What to cook: Classic chicken dishes that are always in style

This chicken Marsala features ultra-tender chicken and buttery, browned mushrooms in a satiny Marsala wine cream sauce. The iconic dish may seem retro, but this recipe is so dreamy, it’s worth adding to your regular dinner rotation, especially because it’s easy, family-friendly and on the table in about 25 minutes.

The sauce is so flavorful and satiny, you’ll want to enjoy every drop. For that reason, I suggest serving the dish with something to soak up the sauce, and great options include rice, polenta, mashed potatoes, pasta and couscous. Round out the meal with a crisp green salad or vegetables.

Tips for making the best chicken Marsala

Make sure your chicken is thin. Thinner chicken breasts cook quickly and more evenly. Use thin-sliced chicken or chicken breasts that you have halved and pound the pieces to an even ¼-inch thickness before cooking.

Use a stainless-steel pan if possible. Stainless steel pans produce the best color for this chicken as they ensure adequate browning. A nonstick pan will work, but you may not achieve the same caramelization of the chicken and mushrooms.

Don’t crowd the pan. For nicely browned chicken and mushrooms, use a large skillet so the food isn’t crowded in the pan. If the pan is overcrowded, the chicken and mushrooms will steam instead of sear.

Chicken Marsala

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (4-ounce) thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts halved through the middle to make 4 cutlets

• Salt and black pepper

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided

• 8 ounces mushrooms, preferably cremini, sliced

• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots, about 1 large or 2 small shallots

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2/3 cup chicken broth, regular or reduced-sodium

• 2/3 cup dry Marsala wine (not cooking wine)

• 2/3 cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions

Place the chicken cutlets between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, parchment paper or in a gallon freezer bag in a single layer. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken to an even thickness, about ¼-inch thick, being careful not to smash the chicken.

Pat the chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken with the flour and shake off excess flour.

Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to prevent crowding, add the chicken to the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate (the chicken does not need to be cooked through; it will continue cooking in the sauce).

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan and set the pan over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and cook until soft and browned (using a large skillet will prevent the mushrooms from crowding and they will brown better). Add the shallot and garlic cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add the broth and Marsala wine to the pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the cream. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, darkens and reduces by about half, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan with any accumulated juices on the plate. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly more, about 3 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Leftovers: Once cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Chicken paillard is a cinch 

The culinary term paillard (pronounced pie-yard) refers to a boneless cut of meat, such as veal, chicken, turkey or pork that has been butterflied and/or pounded very thin (about ¼ inch) and cooked rapidly. Pounding the meat tenderizes the flesh and creates an even, flat cooking surface. The cutlets are then swiftly pan-fried until golden brown and braised in bright sauce of lemon and butter. There are variations on that theme, but the traditional sauce is lemony, and the cutlets are served with crisp greens piled on top or arranged on the side.

This recipe features juicy, pan-seared chicken dressed with a buttery, garlic-lemon sauce. Just like the restaurant version, the chicken is pounded thin to ensure it cooks evenly and quickly. This simple step also produces chicken that’s super tender.

And while chicken paillard seems elegant when plated, the process couldn’t be simpler. Just like the bistro dish of the same name, chicken paillard is chic, light and ready in minutes.

Chicken paillard

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (4-ounce) thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts halved through the middle to make 4 cutlets

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika (not smoked paprika)

• Salt and black pepper

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 6 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted butter

• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided, plus ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

• 5 ounces baby arugula, or mixed greens of choice

Directions

Place the chicken cutlets between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, parchment paper or in a gallon freezer bag, in a single layer. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken to an even thickness, about ¼-inch thick, being careful not to smash the chicken.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with the garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Working in batches to prevent crowding the pan, add the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Return the pan to the heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the pan. If the butter starts to smoke, remove the pan from the heat until the smoke disappears. Cook the butter over medium-low heat until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and ½ teaspoon lemon zest.

Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat with the butter sauce (sauce will be thin). Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Meanwhile, transfer the arugula to a large bowl, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and tablespoon of lemon juice and toss to coat. Season the arugula with salt and pepper.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and spoon the lemon butter sauce over top. Arrange the arugula alongside the chicken (or on top of the cutlets) and serve.

Leftovers: Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months.