Creamy Chicken Marsala

Cooking Difficulty: Medium

Serves: 6 (or 4, if you’re pretty hungry)

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INGREDIENTS

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• 1lb chicken, sliced 1/4 inch thin, or into bite-sized strips
• 1c half and half
• 1c marsala wine
• 8 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 onion or 1 small shallot, minced or processed
• 1/2c ham diced into 1/2 inch cubes (or substitute deli ham, just slice it in 1 inch squares)
• 1 bottle capers, liquid strained out
• 1/4th stick butter for sauce
• 1/2c butter for frying (or sub olive oil)
• 1/4c cornstarch (or 1/2c flour) for thickening sauce
• 1/4c cold half n half, water, or broth, to mix with cornstarch
• 1/2 -1c flour for coating chicken
• 2 large eggs for coating chicken
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder, or (4 cloves minced garlic)
• 1 box of whatever pasta you want, prepared according to package directions. I recommend egg noodles or fettuccine, but rice is nice too. You’ll want about 3 cups of prepared rice for this recipe.

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PREPARATION

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1. Whisk up the eggs really well in a medium mixing bowl, and dip the chicken in it. Then generously coat the chicken in the flour, and pan fry on medium heat in butter or olive oil (for best flavor), or whatever oil you have on hand (for best price) until golden brown. Strain any extra oil and set aside.
2. In a large frying pan or wok with deep sides, melt the butter over low heat (if you scorch it, start over, it fouls up the wine flavor). Turn heat up to medium, toss in the mushrooms and onion, fry until nicely browned. Add strained capers, garlic (if cloves), and wine, heat until boiling. Boil for 3 minutes, then turn down heat to medium. Add chicken, ham, half and half, herbs, and seasonings stir until well mixed and chicken is coated in sauce.
3. Turn down heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to incorporate flavors and allow some thickening. Test with noodle (or wooden spoon). If sauce sticks well and drips off slowly, it’s done. If not, see next steps.

• If sauce is too thin, whisk together the chosen thickening agent and cold liquid, and add to sauce in small increments until at desired thickness.
• If too thick, simply add cream until at desired thickness.

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Presentation Suggestions

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Serve over bed of pasta or rice on a nice plate or bowl (or in a bread bowl if you’re feeling adventurously hipsterish), garnish with a sprinkle of parsley, a chiffonade of fresh basil, finely shredded cheese, a sprig of fresh rosemary, or a light powdering of grated cheese.