Chicken Rollatini with Mushroom Marsala Sauce →

Eggplant Rollatini (also called Eggplant Involtini) is a classic Italian dish made with thin slices of eggplant rolled around a stuffing of ricotta and spinach; fried or baked and served with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. This Chicken Rollatini recipe uses thin chicken cutlets rolled around a stuffing of Fontina cheese, Prosciutto, and Sage. The slightly nutty-sweet mushroom-marsala wine sauce provides a nice compliment to the chicken, rich runny Fontina, and the slightly bitter Sage. I love toasted Sage, so I garnish the dish with crumbled toasted Sage. Easy and satisfying to make for the family and elegant and delicious enough to serve for a dinner party. Buon appetito!

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise (be careful!) and flattened so you have 4 chicken cutlets about ¼ inch thick

• 3 tablespoons flour

• ½ cup of shredded Fontina cheese

• 1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons chopped sage leaves

• 2 thin slices of Prosciutto cut in half and folded in half so you have 4 pieces of prosciutto

• 8 or 10 ounces of mushrooms of your choice, sliced, stems removed (I prefer wild mushrooms, but button mushrooms work as well.)

• 1 cup dry Marsala wine

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

• 2 cups chicken broth

• salt and pepper

• 6-8 large sage leaves for optional garnish (see *Note below)

Preparation:

1. Pound your chicken cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap with a meat mallet or rolling pin so you have 4 cutlets about a ¼ inch thick.

2. Lay out the cutlets and put about 2 tablespoons of shredded Fontina on each cutlet.

3. Put 2 or 3 teaspoons of chopped sage over the Fontina and cover with a piece of the folded Prosciutto.

4. Carefully roll up the cutlet and tie snugly in the middle with a length of cooking twine; trim off any extra twine once tied.

5. Salt and pepper the rolled cutlets (rollatini) and dredge in the flour, shaking off extra flour.

6. Brown the rollatini on all sides over medium high heat in a cast iron or other heavy bottomed pan; remove the rollatini from the heat and cover to keep warm.

7. Add the sliced mushrooms and 2 teaspoons of sage with a little of the Marsala or chicken broth and scrape up any brown crusty bits stuck to the pan.

8. Once the mushrooms have released their moisture and begin to brown add the Marsala, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and cook over medium high heat until reduced by a half.

9. Add the broth and reduce by half.

10. Return the rollatini to the pan and coat with the sauce while cooking for about 3-4 minutes more until fully heated through.

11. Optional: garnish with crumbled toasted sage leaves.

(*Note: save 6-8 large sage leaves and fry them in a hot pan with a little olive oil. They will cook very quickly so pay attention; turn them once and remove to a paper towel; sprinkle with coarse salt and set aside. This takes about 3-4 minutes total. Do this before you start cooking the main dish.)

Serve over buttered egg noodles accompanied by the vegetable and/or salad of your choice. For wine, a balanced, crisp, not too buttery Chardonnay, or a Chablis, or ever-food-friendly dry Riesling or Viognier matches nicely with this dish.

Chicken Marsala →

Marsala wine is a fortified wine made in Sicily that is most commonly used in cooking to create nutty, rich caramelized sauces. It’s an amazing addition to the chef’s kitchen. This Chicken Marsala is an elegant, easy to make dish with a sauce that combines mushrooms in a creamy sauce flavored with shallots, dry Marsala wine and fresh sage. The slightly bitter, nutty flavor of the sage combines nicely with the nutty, fruitiness of the Marsala. A dash of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of lemon zest just before serving brighten the dish. Serve over rice or egg noodles with green beans or sugar snap peas.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 lb total)

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine

• 2/3 cup heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon lemon zest

• 4-6 large sage leaves toasted and crumbled as a garnish (optional)

Preparation:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.

2. Bring broth to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, then boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.

3. Cook the shallot in 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until the shallot begins to turn golden (about 1 minute). Add the mushrooms, sage, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and they begin to brown (6 to 8 minutes). Remove from heat.

4. Gently pound the chicken to 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin.

5. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, 1 piece at a time, shaking off excess. Transfer to sheets of wax paper, arranging the chicken in 1 layer.

6. Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half the chicken, turning over once, until nicely golden and just cooked through (about 4 minutes). Transfer the cooked chicken to a large heatproof platter, arranging in 1 layer, tent and put the platter in a warm oven. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels and cook the remaining chicken in the same manner. Transfer to the warm oven arranging the cutlets in 1 layer.

7. Add 1/2 cup Marsala to the skillet and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits for about 30 seconds. Add reduced broth, cream, and mushrooms, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened (6 to 8 minutes). Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and remaining 2 tablespoons wine.

