"...with linguine"...you've got my attention.

Days 3 and 4 of my No TV escapade have whizzed by like TV never existed, most likely due to me filling my time with things I’ve been putting off. One thing I have been meaning to do is make this recipe that’s been floating around by the fridge for about two months- chicken marsala with linguine (recipe at the end). Now some of you are thinking “moderately easy dish,” but for me, foreign territory. And because I couldn’t listen to the TV like I usually do, I turned on the pop/rock station, cranked the volume and began cooking the unknown.

I always thought of myself as someone who followed my recipes line for line, but after this one I think I was wrong. I didn’t use mushrooms, chicken cutlets, or the recommended linguine and onion measures, but hey, the world is still turning!

I gotta use this spice rack more, but it intimidates me with its many choices of flavorful herbs that can screw up my dinner.

I’ve never made a wine reduction with Marsala cooking wine, so I thought we’ll give it a go. After the fact I thought I could have just used one of the many bottles already in the house.

One word: butter!

I decided to use chicken breasts instead of buying cutlets because I kept purchasing chicken breasts at the grocery store, each time thinking we needed them when we didn’t. So, now we’re down to four bags in the freezer.

No this is not a plug for Barilla and Swanson.

Let’s get started! Gotta get a good base going…let the melting begin!

This is where you insert chopped onions and mushrooms, but we’ve nixed the fungus from our recipe. I also used an onion that I had vacuum sealed and froze, and let’s just say it wasn’t the “liveliest” of onions (If I post something tomorrow then you know I lived). Once the veges are done, remove them and set aside.

Side note: There was a chicken breast lost in the making of this recipe. It slipped right off the plate and into the disposal :(

Coat your chicken with flour and saute until cooked through. Keyword here is COOKED. (I tend to serve rubber chicken on occasion) Then remove and set aside.

Then pour in your wine, chicken broth and parsley. Simmer until reduced to about half.

Then place your chicken and veges back in the pan and heat through. I threw my cooked noodles in at the very end too…and voila- chicken marsala. I can’t believe I cooked it!

Chicken Marsala with Linguine Recipe

Chicken cutlets (2 breasts)
(veal cutlets work good too)
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 c. sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp. butter
Flour (you don’t need much)
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. Marsala wine
2 tbsp. parsley
1/2 lb. linguine

Coat meat with flour.
Saute onion and mushrooms in butter. Remove.
Saute meat and remove.

To pan drippings add broth, wine and parsley.
Simmer until liquid is reduced to half.
Return meat and vegetables and heat through.
Serve over cooked linguine.