Chicken with Marsala, Mushrooms and Gorgonzola

Cover recipe from The Best of Fine Cooking:  101 Quick & Delicious Recipes
Chicken with Marsala, Mushrooms & Gorgonzola
This is one of those softcover magazine-type cookbooks from the Fall of 2004.  I can’t find this exact volume on Fine Cooking’s website, but here is one that’s similar.  Most of Fine Cooking’s recipes are fantastic but time-intensive, so I was all-over picking up an issue that was considered “Quick.”   The book includes appetizers, soups/salads, pastas, meats/seafood, side dishes and desserts, as well as 18 suggested themed-menus.  Nutritional information is included for every recipe.

The cover features a delicious-looking bowl of Chicken with Marsala, Mushrooms and Gorgonzola.  Fine Cooking suggests serving this with a young, fruity, high-acid red wine, such as a dolcetto, a Barbera, or a Sangiovese that’s not Chianti.
Chicken with Marsala, Mushrooms & Gorgonzola
Source: The Best of Fine Cooking- 101 Quick & Delicious Recipes

ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz. cremini or white mushrooms, sliced 1/8 inch thick (about 2-1/4 cups)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1/3 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola (1/3 cup)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

instructions:
1. Trim the chicken, removing the tenders, and slice on an angle into 3/4-inch-thick pieces; season generously with salt and pepper.
2. In a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add half of the chicken and cook, flipping once, until lightly browned and just barely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; repeat with the remaining chicken. Cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt, and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened and well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Pour in the Marsala and scrape the pan with the spoon to loosen any browned bits; simmer until the Marsala is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and simmer until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add two-thirds of the Gorgonzola and stir until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the sauce; add salt and pepper as needed. Add the chicken along with any accumulated juices and turn to coat with the sauce.
4. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining cheese and the parsley.

Serves:  2 to 3 people

Nutritional Information (based on 3 servings)
calories:  510 (280 from fat), protein 36g, carbohydrates 9g, fat 31g (12 sat), cholesterol 130mg, sodium 760mg, fiber 1g

Notes from Culinary Covers:
*If you don’t have any marsala on hand, white wine would be a fine substitute.
*Next time I make this, I’ll try using lower fat cream.  A lighter sauce would suit this recipe well.
*Serve on its own or over pasta.  Use any kind of pasta for this recipe.  I think it would be also be good spooned over white or brown rice.
*We loved the recipe, though we split it between two of us instead of the suggested three servings!  Serving three people would be fine if you included a hearty salad too.

Does this recipe deserve the cover spotlight?  Yes!  The recipe definitely fit the theme of the magazine- it was quick and delicious!

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