Chicken Marsala

We don't go out to eat on Valentine's Day because it is so crazy. Long waits frustrate me. We just make a special meal at the house and finish the night with chocolate covered strawberries. This meal is easy enough to make any night of the week, but I think the rich flavors are perfect for a Valentine's Day meal.

Chicken Marsala

This recipe is free of milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
All-purpose flour, for dredging (safe flour for it to be wheat free)

freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms (you could use baby portabella, crimini or porcini mushrooms)
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Directions

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and a vegetable (we love roasted asparagus)

Recipe adapted from The Food Network