If you are fond of Chicken Marsala, then this dish may be one for you. It keeps the same flavor profile, but presents it in a different fashion. And it tends toward more of a slight sweet than savory finish.
Chicken Marsala is an Italian American classic consisting of seared pounded chicken that’s smothered in a sweet-savory Marsala wine mushroom sauce. For more spoon-ability, this crowd-pleasing dinner replaces the thin cutlets with tender chicken meatballs, simmered in a similarly indulgent Marsala sauce.
Ground chicken is very lean, so to ensure a perfectly moist bite, Marsala-soaked bread crumbs and extra-virgin olive oil are added to the meatball mixture. For a flavor-packed fond, take the time to brown the onions and mushrooms; the time spent will pay off.
This recipe is dairy-free as written, but if you’d like to finish the dish with a few pads of butter or a splash of heavy cream, the sauce will certainly accommodate the additional richness. Serve plain as is, or over a bed of mashed potatoes, polenta, orzo, or other pasta of choice.
*NOTE: Chop onions for the meatballs finely in a food processor and squeeze out most of the water using a kitchen towel before adding to chicken.
Marsala Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 large yellow onions (about 10 oz. each), finely chopped
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- 1¼ cups dry Marsala wine
- 1¾ cups of chicken stock
- 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1 lb. sliced button or cremini mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. dried Italian herb seasoning
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving
Directions
- To a medium bowl, add 1 cup of chopped onion, plus the bread crumbs, ¼ cup wine, 2 tablespoons olive oil, a hefty pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper; mix until combined. Add the chicken and mix until combined. Form the meat mixture into 14 balls (about 3 tablespoons each), setting them on a sheet pan or plate.
- Heat a large (12-inch) heavy skillet or braiser over medium-high, and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Sear the meatballs for 2 to 3 minutes, until a dark brown crust forms on the bottoms, then flip, and continue searing for 2 minutes on the other sides. Return the meatballs to the sheet pan or plate.
- Adjust heat to high. Add the remaining onions to the skillet and cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until golden, translucent and slightly darker on the edges, about 6 minutes, turning the heat down as necessary.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced in volume and slightly darker in color. Sprinkle the flour on top, mix to coat the mushrooms and onion and continue cooking for 1 minute, lowering the heat as needed.
- Carefully pour the remaining 1 cup of wine into the skillet while constantly stirring. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the caramelized bits off the bottom of the pan and cook for 2 minutes, until the wine reaches a thicker, honey-like consistency. Add 1¾ cups of chicken stock and bring to a vigorous simmer. Season with a hefty pinch of salt.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet. Adjust heat to medium, partially cover and simmer for 12 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Add the butter, stirring in until all melted. Taste and season with salt. Sprinkle parsley on top and serve.
Adapted from a recipe by Carolina Gelen for NYTimes Cooking
Accounting for Taste 