Category Archives: Italian

Chicken Marsala – Carrabba’s

Marsala Sauce:
1/3 cup butter
1 slice prosciutto, diced
2 teaspoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 4-ounce can mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup marsala wine
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Chicken Spice:
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 chicken breasts ( small butterfly cut double breasts or large single breasts)
olive oil
Melt butter over low heat in a medium saucepan.Turn heat up to medium/high to saute the prosciutto in the melted butter forabout 2 – 3 minutes (be careful not to burn butter), add shallots and garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add marsala wine, simmer for another 30 seconds or so, then add mushrooms (drain off liquid) and black pepper. Simmer over medium/high heat for 5 minutes. Dissolve corn starch in chicken stock. Add stock to the saucepan and simmerfor an additional 5 minutes.  Add parsley and cream to the sauce and simmer for 3 – 4 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat, cover until needed.
Preheat barbecue grill on high heat. Combine ingredients for the chicken spice in a small bowl. Use your thumb and fingers to crush the spices in thebowl to make a finer blend.  Brush each chicken breast generously with olive oil. Sprinkle spice blendover both sides of each chicken breast and grill for 6 – 8 minutes per side or until done. Give chicken a one quarter turn on each side while cooking tomake the crisscross grill marks. Serve entree by arranging each chicken breast on a plate. Spoon one quarter of the marsala sauce over each serving of chicken and serve.
 4  Servings

Chicken Marsala 2

4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
1/2 cup flour
Salt & Pepper to taste
Dried oregano to taste
4 Tbsp oil
4 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Marsala wine
Pound chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap until about 1/4″ thickness.   Combine flour, salt, pepper and oregano in a mixing bowl. Dredge chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess.   Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts on medium heat for about 2 minutes on the first side, until lightly browned. Turn breasts over to cook other side, then add mushrooms to skillet. Cook breasts about 2 more minutes, until both sides are lightly browned. Continue to stir mushrooms. Add Marsala wine around chicken pieces.   Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.   Transfer to serving plate. 
4  Servings

Chicken Gnocchi Veronese

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced (julienned)
½ zucchini, sliced, (julienned)
Salt to taste
4 chicken breasts, sliced in ½” strips
2 small branches rosemary
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of ½ lemon
Veronese Sauce:
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup ricotta cheese
14 fl oz heavy cream
Gnocchi:
2 qt water
6 oz all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 lbs russet potatoes
2 tsp salt
OR
1 lb gnocchi (potato dumplings), cooked according to package directions
NOTE: You may make your own gnocchi by following the steps below, or you may purchase them already made.
Gnocchi:
Wash  potatoes and place in water. Cook potatoes until soft (cook time will depend on size of potatoes). Remove potatoes from water and cool in refrigerator.   Peel cooled potatoes and push them through a fine grater (rice grater) until mashed; do not over-mash potatoes or they will get tough.   Combine potatoes, flour and eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix well until dough does not stick to hands (add small amounts of flour at a time if needed).   Divide dough into 4 sections. Roll out each section into a long rope. Cut each rope into ½” pieces. Push fork tines on each piece for the classic gnocchi appearance.   Bring water to a boil in a sauce pot. Drop in gnocchi and cook until they float.
Chicken & Sauce:
Combine garlic, lemon juice, rosemary and chicken slices in a mixing bowl. Let marinate for at least 2 hours.   Combine Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese and heavy cream in a mixing bowl and set aside.    
Heat sauté pan on medium high. Add extra virgin olive oil, onions, bell peppers, and zucchini. Saute until onions are translucent (do not brown).   Add marinated chicken slices and cook until slices are brown on all sides and internal temperature is 165°F. Reduce heat and add sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer.    
Drain cooked gnocchi and add to pan with chicken, vegetables and sauce. Stir to coat gnocchi with sauce.   Serve gnocchi topped with extra Parmesan cheese.
4  Servings

Chicken Bruschetta Casserole

4 cups of Chicken Stove Top stuffing
4 cloves of chopped garlic
2- 14 1/2 oz cans Italian tomatoes diced
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian cheeses
4-6 chicken beasts skinless/boneless
salt    
Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl.  Put  half of the stuffing  mixture in the bottom of a large casserole. Place salted chicken on top of stuffing. Spoon the remaining mixture on top of the chicken. Bake at 350 for 1 hour , or until chicken reaches 170 degrees on a meat thermometer. Sprinkle with cheese during the last 5 minutes of baking.
Serve with a salad and a bottle of wine!

 4  Servings

Chicken Balsamico

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup water
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1 cup diced plum tomatoes or 1/2 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Hot cooked orzo pasta     
Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides.  Remove the chicken from the skillet.    Stir the garlic, vinegar and water in the skillet.  Cook and stir for 1 minute.  Stir in the soup, tomatoes, olives, if desired, and oregano and heat to a boil.  Return the chicken to the skillet.  Reduce the heat to low.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Sprinkle with the cheese.  Serve the chicken and sauce with the orzo.
 4  Servings