S&S GAME PLAN

Chicken
Marsala

with Creamy Parmesan Polenta & Pan-Roasted Broccolini

Rich Marsala. Golden chicken. Creamy polenta. One hell of a reason to stay in.

Chicken Marsala date-night dinner with creamy Parmesan polenta and pan-roasted broccolini in a warm winter cabin setting

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SERVES

2

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PREP

20 MIN

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COOK

40 MIN

★

DIFFICULTY

★★★☆☆

WHAT YOU’RE MAKING

Chicken
Marsala

Creamy Parmesan
Polenta

Pan-Roasted
Broccolini

THE DRINKS

Blackberry Vodka Smash

PER PERSON
2 oz vodka
4–5 fresh blackberries
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup
2 oz club soda
Ice
Lemon wheel or blackberry

Muddle the blackberries with the lemon juice and simple syrup. Add vodka and ice, shake, then strain over fresh ice. Top with club soda and garnish.

S&S MOVE — SWITCH THE BERRY No blackberries? Use raspberries or strawberries. Same method. Same proportions. Different berry, still a damn good drink.

WHAT YOU NEED

Chicken Marsala

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 6–8 oz each
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup diced shallot
1 tsp minced garlic
1 heaping tsp fresh thyme
¾ cup dry Marsala wine
¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 Tbsp cold butter
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Secret Weapon — Dry Marsala
Buy real dry Marsala wine—not the salty “cooking wine” hiding near the vinegar. This is the flavor the whole damn sauce is built around.

Creamy Parmesan Polenta

½ cup polenta
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
¼ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
Extra stock or water if needed

Pan-Roasted Broccolini

1 bunch broccolini
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
¼ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
½ lemon

Gear

Large skillet
Second skillet
Medium saucepan
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Meat mallet or heavy pan
Whisk
Tongs
Instant-read thermometer
Measuring cups and spoons
Cocktail shaker

BEFORE SHE GETS THERE

Prep the chicken — Butterfly or pound it to about ½-inch thick. Cover it and put it in the fridge.
Do the chopping — Mushrooms, shallot, garlic, herbs and broccolini.
Measure everything — Marsala, stock, polenta, Parmesan and flour.
Clean the evidence — Cutting board away, counters wiped, sink empty.
Clean yourself up — Shower, clean shirt, brush your teeth. Cologne is not a marinade.
Set the room — Music on, lights down, couch straightened.
Hit the bathroom — Give it a quick wipe-down and, for God's sake, man, make sure there's toilet paper.

Food ready.
Place ready.
You’re ready.
It’s game time.

PLAY BY PLAY

START THE POLENTA
Bring 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock to a gentle simmer. Slowly whisk in ½ cup polenta. Lower the heat and cook until creamy, stirring regularly. Finish with 2 Tbsp butter and ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan. Season with ¼ tsp kosher salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper. Too thick? Add extra stock or water if needed.

LEARNING POINT — NO LUMPY POLENTA Pour the polenta in slowly while whisking constantly. That's the move.

Polenta sounds fancy. It's cornmeal with confidence.

SEAR THE CHICKEN
The 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 6–8 oz each were already seasoned before she arrived with ¾ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Lightly dredge both sides in ½ cup all-purpose flour and shake off the excess. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high and sear the chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Move it to a plate. Leave the browned bits in the pan. That's flavor, not a cleaning problem.
BUILD THE MARSALA
Add 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms and let them brown before you start screwing with them. Add ¼ cup diced shallot, then 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 heaping tsp fresh thyme. Pour in ¾ cup dry Marsala wine and scrape up those browned bits. Let it simmer until roughly half the liquid remains.
S&S SAVE
Marsala reduced too far and the pan is looking dry? Don't panic. Add a small splash of chicken stock, scrape up the browned bits, and keep going. You're building sauce, not making mushroom jerky.

LEARNING POINT — REDUCE Reducing doesn't mean turning down the heat. It means simmering away some liquid so the flavor concentrates.

Less liquid. More flavor.

FINISH THE SAUCE
Add ¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock and simmer until the sauce starts to tighten. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan for 2–3 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 165°F.
YO DUDE!
The 2–3 minutes is a guide. 165°F is the call. Check the thickest part of the chicken before you pull it. Don't trust the clock more than the thermometer.
Take the pan off the heat and swirl in 2 Tbsp cold butter. Taste the damn sauce. Finish the sauce with 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley.
PAN-ROAST THE BROCCOLINI
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in the second skillet over medium-high. Add 1 bunch broccolini, season with ¼ tsp kosher salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper and let it char. Add 1 thinly sliced garlic clove near the end and finish with ½ lemon. Green vegetable accomplished. Your mother would be proud.
PLATE IT
Polenta down first. Set the chicken partly over it and spoon the mushrooms and Marsala sauce over the chicken. Broccolini alongside. Finish with the remaining 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley. Then stop fucking with it and serve dinner.

THE TIMELINE

BEFORE

Get ahead of the night. Chicken pounded and seasoned. Vegetables chopped. Ingredients measured. Kitchen clean. You clean.