The Best 15-minute Chicken Dinner!

 

When it comes to cookbooks, I have a bookshelf full, but I tend to reach for a few over and over for my tried-and-true favorites.  The Barefoot Contessa has pride of place with her own shelf. Smitten Kitchen's see a lot of use, and the Southern Living Cookbook is my bible. 

I'm also a big fan of Giada de Laurentiis -- her first cookbook, Everyday Italian, has some of my go-to Italian recipes, including the easiest Veal Marsala ever.  The marsala recipe is in a section on "cutlets" and most of the recipes work interchangeably with thin cuts of veal, chicken, pork or steak. 

Chicken Marsala is in regular rotation at our house. It comes together in no time at all. and if you're lazy like me, it's super easy over some premade mashed potatoes. I like to serve it with french green beans steamed in the microwave and tossed with a little butter, lemon juice, and lemon pepper. Boom! Dinner in 15 minutes. :)

Giada's Chicken Marsala

1 package thin-sliced chicken breasts (why bother with pounding out breasts when you don't have to?)

2-3 tablespoons butter

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped (I use a couple of green onions, and use scissors to cut them right into the pan)

2 smashed garlic cloves (if. you haven't discovered Dorot frozen garlic cubes, find them!)

1 package sliced mushrooms (white or baby bella)

1/2 cup marsala

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

sprig of fresh rosemary

Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in a large skillet with half the oil and butter until slightly browned. 

Remove chicken to a plate, add more butter and oil to the pan, and saute the mushrroms with garlic and shallot/onion until tender. 

Add marsala and scrape pan. Let it cook down by half, then add chicken broth and rosemary and return chicken to pan.  Simmer for a few minutes longer until the chicken is cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste.

If you want a slightly thicker sauce for your mashed potatoes, you can make 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch slurry and mix in while the dish is simmering. Finish it off with a sprinkle of parmesean cheese if you like.