Chicken with Creamy Mustard Marsala Sauce

I LOVE pasta. To me, there's nothing better than my mom's homemade spaghetti - it's just comfort food to me. I also love a good cream sauce over pastas because they are warm, inviting, and just plain tastey! Pasta is also one of the very few things that I will eat the next day. Leftovers just aren't my favorite, but pasta always seems to hold up and be just as flavorful (if not more flavorful!) the next day. I found this recipe and thought that it was a wonderful combination of traditional Chicken Marsala but with a little extra kick from the Dijon mustard and rich creaminess from the marscarpone cheese. It comes together easily and could be used for a date night or on a night you want a rich, home-cooked meal.

When choosing mushrooms for this recipe, just go with ones you like. You can choose any variety you like and are familiar with (like a cremini, which is readily available at the supermarket) or branch out and try a new variety. Anything you choose will be great! I decided to go with Baby Bellas (baby portabella mushrooms) because they are small and easy to slice but still maintain the full, beefy flavor of a good portabella mushroom.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did!!

Chicken with Creamy Mustard Marsala Sauce

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced

Salt

Ground black pepper
2 T. Olive Oil

5 T. butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
3 T. minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese

2 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish
12 ounces pasta noodles (like fettuccine or spaghetti noodles)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta noodles and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

Adapted slightly from Giada DiLaurentiis