Sauce Marsala

A glossy, sweet-savory pan sauce built on Marsala, a fortified Sicilian wine, reduced with shallots, mushrooms, and stock. It's the classic sauce behind chicken (or veal) Marsala, made right in the pan the cutlets cooked in — earthy from the mushrooms, mellow-sweet from the wine, and rich enough to coat every bite.

Makes about 1 cup, serves 2–3

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 ½ tbsp of flour
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 cup Marsala wine
• ¾ cup chicken stock
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley (for garnish)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Sauces

Beurre Monté Hot Wing Sauce B Beurre Blanc Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Port Reduction Sauce Sauce au Poivre Mustard Sauce Sauce Bordelaise Tare Teriyaki Sauce Plum Sauce Barbecue Sauce Béchamel Cheese Sauce Tomato Basil Sauce

Concentrating Flavor→

Method

Classically the floured cutlets are simmered in the sauce at the end, and their flour coating thickens it; I prefer to add the flour to the sauce directly instead. For a glossier sauce, substitute cornstarch for the flour — but don't add it to the mushrooms; whisk it into the cold chicken stock first, then add that to the sauce.

Cook the mushrooms

In the pan used to cook your chicken, melt the butter over medium heat, add the mushrooms, and cook until browned, 3–5 minutes. Add the shallots and cook another minute, then add the flour and cook another minute or two.

Build the sauce

Add the Marsala, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until reduced by about half, 3–5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and continue simmering until slightly thickened, another 3–4 minutes, then finish with chopped parsley.

Pairs with: Pan-Seared Chicken Breast