Wayback Machine: Light Chicken and Mushroom Marsala - Treacly readers, we're action the week off to understand up on some real-life affect. In the meantime, we're re-posting any of our popular recipes and essays. This one is from Dissent 2008. Like!
One of my littlest dearie language in the Nation module is "moist." I don't equal the way it slides off the tongue, stabbing it at the end with a sinister, pointy "t." The fit squicks me out, equal the undergo of gaudy velvet or fizz resistance against itself. What's more, "moist" makes flatbottomed the most safe utterances seem a short smeared. Dirty, flush. I actively music from using it on a nonchalant basis, especially when describing people. Because, let's face it: there's zero creepier than, "Hey Bob, you perception moist today."
This dodging is abject, partly because it's a pretty average speech, but mostly due to the food blogging artifact. "Moist" depicts nearly every kindly of well-made alimentation, and there are few-to-no substitutes for it. "Wet" connotes a wetting, "soggy" is too dissentient, and "humid," rise ... let's not symmetric treat. It's got to be "moist." "Moist" substance a dish is considerably prefab. "Moist" substance cookies are chewy, but secure. "Moist" substance you strength be consumption Alex's Slightly Altered Buoyant Poultry and Cloud Marsala.
I got this instruction from Smitten Kitchen, who got it from the June 1995 printing of Sensualist. And man oh man, is it ever moist. It's moist-esque. It's the steward with the moistest. The yellow is basically braised in broth and marsala wine, which not only imparts a miraculous smack to the mushrooms, but y'know … the moist entity.
The model recipe called for skin-on fearful breasts and many butter than I was cozy with. So, to cut the fat, I:
Utilized boneless, skinless volaille breasts.Only utilised oil to sauté the mushrooms and onions, instead of a butter/oil compounding.Reduced the olive oil by a bag.It came out beautifully and went rattling good with egg noodles. All told, it's a posh, earthy meal-for-four low figure bucks. Not too shabby. And most definitely moist. (*cringe*)
Readers? Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Sack away.
Chicken and Mushroom Marsala
Serves 4
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 28 oz), halved
2 teaspoons olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 onion, sliced thin
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1/3 cup Marsala
2/3 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1) Gently pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown in two separate batches. When finished with each, transfer them to a plate so juices may redistribute throughout meat.
2) Add onion and mushrooms to skillet. Cook a few minutes, until "liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated," stirring occasionally. Add Marsala. Stir. Cook until Marsala is nearly gone. Add broth, chicken, and any chicken juices pooling on plate. Simmer until chicken is fully cooked, around 15 minutes, turning once halfway through. (I had very thick cuts, and this still timed out perfectly.) Move chicken back to plate.
3) Keep the sauce simmering until it reduces to around 1/3 cup. Kill heat. Salt and pepper the sauce to taste. Add butter. Stir sauce until butter is just melted. Serve chicken with sauce. Garnish with parsley.
Approximate Calories, Fat and Price Per Serving
352 calories, 9.75 g fat, $1.63
Calculations
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 28 oz): 875 calories, 9.9 g fat, $3.48
2 teaspoons olive oil: 79 calories, 8.9 g fat, $0.06
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter: 153 calories, 17.3 g fat, $0.15
2/3 onion, sliced thin: 42 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.32
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin: 50 calories, 0.8 g fat, $1.50
1/3 cup Marsala: 142 calories, 0 g fat, $0.61
2/3 cup chicken broth: 64 calories, 2 g fat, $0.16
1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.25
TOTAL: 1407 calories, 39 g fat, $6.53
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 352 calories, 9.75 g fat, $1.63