Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Marsala

3:10 pm on 26 April 2013

This is good served on a kumara or potato mash. It’s important to slice the chicken breasts evenly and thickly.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 4 skinned and boned free-range chicken breasts
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 100g pancetta, diced
  • ½ cup finely chopped peeled shallots
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • ⅓ cup standard flour
  • 250g button brown mushrooms, wiped with a damp cloth and thickly sliced
  • ½ cup Marsala
  • ¼ cup chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Method

1 Cut chicken breasts in half lengthways into 2 longer narrower pieces then cut off the tenderloin (if it is still attached).

2 Heat a large heavy-based or non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp butter. Add pancetta and cook for 4-5 minutes, until lightly golden. Add shallots and garlic and cook everything until golden, stirring often. Transfer to a side plate.

3 Reheat pan, adding oil. Dust chicken pieces with flour. When the oil is hot, add 1 Tbsp butter, then drop in chicken once butter is sizzling. Cook until golden on both sides, but just cooked through. Transfer to a separate plate and season with a little salt.

4 Reheat pan, drop in remaining butter and when sizzling, add mushrooms, ensuring they are all touching the bottom of the pan. Once they’re golden turn them over with tongs and cook the other side until golden. Carefully pour in Marsala and let it sizzle and bubble for a minute or two, then add chicken stock and bubble up. Return the pieces of chicken to pan and warm through.

5 Dish chicken onto a small platter with all the juices and top with crispy shallot and pancetta. Scatter with parsley and serve.

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