Chicken Marsala Skillet

You know chicken marsala?  You know one pot meals?  Well they just got married, made a healthy baby and it's name is Chicken Marsala Skillet.  And I have one word for it, YUM.

I love one-pot meals, not only because there's less dishes to do, but I love how the flavors build on each other.  

You guys are going to love this!  

Cook pasta according to directions, drain.  Reserve pasta water (for later)!

Heat some oil (1-2 Tablespoons) in a large skillet, season chicken with salt/pepper, then brown it thoroughly.  The secret to browning it well, is stirring as little as possible!  Don't disturb the chicken!!  Once it's brown and cooked through, remove from pan and set aside. 

Be sure to leave all the pan drippings in the pan, they provide lots of flavor.

Over medium heat, melt butter in the same pan, then add onions, mushrooms and garlic.  Saute for about a minute, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.

Add marsala wine and broth, stirring to deglaze the pan.
(You could always use another white wine if that's all you have on hand, but it would no longer be chicken marsala! You could also use all broth, if you insist, but that's really no fun.)

Bring this goodness to a steady bubble, and continue to simmer until liquid is reduced by about half.

Once your liquid is reduced, turn off the heat, add tomatoes, spinach, & goat cheese.....plus a good sprinkle of salt/pepper.  Give it a good stir, until the spinach begins to wilt.

I think cherry tomatoes may be my favorite subject to photograph....

Then dump the drained pasta on top and toss together.
If it gets too dry, add a little of the reserved pasta water until your reach your desired consistency.  The amount you use will depend on how much you reduced the liquids.  I had to add very little, maybe 1/4 cup, or less.

Serve with grated parmesan on top!  Savor a little bit of heaven in this dish.  And be sure to wash down with a hefty glass of vino rosso.  Cheers.

Chicken Marsala Skillet

1 pound whole grain penne pasta (1 box)

2-4 chicken breasts (depending on how much meat you prefer), cut into 1 inch chunks

1-2 TB oil

1-2 TB butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. sweet onion, finely chopped

8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced or quartered

1 cup marsala cooking wine

1 cup chicken broth

1 bag spinach

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup goat cheese

Salt & Pepper

Parmesan for grating

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to directions, drain.  Reserve pasta water.

Heat oil in a large skillet, season chicken with salt/pepper, then brown it thoroughly (stirring as little as possible).  Once it's brown and cooked through, remove chicken from pan and set aside.  

In the same pan, over medium heat, melt butter, then add onions, mushrooms and garlic.  Saute for about a minute, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.

Add marsala wine and broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Bring to a steady bubble, and continue to simmer until liquid is reduced by half.

Once liquid is reduced, turn off heat, add tomatoes, spinach, & goat cheese. Season with salt/pepper.  Stir until spinach begins to wilt.

Add the drained pasta on top and toss together.

If it gets too dry, add a little of the reserved pasta water until your reach your desired consistency.  Serve with grated parmesan on top.  Enjoy.