Alex Guarnaschelli's Favorite Chicken Dish Puts A Unique Twist On The Classic Marsala Style

Chicken Marsala (sometimes confused with the equally delicious chicken masala of India) is a Franco-Italian creation that brings the best of both worlds together in one dish. The chicken cutlets and mushrooms are simmered in sweet Marsala wine, a specialty from the coastal town of Marsala in Sicily, though there are some substitutions for Marsala. As many Italian-Americans trace their ancestry to the southern regions, many grew up with chicken Marsala as a special meal in their homes.

Alex Guarnaschelli, a professional chef and television star, puts her own spin on chicken Marsala by turning it into a baked-and-breaded cutlet dish. In a video for Food Network (via Instagram), she shared that Marsala wine is incorporated into a marinade for the chicken, along with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Soy sauce and Marsala wine are a match made in heaven; they create a sweet-and-umami flavor when combined, similar to teriyaki sauce. This marinade also tenderizes the meat and creates a sticky layer for the breadcrumbs to hold onto before going into the oven.

When making crunchy cutlet dishes, such as baked or air-fried chicken Parmesan, an egg or mayonnaise wash is necessary to ensure the breadcrumbs adhere. Instead, Guarnaschelli employs a wise old chef's tip — throwing a little bit of fat into the breadcrumbs. A spoonful of butter or oil helps the breading attach to the marinated chicken, resulting in an even, golden crust. She breaks almost every rule with this interpretation. But, in doing so, has made something new and sound in its technique and execution.

Alex Guarnaschelli stretches the bounds of what's considered chicken Marsala in a few ways. Changing it from a skillet dish to an oven-baked dish is why she had to adapt the recipe the way she did. Traditionally, the chicken is tossed in flour and shallow-fried in a large sauté pan. When the chicken is removed, the fatty juices it leaves behind are used to sauté the mushrooms, which release an umami base for the Marsala sauce.

Guarnaschelli's recipe doesn't involve a wine reduction sauce at all; instead, it gives the chicken its umami flavor and tender texture through the additional sauces in the marinade. Most chicken Marsala recipes achieve this effect by simmering the chicken in sweet Marsala and a type of meat stock (or broth). The leftover sauce is helpful because it can be used to coat a side of pasta or vegetables. 

Using Marsala as a marinade for chicken allows for a broader range of sauce options. Guarnaschelli bakes her chicken marsala with lemons to add acidity; a citrus sauce, such as ponzu or nuoc cham, could bring extra tanginess and moisture to complement the crisp, breaded chicken crust. It's hard to ever argue against adding a fried or breaded exterior to a chicken recipe — some combos just work with anything.