Chicken Marsala

1. Preheat Oven

Start by preheating your oven to 200 degrees, positioning the rack in the middle. This will keep your chicken warm while you prepare the rest of the dish.

2. Prepare Chicken

Halve the chicken breasts horizontally and place them between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder, gently pound them to an even thickness of about ¼ inch. This ensures that they cook evenly.

3. Dredge Chicken

In a shallow dish, mix the flour with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Set them aside on a plate.

4. Cook Chicken - First Batch

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add half of the chicken pieces. Cook them for about 3 minutes on one side until they are golden brown, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Transfer the cooked chicken to an oven-safe platter and keep warm in the preheated oven. Wipe out the skillet and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.

5. Cook Pancetta

Once all the chicken is cooked and kept warm in the oven, add the pancetta to the now-empty skillet. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes until the pancetta is crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate.

6. Cook Mushrooms

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms to the skillet. Sauté the mushrooms for about 8 minutes until they are browned and have released their moisture.

7. Add Garlic and Tomato Paste

Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste is well incorporated.

8. Deglaze and Reduce Sauce

Pour in the Marsala wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced to about 1¼ cups.

9. Finish Sauce

To finish the sauce, stir in the lemon juice and any accumulated chicken juices from the platter. Gradually whisk in the chilled butter, one piece at a time, until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Stir in the cooked pancetta and chopped parsley, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

10. Serve

Pour the rich, savory sauce over the warm chicken on the platter. Serve immediately, ensuring each piece of chicken gets a generous amount of the delicious Marsala glaze and mushrooms.