When Kelly and I first got married, I knew just enough about cooking to be dangerous. I had the basics down… tacos, hamburgers, lasagna, mac&cheese… but the couple of times I had tried my hand at something “fancy” it inevitably ended in disaster. (You’ve all heard about the charred chicken that set off the smoke alarms.)
It wasn’t until a little over a year into our marriage, when I came across a recipe for Chicken Marsala, that something finally clicked and I realized just how simple (and rewarding!) it is to throw together restaurant-quality dishes at home. This one, basic recipe led to several “inspired-by” concoctions simply by making a couple of substitutions, and eventually developed a passion for trying new ingredients and cooking together.
My favorite part about this meal is that it is So. Darn. Simple. and mostly includes ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. Yet it still tastes as though you’ve spent hours preparing an elaborate meal. You don’t even need the recipe as it is best made with the “pinch of this, dash of that” approach, but we’ll include the called for amounts just to get you started.
Chicken Marsala
ingredients…
from the pantry:
(be sure you have these ingredients on hand before heading to the market)
all-purpose flour
salt & pepper
dried oregano
olive oil
butter
from the market:
marsala cooking wine
boneless-skinless chicken breast (2 small or 1 butterflied/halved if large)
Heat 2 Tbsp Olive Oil, and 2 Tbsp butter in skillet. Meanwhile, combine 1/3 c flour, 1/2 tsp dried Oregano, and salt and pepper to taste (approximately 1/2 tsp each). Dredge chicken in flour mixture, removing excess.
Cook chicken on medium heat until lightly brown, about 2 minutes. After turning to the second side, scatter mushrooms around the chicken. Allow to cook for about 2 more minutes before stirring mushrooms. Pour 1/2 c wine over chicken and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Enjoy!
-m
