This recipe is easy enough for even a novice cook, yet is elegant enough to serve when entertaining.  Imported dried porcini mushrooms can now be found in most grocery stores, and certainly in specialty food shops. To complete this meal, I might serve it with an herb-flavored rice, or garlic mashed potatoes. A nice crisp, mixed salad would complete the meal nicely.

 

 

1 oz. Dried Porcini Mushrooms

8 oz. Fresh White Mushrooms

4 Chicken Breast Halves, Skinned

Flour For Dredging

Salt & Pepper

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2/3 Cup Dry Marsala Wine

 

1 Tablespoons Butter 

1/4 Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley

Re hydrate the porcini mushrooms in 1 cup warm water for about 30 minutes. Remove from the water, pat dry with paper towels, and chop coarsely. Strain the porcini water, and set aside to use later. Slice the fresh mushrooms thinly. Dredge the chicken breasts in flour seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, and then brown in a skillet with the oil over medium heat. Once well browned, remove the chicken and set aside.

Cook the sliced mushrooms in the same pan until tender and golden brown. If the pan becomes too dry, use a little of the porcini liquid to moisten it. Return the chicken pieces to the pan with the mushrooms, and add the porcini, the Marsala wine and 1/4 cup of the porcini liquid. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed. Turn down to medium low heat, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes. If the juices begin to evaporate too much while cooking, add a few tablespoons of the porcini water. When the sauce has thickened nicely, just before serving stir in the butter. When completed, the sauce should be thick and creamy. To serve, place chicken pieces on a platter, spoon over the juices, and sprinkle with the fresh parsley.

Buon Appetito!

Deborah Mele 2002