So - I must note: I despise mushrooms! Something about their rubbery, squeaky, fungi texture gives me the heebie-jeebies! However, don't try to make this recipe without them! It doesn't work - trust me I have tried it. I just quietly push my mushrooms to the side and hope my kids don't notice that Mom isn't eating her veggies!
3 Chicken Breasts
1 container sliced mushrooms (button or baby bella work well) DON'T get canned mushrooms! ick.
1 Shallot
2 T + 1 t. Olive Oil
1 t. butter (not margarine!)
1/2 C. Marsala Wine
1/2 C. Chicken Broth
Ground Thyme
Flour
Salt & Pepper
Trim the fat and weird parts off the chicken breasts. Slice the chicken down the middle length-wise, making 2 servings of chicken. Lightly pound the chicken until it is the same thickness throughout. (This works really well if you put the chicken breast in a gallon size Ziploc baggie, zip it up, then pound it out. No flying chicken pieces!!) Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt, pepper and thyme and then dredge in four.
Heat the 2 T. Olive Oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked through (it is important to cook the chicken slowly in this step. If you cook on too high of heat the four on the outside will burn and the chicken will be raw on the inside). Continue in batches until all the chicken is cooked, placing the cooked chicken on a baking sheet in a warm oven.
* If you are wanting to serve this with pasta - now would be the time to start that! We love it with linguine.
Thinly slice the shallots and quickly rinse the mushrooms. In a saute pan heat the remaining 1 t. olive oil and the butter over medium-high heat (margarine has too much water in it - so it will pop and oil will explode all over the kitchen - so just use butter...please). When the butter is melted add in the shallots and cook until they are shiny. Add in the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms have darkened and soft. They should also, give up some juices. Add in the wine and broth and cook for 2 minutes. The mushrooms should work as a natural thickener to the sauce but if it is not thick enough, you can drizzle in a little cornstarch mixture ( 1t. cornstarch & 1 t. cold water) until it is thickened. Add in the cooked chicken breasts and continue to simmer for a few more minutes.
Serve with pasta
Side note: If you are having a hard time finding Marsala Wine.... At any grocery store you can find it (usually on the top shelf) with the vinegars. It is sold in a small bottle (perfect for recipes) and is usually next to the red wine vinegars.
