Chicken Marsala

This is definitely one of my favorite meals and it is always a treat for my entire family when I make it, as I don't make it very often.  To make it quickly, which can happen, you really need to focus a bit more than my children typically allow. This recipe also requires that the chicken be pounded.  Usually, I unnecessarily feel that this is an inconvenience; today, I actually enjoyed pounding the heck out of the chicken.  Something about it was therapeutic.  And even if it took me five extra minutes to make it than one of my more typical recipes, I gained that time and more back when it came time to sit at the dinner table, for sure.  My kids, who are notoriously slow eaters, gobbled this up in record time.  My only regret: that I didn't double the recipe so we could have it again later in the week.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound total)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (personally, I never use less than the whole container)
• 2 Tablespoons sliced green onion (I have sprinkled some onion powder in with the mushrooms when I didn't have fresh green onions.  Not totally conventional, but delicious nonetheless.)
• 3 Tablespoons margarine or butter
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry Marsala wine (I have always used cooking wine, but a friend recently highly recommended buying the real deal; I am going to try it next time)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir together marjoram, salt, flour, and pepper.
2. Place chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness.  Lightly press chicken into flour mixture; shake off excess.
3. In large skillet, cook mushrooms and green onion in 1 tablespoon of butter until tender; remove from skillet. 
4. In the same skillet, cook chicken pieces in remaining margarine over medium high heat for 4 minutes, turning to brown evenly.
5. Return mushrooms and green onion to skillet.  Carefully add broth and marsala.  Cook, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until mushroom mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.

I usually serve this with mashed potatoes and a veggie on the side, but have also served with egg noodles or rice.

Difficulty: medium
Time: 25-30 minutes start to finish
Source: Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook