Cast Iron Chicken Marsala

A delicious Italian-American dish consisting of pan-sauteed chicken cutlets nestled in a rich Marsala wine sauce with mushrooms. Chicken Marsala is a popular and classic restaurant dish that is very easy to make at home in your favorite cast iron skillet.

Servings: 4 servings

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

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Ingredients

For the Chicken

▢ 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
▢ kosher salt and freshly ground pepper To taste, optional, but recommended
▢ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

For the Mushrooms

▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter Divided use
▢ 4 tablespoons olive oil Divided use
▢ 8 ounces baby Portabella mushrooms Sliced, may substitute button mushrooms

For the Marsala Sauce

▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch
▢ 2/3 cup Marsala wine
▢ 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
▢ 2 teaspoons good balsamic vinegar
▢ 1 tablespoon small capers Drained, optional
▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley, For garnishing, optional, may substitute dried parsley flakes, if desired

For the Pasta

▢ 1 pound fettucini noodles Cooked according to package directions, kept warm

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken Breasts

Place the chicken breasts onto a large cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice each one in half horizontally, cutting the top away from the bottom to create 4 thinner pieces of chicken, called cutlets.
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Working one at a time, place each one of the 4 chicken cutlets into a large gallon freezer bag, pressing out all of the air.
Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound out the chicken until it is about 1/2-inch in thickness. Repeat the process with the 3 remaining cutlets.
**As you're pounding out the chicken, use your fingertips on your free hand to feel the chicken through the bag to see where you need to pound with the mallet to make it evenly flattened.
Season the cutlets on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the basil and oregano with the flour and set aside.
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Working one at a time, dredge the chicken cutlets in the prepared flour mixture, coating each one evenly on both sides, shaking the excess back into the bowl. Reserve the coated cutlets to a plate as you work.

Saute the Mushrooms

In a 12-inch cast iron skillet (or any large heavy-bottomed skillet) over medium-high heat, add half of the butter (2 tablespoons) and half of the olive oil (2 tablespooons).
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons olive oil
When the fats are hot and sizzling, add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are golden brown and cooked throughout, approx. 6-8 minutes; remove the cooked mushrooms and reserve.
8 ounces baby Portabella mushrooms

Brown the Chicken Cutlets

Still over medium-high heat using the same skillet, add the remaining half of the butter (2 tablespoons) and half of the olive oil (2 tablespoons) to the drippings in the skillet.
When the fats in the skillet are hot and sizzling, add the prepared chicken cutlets, working two a a time, browning each cutlet on both sides, approx. 1-2 minutes per side. **You aren't fully cooking the cutlets at this point, just browning each one on both sides.
When the cutlets are all nicely browned on each side, remove them from the skillet to a platter; reserve and keep warm. Remove the skillet from the heat

Prepare the Marsala Sauce

Meanwhile, in a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the cornstarch into the broth until it is completely dissolved, then stir in the Marsala and balsamic vinegar.
2/3 cup Marsala wine, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons good balsamic vinegar
With the skillet off the heat, pour about half of the prepared Marsala mixture into the chicken drippings that remain in the skillet.
Deglaze the pan over medium heat using a flat whisk to scrape up all the browned bits that are attached to the bottom of the skillet.
Slowly pour in the remaining half of the Marsala mixture, whisking until the sauce is smooth. Return the skillet to the burner over medium heat, continuing to whisk until the sauce begins to thicken a bit.

Simmer the Chicken Marsala and Serve

Return the reserved chicken cutlets to the skillet along with the mushrooms; top with the capers, if using.
1 tablespoon small capers
Simmer the chicken marsala over medium or medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the chicken cutlets are fully cooked throughout. (165 degrees F. at the center)
While the chicken simmers, prepare the fettucine noodles according to package directions; drain well and toss with a bit of olive oil. Keep the noodles warm until you're ready to serve the chicken marsala. (I drizzle my noodles with a bit of olive oil to keep them from sticking together until I'm ready to serve them.)
To serve, place some of the warm fettucine noodles onto serving plates; drizzle with sauce. Top with the warm chicken cutlets and more sauce. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley, as desired.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley,