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