Real Chicken Marsala

Chef

Cookbook

Now Eat This!

Published by Ballantine Books

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

Editor's Note: This Real Chicken Marsala recipe tosses out the less-than-healthy ingredients usually found in marsala sauce, such as butter and white flour, and instead relies on the natural flavors of the ingredients involved for an authentic Italian taste. Greek yogurt is the key to maintaining the creaminess of the dish without adding a lot of fat, and keeping things simpler than in other chicken marsala recipes allows the true stars of the dish - the mushrooms, chicken, and garlic - to shine. This is an easy chicken recipe to throw together for dinner any night of the week.
Classic Chicken Marsala calls for Marsala wine (of course), a fortified wine from Sicily, white flour, and butter. In this modified Chicken Marsala, the white flour and the butter had to go, but the rest was retained--especially its namesake. The combination of mushrooms, garlic, herbs, and chicken broth is as delicious as the butter-laden original.

Serves4

CostModerate

Easy

OccasionCasual Dinner Party

Recipe CourseMain Course

Dietary ConsiderationHealthy

MealDinner

Taste and TextureCreamy, Garlicky, Savory, Tangy, Umami

Ingredients

4 chicken cutlets (4 ounces each), pounded thin
Salt
½ cup plus 1½ tablespoons whole-wheat flour
½ cup egg substitute
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
Two a-ounce packages sliced button mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat two 12-inch nonstick skillets over medium-low heat. While the pans are heating, season the chicken with salt. Put the ½ cup flour in a shallow dish and the egg substitute in a separate shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then in the egg substitute, to coat completely.
When pans are hot, spray both of them generously with olive oil spray. Add 2 chicken cutlets to each pan. Cook until golden brown on each side, about 4 minutes total. Transfer the cutlets to a serving platter, and cover it lightly with foil to keep them warm.
Wipe the pans out with paper towels. Raise the heat to high and return the pans to the stove. Spray both pans with olive oil spray. When the pans are hot, add 1 package of mushrooms to each pan. Cook without stirring for 3 minutes to allow the mushrooms to brown.
When the mushrooms are light golden, combine them in one pan. Add the garlic, and season with salt to taste. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the mushrooms for another minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.
Stir the remaining 1½ tablespoons flour into the mushrooms. Stir in the wine and chicken broth, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Simmer until it has the consistency of gravy, about 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the yogurt, and season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the chicken, and serve.