I know the Olive Garden gets made fun of a lot, but I adore their stuffed chicken Marsala. I order it every time we eat there and I'm never disappointed. While it's virtually impossible to replicate a restaurant dish perfectly in my experience there's (something about a chef and dish washer that makes the food that much better), this recipe is as close as I've ever gotten. The cheese filling was spot on and instantly recognizable,,
Ingredients:
Cheese Stuffing:
- 1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup smoked shredded cheese (provolone or gouda)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
- 8-oz package mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato flakes (drain first if in oil)
- 3/4 cup sour cream (6 oz)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
Sauce:
- 4 fl oz olive oil
- 1 small onion, cut in half and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 8 fl oz heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 small containers button mushrooms, thinly sliced (6 cups)
- 2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 24 fl oz Marsala wine
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
- COMBINE all cheese stuffing ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- BUTTERFLY thickest section of chicken breasts to create 2 lobes. Pound each breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until ¼” - ½” thick.
- PLACE flattened chicken breasts on a plate and place desired amount of stuffing on one lobe of each chicken breast. Gently press stuffing down so it resembles a hockey puck.
- FOLD over other lobe of chicken breast; does not have to seal.
- HEAT large sauté pan over medium heat.
- ADD olive oil and heat until shimmering.
- PLACE flour in a shallow pan and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- DREDGE stuffed chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess.
- SAUTE chicken breasts with preheated oil, cooking until each side is golden brown.
- REMOVE chicken from pan and place in a baking dish.
- BAKE for 10-20 minutes, or until juices run clean and center of chicken reaches 165°F.
- ADD onions to sauté pan, and stir to loosen chicken drippings. After 2 minutes, add mushrooms and sauté until onions are translucent.
- DEGLAZE pan with Marsala wine – make sure to incorporate drippings from bottom of pan.
- HEAT wine to a simmer and add heavy cream. Simmer on low heat until reduced by half.
- PLACE cooked chicken breasts on a plate and top each with onions, mushrooms and sauce.
- SERVE with your favorite garlic mashed potato recipe.