EASY CHICKEN MARSALA RECIPE
So last month, I made a commitment to actually dust off the cookbooks I collect and use them. I started with this Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream from the Homemade Decadence cookbook to ease myself in slowly. Then I decided I needed a dinner recipe to try next.
Out popped my barely skimmed new book The Skinnytaste Cookbook. Filled with such promise, I knew it was an outright travesty that I hadn’t so much as read the introduction and had only resorted to gawking at the gorgeous photos a few times. But then I spotted a gem: Chicken Marsala!
I originally bought the book to improve our family eating habits. Because Gina’s blog Skinnytaste is all about providing lighter versions of flavorful recipes that we all know and love, I knew I was in good hands. And boy was I right.
WHAT IS CHICKEN MARSALA?
Traditional chicken marsala comes from Italy. It is a dish made with tender and thin chicken (usually pounded) that is served with a very rich mushroom and Marsala wine sauce. Sometimes it is served over homemade pasta.
When done right, the chicken is insanely tender, the sauce is rich and layered, and the mushrooms and herbs add just another level of perfection to round out the dish. I find it insatiable and outright impossible to turn down.
INGREDIENTS FOR COOKING CHICKEN MARSALA RECIPE
Classic ingredients for Chicken Marsala are very similar in this recipe however here are the ones that work best.
- Boneless Chicken Breasts
- Butter and Olive Oil
- Minced Garlic
- Shallots
- Mushrooms
- Marsala Wine
- Chicken Broth
The chicken breasts need to be thin in order to truly tenderize in the sauce. Make sure you pound them thin.
The combination of both butter and olive oil is crucial because you get the richness and flavor from the butter but by adding the olive oil, it doesn’t burn.
Garlic is crucial for flavor. Make sure you don’t use the bottled garlic in the grocery store. For the best flavor, mince fresh garlic. We use shallots in this recipe but onions are also fine if diced finely.
This recipe combines two types of mushrooms: Cremini and Shittake mushrooms. I love the texture of the combo of both.
Also to keep this recipe a bit thinner, it uses a liquid of chicken broth instead of chicken stock. However side note, you can use chicken stock. I only had stock on hand and subbed it equally.
TIPS FOR MAKING HEALTHY CHICKEN DINNER RECIPES
But Healthy Chicken Marsala? Could the lighter version, this healthy chicken marsala recipe, do just as much for my soul as the original chicken marsala? Here are some amazing tips for how you can turn your traditional chicken marsala into a Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe.
- Tip One: Butter in moderation is absolutely fine in healthy dinner recipes. A small amount goes a long way. I will probably no longer toss entire sticks into my healthy dinner recipes.
- Tip Two: Flavor is the key focus in skinny meals. In this recipe, I didn’t feel like I lacked anything because the tender chicken and the depth of flavor from the wine, spices, shallots and mushrooms really made me feel as though I was having any regular full fat meal. If you focus on flavor, you won’t miss the fat. That is exactly what this healthy chicken marsala recipe does.
This skinny chicken marsala recipe is just the beginning. I plan to try many more healthy chicken recipes from this book for healthy weeknight dinners that will finally get my hubby and I on the good foot. Skinny isn’t so bad after all.
MORE HEALTHY CHICKEN RECIPES
Below are a few other healthy chicken recipes you might want to try:
- ROSEMARY CHICKEN
- OVEN FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS
- LEMON ROAST CHICKEN AND POTATOES
- BAKED CHICKEN PARMESAN with SPAGHETTI SQUASH
Skinny Chicken Marsala (Healthy Chicken Marsala)
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (8 ounces each)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
- 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
- 3 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 1/3 cup Marsala wine
- 1/2 cup Swanson 88% fat-free chicken broth I used chicken stock since it was all I had on hand
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets. Put each cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap and lightly pound them until they are about 1/4 inch thick. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper.
- Place an 18-inch-long length of wax paper on the counter. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and lightly dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess. Put the chicken on the wax paper; reserve the 1 teaspoon remaining flour to use later.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of the butter and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to the pan and swirl the pan until the butter has melted. Add the chicken and cook until slightly golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking dish and place in the oven to keep warm.
- Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until soft and golden, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the reserved 1 teaspoon of flour and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the Marsala wine, chicken broth, and parsley.
- Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the skillet with the mushrooms, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer in the sauce to let the flavors blend, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- To serve, put a piece of chicken on each of 4 serving plates. Spoon the mushrooms and sauce evenly over the top, and serve hot.
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This recipe was so easy and absolutely delicious. My family ate every single piece! I served it with brown rice and sautéed stir-fried veggies! So good
So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Chicken Masala is a great recipe smothered with spices and seasonings! Perfect to go with plain steamed rice, the recipe is so easy given how tasteful this turns out to be! Packed with mushrooms, the gravy tastes so good. There was none left after the meal. The bowl went empty in a jiffy!
EXCELLENT!!! It was so easy to put together too.
Really tasty!
I had never encountered kcal counts before but stupidly assumed it was 129 calories per serving – A MIRACLE RECIPE!
As it turns out each portion is 296 calories and we’ll worth it!
Family loves this recipe !!
This was delicious, the flavors really make it! Had it with rice pilaf and it was a big hit for dinner at our house!
Just made this for Sunday lunch. So easy and delicious. I served over whole wheat angle hair pasta and carrots. Is definitely a keeper.