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There are some meals that we love, but for some reason we always just assumed they’d be too complicated to make at home. We usually reserve things like Cajun fettucine alfredo or handmade ravioli for dining out at restaurants, but it turns out that there are some “restaurant” dishes that are pretty easy to make at home. In this case, we’re taking a closer look at chicken Marsala. It’s the sort of thing we only ever eat at restaurants, but Giada De Laurentiis, author of Giada’s Italy, just shared her simplified version of this classic recipe. Not only is it a 20-minute chicken recipe, but it’s even made in one skillet to cut down on clean-up.
There are two main flavoring components in chicken Marsala: mushrooms, and Marsala. Marsala is an Italian fortified wine (like Port, Sherry, and Vermouth) that can be dry or sweet, but in this recipe, De Laurentiis calls for sweet Marsala. The nutty sweetness of the Marsala is the perfect counterpoint to the savory mushrooms and chicken in the dish. De Laurentiis uses sliced cremini mushrooms in her recipe.
Chicken marsala is made with chicken cutlets. You can cut regular boneless skinless chicken breasts in half so they are thinner, pounding them so they’re of even thickness, or you can look for thinly sliced breast meat at the store to cut out that step.
The chicken is coated in flour before being added to the pan of hot olive oil, and De Laurentiis says you can use rice flour instead of wheat flour to keep this recipe gluten-free. The mushrooms are cooked in the same pan with shallots and garlic, then simmer in a glug of Marsala that’s added, along with chicken broth and thyme. The chicken is added back to the pan and everything is simmered together until the sauce is thickened.
Each bite is bursting with mouthwatering flavor, from the juicy chicken to the earthy mushrooms and the complex, sweet and savory sauce. Serve with mashed potatoes, pasta, or bread to soak up everything from the pan, and remember: sometimes it’s easier than you think to make your favorite restaurant dishes at home.
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Watch: How to Make Giada De Laurentiis’ Stuffed Lasagna Rolls
