Healthy Chicken marsala

I was wondering how to cook with wine for the longest time. I really wanted to fell like I was one of those professional cooks that use wine all the time. I usually watch all these shows and wonder how good the food could get when you make a sauce by deglazing the pan. I finally decided to cook one recipe when I got this recipe from Cook this, not that  and they indicated that this is a low calorie version, so what the heck. It was worth a try!

You'll Need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform 1/4" thickness
1 cup flour
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 oz prosciutto, sliced into thin strips (you can buy this in Rustan's or your local deli)
8 oz cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (this is just button mushrooms- I googled it, but I used shitake here)
3/4 cup Marsala wine
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (didn't have this so I substituted a chicken bouillion dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I couldn't find flat leaf so I used curly ones instead)
How to Make It:
*Season the chicken with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and add the chicken; coat evenly, shaking off any excess flour.
-this after you pound the chicken into 1/4 thickness.-- this makes the chicken cook more evenly -- I learned this watching kids cook in Junior Master Chef Australia

*Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken (don't overcrowd the pan; cook in two batches if need be) for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown on the outside and cooked all the way through. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm.

*Add additional oil to the pan if needed, then saute the prosciutto for 1 to 2 minutes, until it starts to crisp up. Add the mushrooms and continue sauteing until well browned. --I actually forgot to cut the prosciutto into strips and had to take them out of the pan to cut them!!

 Stir in the Marsala and broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the liquid has reduced to about 1/2 cup. Season with salt and pepper, add the parsley, and pour over the chicken.
note 1: Marsala is REALLY expensive and I could only find it in Santis. I tried to cook ir the original way since if I substitute the marsala, it wouldn't be called chicken marsala anymore.. it would be just chicken with wine. Marsala is a sweet wine from Spain. you can substitute marsala with- 


port, sherry or
1/4 cup grape juice with 1 tsp brandy  or
1/4 cup white wine and 1/4 cup brandy


note 2: I waited for the sauce to reduce, when I turned off the heat, the liquid was only so little, I was afraid I would run out of sauce. So, I added more Marsala and a bit of water and heated it again to burn off the alcohol. I also omitted the salting of the sauce since I used a bouillon. It was salty already. Always taste before you finish the dish.


Overall, this dish was
Makes 4 servings
Cost per serving: $5.20
390 calories
9 g fat (2 g saturated)
520 mg sodium




Overall, this recipe is a keeper. I would serve this if I am having guest over. Those who have tasted it have said that they found the chicken very tender.  The mushroom also soaked up a lot of the Marsala and tasted heavenly.  Even my daughter wanted it "baon" the extra for her packed lunch. Plus it is a low calorie version, so you can eat it guilt free.


Rating: