First off . . . sorry for my absence over the last week-ish.  We’ve had a lot of changes going on around our household.  We actually moved!  We didn’t move far, just up the road, but moving is still a process none-the-less.  We’ve been swimming in a sea of boxes, had a delay in getting internet set up at the new house (so blogging wasn’t on the agenda), and in the meantime my little precious baby caught a cold.  So, we’ve just been trying to survive around here.  So, I hope you’ll forgive me for the delay in new recipes.  That all being said, I now have a functional kitchen and a little more energy so cooking new meals is back in the works.  Thank goodness!!

So, let’s start by talking about Chicken Marsala today, shall we?  Chicken Marsala is a restaurant favorite.  I mean, it’s delicious!!  It’s one of the top sellers at the Cheesecake Factory, but it comes in at a whopping 1,475 calories.  What in the world!?!?

So, let’s lighten this favorite dish up a little bit, like to around 189-ish calories.  That’s a little better, isn’t it?  I found a version to start from, made some tweaks, and my household was happy with the results.  It has great Italian flair and the sauce is very flavorful with that traditional sweet/acidic flavor that comes from the cooking wine.

The sauce adds some calories (but, how can you have Chicken Marsala without the sauce?!), so it’s not ideal to eat a full serving carbohydrate with your meal if you’re trying to lose weight.  But, if you’re maintaining your weight, then add a healthy portion of brown rice.  That’s what we did and we gobbled it right up!

I guess you can have a delicious and restaurant-worthy meal right in your own kitchen.

Note:  The chicken does need to be marinated, so prepare for that extra time.

Lighter Chicken Marsala
Adapted from Taste of Homes

6 (4-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup Marsala cooking wine
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Flatten chicken to 1/2-inch thickness.  Place in a large resalable plastic bag; add salad dressing.  Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Drain and discard marinate.  Combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika and pepper; sprinkle over both sides of chicken.  In a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook chicken in 1 tablespoon oil and butter for 2 minutes on each side or until browned.  Transfer to a 13”x9” baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Gradually add broth and cooking wine to skillet, stirring to loosen browned bits.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Strain sauce; set aside.  In the same skillet, cook mushrooms in remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil for 2 minutes; drain.  Stir sauce into mushrooms; heat through.  Pour over chicken; sprinkle with parsley.  Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until chicken juices run clear (or thermometer reaches 165 degrees).

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 breast and 1/6 of Sauce)
Calories:  189.8
Protein:  24.1g
Carbs:  4g
Fat:  6.8g (1.7g = Sat.)
Fiber:  1.1g
Sugars:  3.4g