Bless Her Heart

Mississippi cuisine is a cuisine that has been influences by many different cultures.

So far we have seen the influence of French cooking in several dishes – Red Beans and Rice, Etouffee, Jambalaya and Gumbo.

But let’s take a peek now at Italian food.

More specifically…

Chicken Marsala…

Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian dish featuring thinly sliced pieces of tender pan-fried chicken breasts and mushrooms all smothered in a luscious mushroom wine sauce.

The wine sauce, if you know anything about wines…which coming from one of the last counties in the country to no longer be a “dry county,” I don’t…is based on the deep, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor of Marsala wine.

The flavors from the marsala and cremini mushrooms bring a sweet earthiness to the sauce that really elevates simple seared chicken breasts.

Not to mention that it’s probably one of my favorite meat dishes of all time…and the fact that this is what I order every single time we go to either The Cheesecake Factory or Olive Garden.

• ¾C flour
• ½tsp salt
• ¼tsp pepper
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2# boneless, skinless chicken breast halves – pounded ¼” thick and cut into strips
• ¼C olive oil
• 12oz cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼” thick
• 1½C dry marsala wine
• ¼C cooking sherry
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1/3C flat-leaf parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish) 
• 6Tbsp butter

Dredge the chieken: Mix flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning together in a shallow dish or bowl. Dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Sear the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken pieces two minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the cutlets to a plate. 

Saute the mushrooms: Add mushrooms to the the same now-empty skillet. Cook for four minutes, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until the mushrooms are slightly softened and just beginning to release some liquid, Remove mushrooms from skillet.

Saute the shallots: Add the shallots. Cook for four minutes, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until they start to soften.  Remove the pan from the heat. 

Add the wine: Pour in the wine, cooking sherry and ½C water. Return the pan to high heat. Bring to a boil. 

Simmer: Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer seven minutes, until the liquid starts to thicken, 6 to 7 minutes. Add parsley. Cover skillet. Simmer five minutes.Turn the chicken pieces once. Cook five more minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Thicken the gravy: Whisk in the butter. Cook and whisk for two minutes, until the butter it is melted and the sauce has thickened.

Finish and serve: Add the chicken back to the pan. Cook about two minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Remove the fully-cooked chicken to a platter. Pour the sauce on top of the chicken. Garnish with more parsley.  

To freeze: Pour any leftovers into a freezer pan. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw overnight in fridge. Reheat in an oven at 350 degrees F for best results.