Chicken Marsala with Double the Mushrooms

Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl (or place in a large zip lock bag).

Cut the chicken in half widthwise, so each piece is no thicker than 1/2 inch thick. You can also pound the chicken down to under 1/2 thick, then cut in half. (see photo)

Heat oil and butter in an extra-large skillet over medium-high heat. Cast-iron works great here. Dredge each piece of chicken, shaking off excess, and carefully place in the hot skillet, searing each side until beautifully golden, 3 minutes on each side. Don’t worry about cooking the chicken through, just focus on getting a nice golden crust. Set aside on a plate.

Lower heat to medium. Add one more tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the pan. Add the mushrooms and saute 5-6 minutes. Add the shallot, garlic, oregano, thyme and season with a five-finger pinch of salt and pepper. Keep sauteing until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown slightly.

Add the chicken broth, Marsala wine and heavy cream, scraping up any browned bit. Simmer gently uncovered for 12-15 minutes, over med or medium-low heat, letting it thicken and reduce, deepen in color. It won’t be thick sauce- just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add more salt and pepper to taste- about another 5-finger pinch of each. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. For extra richness, add more cream, or for a looser sauce, add more broth.

Nestle in the chicken to the Marsala sauce and simmer another 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Sprinkle with flat-leave parsley and serve over a bowl of creamy polenta.