Chicken Marsala with Mustard Marscapone Sauce

One of the very first times Brad and I went out to dinner, we went to an Italian place. He didn't even bother to open the menu, he knew already that he was having chicken marsala because "its soo good with the cheese and the mushrooms". Well, mushrooms yes.. but I had never heard of this dish with cheese before. I chose not to correct him and see what he ended up with.

To his disappointment, the meal was served as a plain chicken breast over a rather unappealing looking sauce and some dried out pasta (not the best Italian joint in DSM, apparently!). Since then, I had been on a hunt for a good chicken marsala recipe that would give him the creamy (from the cheese), delicious mushroom sauce he craved.

Enter: Chicken Marsala with Mustard Marscapone Sauce. I know.. you're thinking.. "mustard??" Trust me, you'll want to give this one a try. Adapted from a recipe by Giada.


Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast per person, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces or into chunks, your preference
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, and flour for coating chicken
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 small to medium onion, chopped
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced (or button if you can't find the good ones)
  
• 3 or 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup marsala wine
• 1 cup (8 ounces) marscapone cheese
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard (i use a creamy one, I don't like the mustard grains)

The above portions make enough sauce for 2 people, with a LOT of mushrooms. If you prefer more sauce, or are cooking for more people, you may consider doubling it.


Directions:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.

This can be served with pasta, but we prefer garlic mashed potatoes. If you have the time, roast a head of garlic in the oven, wrapped in foil, for about 45 minutes, then add the garlic to your cooked, mashed potatoes. If you prefer to cheat, like me, stir into your potatoes a package of Boursin or Allouette garlic and herb cheese with a little bit of milk. :)