Chicken again

Well, I've come around to chicken again to feed us tonight. I'm at a loss as to how to fix it. Actually, I would love to make some chicken salad and put it into a nice, juicy home-grown tomato, and call it a meal. However, I don't have any tomatoes. Maybe I'll make the chicken salad anyway.

Then, I'm thinking I should make chicken marsala. Now there's a recipe I know I've never posted. And, I'm not sure I make it correctly, but we like it, and I've served it to visiting friends, and they liked it as well. And...you can substitute veal for the chicken (or vice versa) as well.

The big plus is that it's very easy to make.

What you need:

1/2 boned chicken breast per person (I usually throw a couple more in the pot if I have guests)
EVOO
4 garlic cloves chopped
salt - 1 tspn
pepper - 1 tspn
flour - 1/2 cup
Marsala wine - 1/2 cup (more if you like)
Heavy cream - 1 cup (you can use half & half)
Mushrooms are optional, about 1/2 cup freshly sliced. Alan doesn't like them so I leave them out unless we're having guests.

Mix together in a plastic baggie the flour, salt, and pepper. Put the chicken breasts into the bag and shake to coat the chicken. Set aside.

Preheat the pan. You know it's hot when a drop of water sizzles when you drop it in the pan. Drizzle over the pan bottom to lightly coat it with some EVOO. Put into the EVOO the chopped garlic. Stir until it is just brown. Be sure not to burn it. I know I give this instruction a lot, but not burning the garlic is important.

Lower the heat to medium. Take the chicken and put it into the pan. Shake the excess flour mixture off each piece of chicken before putting it in the pan. and brown the chicken, each side cooking for about 5 minutes. After the chicken is browned, cover the pan and cook for 15 more minutes. This should give you a good starter for the marsala gravy.

After the chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the pot. Now is the time to add the mushrooms if you're going to use them, the heavy cream and the marsala wine. Mix them together to blend them (use a wisk) and put the chicken back into the pot. Lower the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. If you think you need more gravy, add more cream, not more wine.

Serve.

Now, I am really hungry, but I'm sticking to chicken salad because it's so warm and it's a good "salad" night.

ttfn