Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Mushrooms and Prosciutto in Marsala Wine Sauce
| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 45 min |
| Cook time | 35-40 min |
| Source | Leo Buscaglia's Love Cookbook with Biba Caggiano |
| Yield / serves | 4 servings |
| Rating | Yummy! |
Ingredients
- 4 whole chicken breasts (about 1 lb each), boned and split, with skin on, flattened
- 8 thin slices of prosciutto (about 1/4 lb) or thinly sliced smoked ham
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1 c marsala wine
- 1 T unsalted butter
Mushroom Filling
- 1 oz dry porcini mushrooms, soaked in 2 cups lukewarm water for 20 minutes
- 3-4 T olive oil
- 1/4 lb white cultivated mushrooms, wiped clean and finely minced
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 T chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 c marsala wine (or Madeira wine)
- 2-3 T freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Drain the porcini mushrooms and reserve the soaking water. Rinse the porcini thoroughly under cold running water to remove any sandy deposits, then chop them fine. Strain the reserved water through a few layers of paper towels until clear. Set aside until ready to use.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the white mushrooms and the porcini and cook, stirring, until they begin to color, 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and parsley, and stir occasionally. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until wine is all reduced, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Stir Parigiano into cooled mushrooms and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.
Place the chicken on a work surface. Top each half breast with one slice of prosciutto and spread some mushrooms over the prosciutto leaving a free border all around the chicken. Fold the two sides of the chicken to barely cover the filling, then roll the chicken into bundles. Secure each breast with a couple of wooden picks, or tie with strings so that the filling will not fall out while cooking.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season breasts with salt and pepper, and add them to the skillet. Cook until lightly golden on all sides, 6-8 minutes. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat in the skillet and add 1/2 cup of the wine. Cook, stirring, until wine is reduced by about half. Cover the skillet with lid slightly askew, and lower the heat to low. Simmer chicken 15-20 minutes, turning the breasts and stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked all the way through. Add a bit of reserved porcini mushroom water if liquid in the skillet reduces too much. Remove wooden picks, or string, from chicken and place bundles on serving dishes. Keep warm in a low-heated oven while you finish the sauce.
Put skillet back on very high heat. When very hot, add remaining wine, butter, and 1/4 cup of reserved porcini soaking water. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has a medium-thick consistency and a glazed golden color, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve at once.
