Chicken Thighs Marsala

Savory and succulent, this is one of the most flavorful chicken dishes I have ever eaten ~ seriously, the best!

I have had Chicken Marsala in restaurants and made it at home many times using boneless, skinless thin chicken cutlets. While I have enjoyed it that way for years I think this version is undoubtedly the most flavorful and I plan on making this my go to chicken Marsala recipe from here on out because it is that good. In fact I have another package of chicken thighs in the freezer and can't wait until I make it again.
The keys here to making this dish absolutely fabulous are:

1. Purchase bone in jumbo chicken thighs
2. Season the chicken all over.
3. Get nice color on the skin in the searing process.
4. Crank the heat up to medium high or high and quickly saute the mushrooms until they get a bit of color and preferably use crimini mushrooms as they have a deeper flavor.
5. Buy Marsala from the liquor store and never ever buy that stuff on the grocery store shelves.
6. Skim as much fat off the top of the sauce as you can. 
7. Regulating the temperatures as you cook.

After we ate our dinner that included Mushroom Rice and Roni and sweet baby peas with caramelized onions, my husband and I could not stop talking about the dinner and specifically how good the chicken was. The sauce the chicken cooks in is outrageously good; just the right combination from the Marsala and chicken broth along with the onion and mushrooms. The mushrooms absorb that distinct flavoring while it's simmering and the chicken does as well. If you follow the instructions for cooking the chicken, they come out moist and succulent like nobody's business!

• 4 - jumbo chicken thighs, bone in
• 1/2 of a 10 oz. package of crimini mushrooms
• 3 oz. Marsala Wine (use your Pyrex glass one cup to measure this)
• 1/2 cup onion - small dice
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• granulated garlic to taste
• onion powder to taste

1. Wash your chicken under cold water and dry thoroughly. Then season all sides to taste with salt, black pepper, granulated garlic and onion powder.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet that has a lid, over medium high heat. Let it warm up then add in a tablespoon or so of regular olive oil. Allow the oil to heat up for a minute.
3. Add in the seasoned thighs skin side down. Turn the heat down to in between medium and medium low. Sear and brown to a deep golden color. Takes about 3-4 minutes.
4. Flip the chicken over using tongs, being careful of the skin and brown the second side for 2-3 minutes. Remove the chicken to a waiting plate.
5. Drain all but a tablespoon of the fat and reserve the fat. Add in the onion and saute until soft on medium low heat. Takes about a minute or so.
6. Next, turn the heat up to medium high and add in the mushrooms. Saute for about 60-90 seconds, until the mushrooms develop a little bit of color.
7. Then de-glaze the pan with the Marsala wine. Have your heat set to medium and reduce to half. When that is reduced, add in the chicken broth and stir.
8. Add in the chicken thighs and juice back to the pan. Turn the heat down to low and simmer with a lid on for about 45-50 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should be at 165°.
9. When the chicken in done, move to a clean plate. Take the sauce and place it your Pyrex measuring cup. Use a large spoon or ladle and skim as much of the fat that rises to the top.
10. Place the chicken and sauce back in the pan. You are ready to serve!

If you can't tell by now, I am totally thrilled with the flavor of this dish. And I am super excited because it's also very inexpensive to make! My last big trip to the store I got a super sale on jumbo chicken thighs. The family pack of eight jumbo bone in thighs cost $3.83 and is enough for two meals. The Chicken Thighs Marsala cost overall $4.50 to make, feeding four portions for a mere $1.12 each. It's a great family meal that can be ready in about an hour too.

And just in case you would like to have the baby peas, my cost for the bag was $1.56 (you can do them without the pearl onions) and the mushroom rice and roni cost $3.82. My Homestyle Rice and Roni costs $1.60. So you could feasibly make Chicken Thighs Marsala with baby peas and homestyle rice and roni for a total dinner cost of $7.66.

To make the side dishes we had, just click on the highlighted links at the beginning of this post. Enjoy this scrumptious meal!

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