Chicken Marsala Pasta

Marsala is a fortified wine from the western tip of Sicily, first shipped by English merchant John Woodhouse in 1773 as a rival to Madeira. In the kitchen it became the backbone of scaloppine alla Marsala — meat, mushrooms, and a pan sauce reduced until it turns lacquered and mahogany. Turned into a pasta dish, it becomes a dinner-party plate: the fond from the chicken, the browned mushrooms, and the wine's raisiny sweetness all bound with cold butter into a sauce that clings to every ribbon of tagliatelle.

1. 1

   Dredge and sear

   8 min

   Season the scaloppine, dust lightly with flour and shake off the excess. Sear in olive oil over medium-high, 2–3 minutes per side, until golden. Remove to a plate.

   Chef's note · The flour is what thickens the sauce later — don't skip it, but don't cake it on either.

2. 2

   Brown the mushrooms

   8 min

   Add the mushrooms to the same pan in a single layer. Leave them undisturbed 3 minutes to brown, then stir and cook until all their water has evaporated.

3. 3

   Soften the aromatics

   3 min

   Add the shallots and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook 3 minutes until translucent and sweet.

4. 4

   Deglaze with Marsala

   5 min

   Pour in the Marsala and scrape every browned bit off the base. Let it bubble and reduce by half — the raw alcohol edge should disappear.

5. 5

   Reduce the sauce

   8 min

   Add the stock and simmer 6–8 minutes until it lightly coats a spoon. Return the chicken and any resting juices to warm through.

6. 6

   Boil and marry

   5 min

   Cook the tagliatelle to 1 minute under al dente, reserving pasta water. Toss it into the pan, then take it off the heat and swirl in the cold butter until glossy. Finish with parsley.