Chicken Marsala with Fettucine

Chicken Marsala is a dish I've heard about for years but never made, I could never find the Marsala wine. When I was shopping and happened to see it at the grocery store I knew I had to make this dish. The sauce had a great flavor and it's a great spin on a chicken with pasta dish. My husband and I LOVED the flavors of this dish so I know I'll be making it again. 

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken cutlets
2 tbsp. olive oil
5 tbsp. butter, divided

1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 cup Marsala wine
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
12 oz. fettucine 

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettucine according to package directions. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add in 3 tbsp. butter and parmesan cheese. Stir until pasta is well coated. Do these steps as you are searing the chicken (step 2). 

2. Sprinkle the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside. 

3. Lower heat to medium-high. Add 2 tbsp. butter to the same skillet. Add in shallots and saute for 1 minute until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add in chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

4. Add the marsala wine and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and mustard. Return the chicken and any juices back into the pan with the sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley and serve over the cooked fettucine. Make sure to spoon some extra sauce over the chicken and pasta. 

Fried Chicken

 I first tried this fried chicken as part of a sandwich from Giada. The sandwich itself was good with mozzarella, argula, and pesto but I ended up falling in love with the fried chicken. She added panko breadcrumbs to the standard flour dredging and it added a ton of crispy texture. 

Ingredients:
4 chicken cutlets
1 cup buttermilk, 
1/2 lemon, sliced
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. salt
Grapeseed or avocado oil for frying

Directions:

1. Combine chicken cutlets, buttermilk, and lemon wedges in a large plastic bag. Make sure chicken is coated all over with the buttermilk. Allow to marinade at least 4 hours or up to over night. 

2. Mix together the flour, breadcrumbs, and salt in a shallow bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. 

3. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, removing as much of the buttermilk as possible. Coat chicken in the flour mixture, making sure to cover completely in a light coating. Place immediately in the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Fry on the first side until golden brown and there is a ring of cooked chicken around the edges, about 5 minutes. Gently flip the chicken and continue to cook on the second side until evenly golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes. 

4. Once the chicken is cooked, allow to rest on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle warm chicken with a pinch of salt. Serve warm or at room temp with the sides of your choice. 

Brie en Croute

It was Super Bowl last weekend and while I'm more of a hockey girl I do like to watch it every year. It's mostly an excuse to eat a lot of snacks and sort of watch some football. This Brie en Croute is just a fancy name for pastry wrapped brie cheese. It's like having the cheese and crackers but all in one package. What's great about this appetizer is that it can be made in advanced and baked right before the game. 

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 wheel brie cheese, top and bottom rind sliced off
1 tbsp. fig jam or honey
2 tbsp. candied pecans
1 egg + 1 tsp. water

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. On a lightly floured surface gently roll out the puff pastry. You want it to be about a 12 inch square. 

3. Cut the top and bottom rind off of the brie. Coat top of brie with a thin layer of the fig jam or honey. Top the honey or jam with the candied pecans. Place brie onto the puff pastry with the side with nuts face down so when it's baked they will be on top. 

4. Crimp the puff pastry around the brie, bringing the edges up and meeting in the middle. You can get fancy here if you like but the important point is sealing in the brie so when it bakes it doesn't spill out of the pastry. 

5. Place puff pastry onto the baking sheet with parchment paper. You want the crimped side on the bottom. You can decorate the top with any extra puff pastry like leaves but I did a small football for superbowl. 

6. In a small bowl mix together the egg and 1 tsp. water to make an egg wash. Lightly coat all of the puff pastry with the egg wash. 

7. Bake puff pastry for about 20 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Serve warm with crackers and/or fruit and enjoy!