Guest Blogger Mondays......Chicken Marsala with Pancetta and Cream by Farah

GUEST BLOGGER of the Week

Farah

About Farah: Hi, I'm Farah. I'm a wife of almost 9 years and a stay-at-home mom of two with a baby due in November.  I started enjoying cooking soon after I got married and it has developed into a true passion of mine.  Learning and trying out new recipes has become one of my favorite hobbies, and I find it to be a huge stress release, especially after tough days taking care of small children.  This Chicken Marsala recipe was given to me by a friend and my whole family really enjoys it.  Hope you enjoy too!

Chicken Marsala with Pancetta and Cream

Ingredients:

Olive oil
2 oz of pancetta (about 1/4 inch think slice) cut into 1/4 inch dice
Flour for dredging (about 1/2 cup)
4 thin chicken breast cutlets, about 1/2 lb total
Coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper, preferably on the coarse side
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
2 to 4 tbsp heavy cream
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Sliced or chopped mushroom (optional)

Preparation:

Coat a large skillet lightly with olive oil and set it over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until just crisp and lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan, and set aside.

Put the flour on a plate. Pat the cutlets dry. Season them on both sides lightly with salt and amply with pepper. Heat the skillet with the pancetta fat over medium high. Add more olive oil, if needed, to get about 2 tbsp. fat in the pan.  When the fat is hot, dredge a cutlet through the flour on both sides. Shake off the excess flour and immediately put the cutlet in the pan. Do the same with as many cutlets as will fit in the pan without touching. Sauté the cutlets, turning once, until browned on both sides; if thin, they should cook through in just a few minutes total. Transfer the cooked cutlets to a plate and continue sautéing the rest, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer these to the plate as well.  Pour off the excess fat. With the pan over medium-high heat, add the Marsala and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the Marsala is reduced by about a quarter. Stir in the cream and boil until you get a nicely thickened sauce. if you choose to include mushroom, add them to the sauce.  Return the chicken and pancetta to the pan and turn the cutlets over to coat. Let them reheat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve with the sauce and a sprinkling of parsley, if you like. Best served on a bed of white rice.