Basic Chicken Marsala

Preparation

Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature possible (usually around 170°F).

Using a meat pounder, pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1/2'' thick. Alternatively, you can slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally so that they become two flat chicken cutlets. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then lightly dredge each breast in the flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add a Tbsp of the olive oil and a Tbsp of the butter to the skillet. Place the chicken in the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, and brown well on both sides—about 2 minutes per side. Brown the chicken in batches if necessary, rather than over-crowding the skillet. Transfer the browned chicken to a platter, cover with aluminum foil, and place it in the oven to keep warm.

Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Cook the mushrooms in the skillet until nicely browned and tender—about 2 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add the garlic and the sage leaves and continue to cook for another minute.

Add the Marsala wine to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Deglaze the skillet, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the wine by half—about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and continue to simmer for another 3–4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and finish with the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and stir in the parsley. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet and turn to coat all the pieces with the sauce. Serve immediately. Serves 4.