When I was in my late teens to early 20's my best friend (at the time) & I used to love going to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. I still think Cheesecake Factory is delicious (even though I have a good chuckle thinking about how it was my "favorite restaurant"...boy have I come a long way since then!) But for the first few years of eating there I could NEVER bring myself to order anything but their Chicken Marsala. I was OBSESSED with it! The sauce was heavenly, smothered in mushrooms and they served it with mash potatoes & asparagus. They also melted mozzarella cheese on top which took it over the top. So fabulous.
Well, a decade went by and needless to say, I expanded my culinary world just a bit ;) as well as my dinner order at CF. But that dish always holds a special place in my heart. So I thought I'd try my best to recreate the dish with a few modifications. Dare I say it came out... BETTER?? Well, it did.
First off, I dropped the cheese. As delicious as it is, it isn't necessary. The sauce is what this dish is all about. I also get very bored with mash potatoes. Parsnips are such an amazing substitute with the same satisfying texture and earthiness....but they are so much more than that!! I now make them instead of mash potatoes all the time. The creamy, dreamy, velvety puree with a touch of sweetness could possibly convert even the biggest potato head! I promise if you make this dish you you will not only thank me for giving you a delicious Chicken Marsala recipe, but you will love me for introducing you to the wonder of parsnips!
Chicken Marsala w/Mushrooms (Serves 4)
2 large chicken breasts
5 Tbs. butter, divided
1 Tbs. flour, plus extra for dredging chicken (about 1/3 cup)
1 shallot, diced
about 10 crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/3 cup marsala wine
1 cup beef stock
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
In a large saute pan, saute the mushrooms over med-high heat in 1 tbs butter, a bit of oil until beautifully browned. Set aside.
Next, Slice the chicken breasts in half (lenght wise), so that you have 4 thin chicken breast fillets.
Just keep your knife level (and use a SHARP knife) for easiest results.
Season chicken with salt & pepper on both sides.
Lightly dredge chicken in flour. Shake off excess. In the same pan used for the mushrooms, add another 2 Tbs butter and a bit more oil. Heat on Med-high heat and saute chicken until lightly golden on both sides, about 3 min per side. (chicken doesn't have to be cooked all the way through, it will finish cooking in the sauce later.) Do NOT overcrowd the pan. You will never get any color on the chicken that way, it will just "steam" the chicken. Saute in batches as I did here, if your pan can't fit all with space between. Add more oil or butter if needed. Set aside chicken on a plate.
Add a bit more butter or oil (Only if needed! You need about 1 tbs fat in the pan to make the roux). Sprinkle the 1 Tbs flour over the butter/oil mix and whisk well.
Add the shallots immediately and cook for about 2 minutes. Whisk in marsala wine. (it will instantly thicken up) 
Then immediately whisk in beef stock.
If sauce is too thick, add more stock of wine to taste. Add mushrooms & chicken back to the pan (including any juices that may have accumulated from the chicken.) Simmer for about 5-6 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve with parsnip puree (recipe follows).
Parsnip Puree (serves 4)
4-5 large parsnips (about 2 lbs)
2-3 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
About 3 Tbs heavy cream (optional- but highly suggested for optimum lusciousness!)
Kosher Salt & Pepper to Taste
Peel and cube the parsnips. (as uniform in size as possible so everything cooks evenly)
Place in med-large sauce pot. Cover 3/4 of the way with chicken stock, and fill the rest with the milk to barely cover all the parsnips.
(I know it sounds & looks weird, but it infuses the most delicious flavor!) Simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes (or until very tender when pierced with a fork). Drain off excess cooking liquid into a measuring cup or bowl and set aside. DO NOT get rid of the cooking liquid yet! Looks strange, but trust me, I'm a professional ;)
Add back about 1/4 cup at a time of liquid. Use a blender or even easier a hand immersion blender and start blending and adding liquid until it starts to puree nicely.
Finish with salt & pepper to taste and a bit of cream.
You are looking for a silky, but not runny puree. Basically a smooth, mash potato type texture. That's why you add the liquid slowly back into the parsnips. You can always add more, you can't take it out! Enjoy!!
2 large chicken breasts
5 Tbs. butter, divided
1 Tbs. flour, plus extra for dredging chicken (about 1/3 cup)
1 shallot, diced
about 10 crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/3 cup marsala wine
1 cup beef stock
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
In a large saute pan, saute the mushrooms over med-high heat in 1 tbs butter, a bit of oil until beautifully browned. Set aside.
Next, Slice the chicken breasts in half (lenght wise), so that you have 4 thin chicken breast fillets.
Just keep your knife level (and use a SHARP knife) for easiest results. Season chicken with salt & pepper on both sides. Lightly dredge chicken in flour. Shake off excess.
In the same pan used for the mushrooms, add another 2 Tbs butter and a bit more oil. Heat on med-high heat and saute chicken until lightly golden on both sides, about 3 min per side. (chicken doesn't have to be cooked all the way through, it will finish cooking in the sauce later.) Do NOT overcrowd the pan. You will never get any color on the chicken that way, it will just "steam" the chicken. Saute in batches if your pan can't fit all with space between. Add more oil or butter if needed. Set aside chicken on a plate.
Add a bit more butter or oil (Only if needed! You need about 1 tbs fat in the pan to make the roux). Sprinkle the 1 Tbs flour over the butter/oil mix and whisk well. Add the shallots immediately and cook for about 2 minutes. Whisk in marsala wine. (it will instantly thicken up)
Then immediately whisk in beef stock. If sauce is too thick, add more stock of wine to taste. Add mushrooms & chicken back to the pan (including any juices that may have accumulated from the chicken.) Simmer for about 5-6 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Serve with parsnip puree (recipe follows).
Parsnip Puree (serves 4)
4-5 large parsnips (about 2 lbs)
2-3 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
About 3 Tbs heavy cream (optional- but highly suggested for optimum lusciousness!)
Kosher Salt & Pepper to Taste
Peel and cube the parsnips. (as uniform in size as possible so everything cooks evenly). Place in med-large sauce pot. Cover 3/4 of the way with chicken stock, and fill the rest with the milk to barely cover all the parsnips.
Simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes (or until very tender when pierced with a fork). Drain off excess cooking liquid into a measuring cup or bowl and set aside. DO NOT get rid of the cooking liquid yet! Looks strange, but trust me, I'm a professional ;)
Add back about 1/4 cup at a time of liquid. Use a blender or even easier a hand immersion blender and start blending and adding liquid until it starts to puree nicely.
Finish with salt & pepper to taste and a bit of cream. (You are looking for a silky, but not runny puree. Basically a smooth, mash potato type texture. That's why you add the liquid slowly back into the parsnips). You can always add more, you can't take it out! Enjoy!!
