage the sweet marsala.
I add about a cup and a half of the marsala wine and about 3/4 cup of the sherry to the veggies. High flame until boiling and then reduce heat to medium.
Once reduced down to about half I stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter.
Once melted and a nice creamy consistancy add the chicken breasts, cook for a minute and then flip over.
You should really let the chicken set for about 10-15 minutes for the sauce to thicken but I was way too anxious and served up a plate right away (hence why the sauce looks a little runny). I usually pan fry some asparagus and garlic for a side but tonight is just some mashed potatoes with fresh chives.

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