Chicken with God's "Special" Sauce

It is that time again! Tasty Thursdays, the best day of the week.

For my readers today, I have a gift. A recipe that I thought would stay in my mind for all of time. Fortunately, I realized that cooking not only brings happiness to my life, but has the potential to bring that same happiness to others. One might ask, "What is the meaning to life?" Although this is a very incomplete question, I will answer it by saying that being happy and making others happy is MY meaning to life. So with that said, today I am sharing an Italian recipe with my readers (ooooo surprise, I didn't see that one coming!). Don't worry, I will mix it up soon enough. ALSO!!! You get a double whammy today, a side dish to accompany your chicken, and a definite crowd pleaser. Here goes:

Chicken Marsala a.k.a. Chicken with God's "Special" Sauce

This recipe is more time intensive than my other dishes because it requires enough time to allow the Marsala Sauce to obtain enough love from the person cooking it.

Ingredients:
3 chicken breast halves (you should have 6 total pieces once your butterfly and cut in half)
1 cup flour
1/4 cup Essence of Emeril (very important component, maybe more important than the chicken...)
1 medium onion (optional)
2 cans sliced mushrooms (the small cans)
1 cup Marsala wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup butter (this can vary depending on how healthy you want this dish to be, oil can be substituted to cook the chicken, onions, and mushrooms)

To begin this dish, take your flour and Essence and mix them together thoroughly (More Essence means more flavor on the chicken). Coat your chicken thoroughly with this mixture. Put a saute pan (Approx 2-3 quart capacity) on medium high heat with a quarter of your butter in it. When the butter is completely melted place half your chicken in the pan and sear (get the outside golden brown) the outside of it (do not fully cook your chicken here! It is imperative your chicken is raw inside or your meal will be overcooked and dry). Cook the other breasts the same way and set your chicken aside.

Meanwhile, take your onion (optional), and slice it thinly and place it in a bowl. Open your cans of mushrooms and put the juice and all on top of the sliced onion (this allows the onion to absorb the mushroom juices for added flavor). You can use more onions and mushrooms depending on your preference of these vegetables.

Once the chicken is done cooking, put another quarter of your butter into the same saute pan. Empty half the mushroom juice in your bowl into the sink (too much juice here is bad). Once the butter has melted completely (should be very quick because the pan is already hot), put your vegetables in the pan. Let the vegetables cook on the same medium-high heat for a few minutes or until they have caramelized (brown but not burnt) a bit (about 5 minutes). Once your vegetables are a desired color, add your Marsala wine to the pan to deglaze (click the link to learn what that means, otherwise it doesn't affect your cooking). Cook on the same heat for about 5 more minutes. Add the chicken broth at this point in time and mix it thoroughly. NOTE: the more Marsala wine and broth you add, the more flavor you put in the dish, BUT the longer you have to wait for these liquids to evaporate.

After adding the broth, let this simmer for about another 5-8 minutes. This stage allows some of the water to evaporate leaving a wonderfully rich flavor behind. At this point in time, add your chicken and the remaining butter to the pan and let the chicken cook fully, which will take between 10 and 15 minutes depending on the amount of liquid you put initially. Once your Marsala Sauce (the sauce covering your chicken) becomes a desired thickness (same thickness as a typical marinara sauce), you can assume your dish is complete! Check to see if the chicken is cooked thoroughly and serve and enjoy (a quarter chicken breast each, make sure to put the sauce and vegetables on top of each piece individually)! Serving Size: 4-6 adults; Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: Approx 30-40 mins

Side Dish

Classic Garlic Mashed Potaters

Ingredients:
5 medium sized potatoes
3 cloves garlic minced (optional but necessary)
1 stick butter
Salt

Peel and cut your potatoes into 1/2-1 inch cubes. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add salt to the water, and then your potatoes. Cook your potatoes for about 10 minutes or until fork tender.

Meanwhile melt half a stick of butter with your minced garlic in a microwave.

When your potatoes are cooked, drain and put them in a bowl. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or a fork. Add your garlic butter, the rest of your butter, and a few pinches of salt. At this point in time your can do many things to make the potatoes taste better including adding more salt and butter, or adding cheese (parmigiana, cheddar, any cheese really). You can also bake it with cheese and breadcrumbs on top. There are many methods to make mashed potatoes taste better and become less healthy. Use your imagination! Serving size with Chicken Marsala: 4-6 adults; Serving size alone: 2-3 adults. Prep time: 10 minutes (takes me about 2 because I am the world's fastest potato peeler); Cook time: 15 minutes

I hope these recipes bring you hope. This one is moderately more difficult, but once mastered, the chicken will literally melt in your mouth, similar to the baby back ribs from Chili's. Enjoy your time cooking, involve your kids if you have them, roommates if they are eating your meal, or husband/wife is he/she is sitting on the couch doing nothing. Let it be your bonding time, because after all, cooking is a time to bond! Happy Tasty Thursday!