8. Serve the chicken topped with sauce. Garnish with toasted sage (optional).

Some wines that would stand up to the creamy richness and pair well with this dish are white Burgundy, or a Viognier or Marsanne based white wine from the Rhône region of France. Other options would be Pouilly Fume or a not-overly oaked California Chardonnay. Avoid overly minerally and acidic whites.

Source: Gourmet Magazine June 2005, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-marsala-232152

Chicken Piccata with Shitake Mushrooms →

Satisfying, quick and easy, this briny-buttery-lemony-rich chicken recipe is a take on the classic dish Chicken Piccata but made a bit softer and less tangy with the addition of umami-rich shitake mushrooms and chicken stock instead of water. Serve over egg noodles or bow-tie pasta; a side vegetable or a green salad completes the meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts

• 3 ½ oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

• Kosher salt

• black pepper

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• ⅓ cup dry white wine

• ½ cup chicken broth

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (no bitter white pith)

• 1 Tbsp. drained capers, coarsely chopped

• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)

• Chopped parsley and lemon wedges (for serving)

Preparation:

1. Slice chicken breasts in half crosswise into 4 cutlets and lightly pound each piece between sheets of plastic wrap until an even thickness (about ½" thick or less). Season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Place flour in a medium shallow bowl. Working one at a time, place cutlets in a bowl and toss to coat in flour. Knock off excess flour and transfer to a plate.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan, cook cutlets, without moving them, until deeply browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn over and cook on the other side just until chicken is nearly cooked through, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a clean plate and tent with aluminum foil.

4. Add the shitake mushrooms and a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms release their water and begin to brown. Transfer to the same plate with the browned chicken.

5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and sliced garlic to the skillet and cook, reducing the heat and stirring often until golden brown, keeping the garlic from scorching and becoming bitter. (about 2 minutes)

6. Add wine, lemon zest, and capers and cook, swirling pan and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet, until liquid is almost completely evaporated. (about 3 minutes)

7. Add ½ cup chicken broth followed by the butter. Stir or swirl the pan vigorously while the butter melts to help it form an emulsion with the chicken stock. (about 1 minute)

8. Return chicken and mushrooms to the skillet with the sauce and simmer for about 2-3 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat and stir lemon juice into the sauce; season with salt starting with ¼ teaspoon and adding more to your taste. Transfer chicken and sauce to a platter and top with parsley; serve with lemon wedges.

*Note: choose a medium bodied white wine that is not too minerally and acidic. A soft white wine from the Loire Valley, a Viognier, or a lighter style Chardonnay that is not too full bodied and oaky will pair well with this dish.

Adapted from a recipe by Chris Morocco @ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chicken-piccata-2

Tarragon Chicken with Mushrooms →

Another French inspired chicken dish with a luscious, creamy sauce and a hint of anise from the tarragon. Serve it with egg noodles and a colorful steamed or sauteed vegetable, and/or a leafy, green salad. Bon appetit!

4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 small-medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts or two large breasts cut in half, trimmed of fat (1-1 1/4 pounds total) (or 4 boneless, skinless thighs)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil, divided

• 6 ounces of stemmed sliced cremini or shiitake mushrooms

• 1 medium shallot finely chopped (approximately 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped shallots)

• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

• 1-2 tablespoons. reduced-fat sour cream, or crème fraiche (optional)

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon (you can also substitute thyme and/or rosemary)

• a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice (optional)

Preparation:

1. Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to a uniform thickness of about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Season chicken on both sides with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Dust the skinless chicken lightly with flour.

2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the sliced mushrooms until they have given off their water and begun to brown. Remove from heat and reserve.

3. Add the chicken and cook until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. After browning the first side squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the browned chicken. After browning the second side, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add shallots; cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. At this point you can add the 2 tablespoons of brandy and reduce until almost evaporated. (optional)

5. Add broth and wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes. Stir the reserved mushrooms, mustard (optional), sour cream (or crème fraiche), and tarragon into sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan; spoon the sauce over the chicken and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes.

7. Plate and spoon the sauce over the chicken.

*Notes:

If you are not concerned about the extra fat, and you want optimum flavor, choose air-chilled chicken breasts or thighs with bone-in and skin, and skip dusting with flour.

If you choose not to thicken the sauce with the sour cream and mustard (classic French cooking), you can squeeze a little lemon juice over the chicken while you brown it and thicken the sauce with flour like a roux or gravy. (Mix 2 teaspoons flour with 2 tablespoons of melted butter until smooth and slowly add to reduced wine/broth stock, whisking constantly to avoid clumps.)

If you don’t have fresh tarragon, you can add 2 teaspoons of dried tarragon to the stock as it reduces.

It helps to pound the chicken breasts between plastic wrap to an even thickness….this avoids overcooking and helps tenderize the breasts. Or, you can use chicken tenders.

As with all recipes, experiment and make it your own.

Adapted from a recipe in EatingWell Magazine