Chicken Amici's is a twist on the classic chicken marsala from chef Jennifer French. At her New York City-style Amici’s Italian Bistro in North Charleston, South Carolina, she delivers a dish that incorporates fried chicken and a cream-based sauce in addition to the classic ingredients, flavors Southerns look for in Italian food. "After all, you gotta give the people what they want while still giving them a taste of home," she says. Thinly sliced chicken cutlets are battered in an egg and milk mixture, then coated with Italian-style seasoned Panko breadcrumbs, fried to a perfect golden brown, then topped with sharp melted provolone cheese. It's then finished off in a creamy, sweet, button mushroom marsala sauce and simmered down to the perfect, silky, creamy consistency. Finally, it's plated on a bed of pappardelle pasta.
Chicken Amici's
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, pounded thin
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups Italian flavored panko breadcrumbs
4 slices of provolone cheese
salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup canola oil
1 8 ounce package of sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup sweet marsala wine
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 pound cooked pappardelle pasta, enough for 4 servings
Method
For the chicken
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Heat canola oil and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a frying pan on medium heat.
3. Set up a dredging station; one shallow bowl for the flour, one bowl for the egg wash (beaten egg and milk together, ) and one for the panko breadcrumbs.
4. Using one hand, place chicken in flour then egg wash, and then panko. Use the other hand with a fork to place the chicken in the frying pan. Repeat the process until all four pieces are coated and in the pan.
5. Turn when the chicken is browned and finish on the other side. When browned on both sides, place chicken in a sprayed shallow pan and lay one slice of provolone on each piece of chicken.
6. Place in the oven and back for about 8 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
For the marsala
7. In another pan on medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add the mushrooms, garlic and onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms are soft.
8. Pour in the marsala wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Simmer and let it reduce for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and heavy cream, stir thoroughly. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid.
9. Add the chicken into the pan, season with parsley and let it simmer for another 2 minutes to incorporate all the flavors together.
10. To a plate, add one serving of the pasta, place one piece of chicken on top and pour the marsala sauce and mushrooms over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.