Chicken Marsala

The idea for making this dish came from my friend, Cyndi. At work one day, she asked me if I had ever made Chicken Marsala (I think it was one of her favorite Olive Garden dishes). I told her that I hadn't, but the idea of it intrigued me.  I started thinking about it and searching for recipes.  In the process I found out that Olive Garden posts their recipes online.  I'm sure they don't post all of them, but there are many appetizers, entrees, desserts, drinks, sauces, soups, etc. posted on the site.  This is where I got the recipe for Bruschetta that I posted a few weeks ago.

Chicken Marsala

(Olive Garden)

4 Chicken half-breast, boneless & skinless

½ cup flour

½ tsp. Salt

Pepper to taste

½ tsp. Oregano, dried

4 Tbs. oil

4 Tbs. butter (or margarine)

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1 cup Marsala wine

Pound chicken breasts between sheets of "Saran Wrap" until about ¼" even-thickness. Combine flour, salt, pepper and oregano, blend. Dredge chicken pieces in the flour, shake off excess. Heat oil and butter in frying pan over medium heat. Cook the breasts on medium heat for about two minutes on the first side, until lightly brown. Turn breasts over to second side to cook, add the mushrooms around the chicken breasts. Cook breasts about two more minutes, until lightly browned on the second side, stir the mushrooms. When lightly browned, add Marsala around the chicken pieces, cover and simmer for about ten minutes. Transfer to serving plate.

I found that you have to be really careful when you're turning your chicken.  The coating comes off pretty easily and that's where a lot of flavor is.  Luckily, because you let the chicken simmer for 15 minutes, it really absorbs a lot of the flavor and wine sauce. The chicken was very delicious and tender.  I probably could have cut it with my fork.  I, of course, left the mushrooms out of this recipe, because I just do not like them. I also chose to serve this along side the homegrown green beans because I need to use them before they go bad.  This was a really easy dish and almost everything in the recipe were things already in my cabinet.  I found the Marsala wine next to the balsamic vinegar in the grocery store and it wasn't overly expensive. I'm sure I spent less on this meal than it would have cost to go to Olive Garden.  Was it better?  I wouldn't know, because I had never had it before.  It was definitely worth making and I'm sure I'll make it again.  Enjoy!