One-Skillet Chicken Marsala

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Thin chicken cutlets browned hard in a hot skillet, then finished in a glossy dry Marsala pan sauce loaded with mushrooms, shallot and cold butter. It's the trattoria classic done in one pan in under 45 minutes, spooned over buttered pasta so nothing is wasted.

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb total)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

• 10 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 medium shallot, finely minced
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp heavy cream (optional)
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 12 oz linguine or fettuccine
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Kosher salt for the pasta water

Instructions

1. Halve each chicken breast horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets. Place them one at a time between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or heavy skillet to an even 1/4 inch. Pat completely dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper.
2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta. Spread the flour on a plate. Dredge each cutlet in flour, pressing lightly, then shake off all excess — you want a whisper of coating, not a crust.
3. Heat a 12-inch stainless or cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the foam subsides and the fat shimmers, lay in 2 cutlets without crowding. Cook undisturbed 3 minutes until deep golden, flip and cook 2 minutes more, until the internal temperature reads 160°F. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining cutlets, adding a splash more oil if the pan looks dry.
4. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook to just under al dente per the package, about 1 minute short. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
5. Meanwhile, return the skillet to medium-high. Add the mushrooms in a single layer with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring only every minute or so, for 6 to 7 minutes, until they release their liquid, it evaporates, and the edges brown.
6. Reduce heat to medium. Add the shallot, garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the Marsala, scraping hard with a wooden spoon to lift every browned bit off the bottom. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the wine reduces by about half and smells nutty rather than sharp.
7. Add the chicken broth and simmer briskly 5 to 6 minutes, until the sauce reduces to about 1 cup and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the cream if using.
8. Lower the heat to the barest simmer. Add the cold butter a few cubes at a time, swirling the pan constantly until each addition melts into a glossy, slightly thickened sauce. Do not let it boil once the butter goes in. Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt.
9. Return the cutlets and any resting juices to the pan, spooning sauce over them. Warm through over low heat for 2 minutes.
10. Toss the drained pasta with the 2 tablespoons butter, the Parmigiano and a few tablespoons of pasta water until glossy. Divide among 4 warm plates, top each with a cutlet, spoon the mushrooms and sauce over, and finish with parsley.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem