wine recipe Archives - Poor Man's Gourmet Kitchen

Chicken Marsala: 3 chicken breast cutlets with Marsala wine sauce, sautéed mushrooms and bacon.

The Best Chicken Marsala

I can’t say enough about this recipe. Braised Chicken never tasted better than with this Mushroom, Marsala and cream wine sauce. It’s very easy to make but the complexity of the sauce is derived from specific ingredients that change the flavor of the dish, if they’re not fresh and/or dried. The taste of dried Thyme or Oregano is a complete game changer if they’re not added fresh. Both still taste great, in my opinion, but change the flavor drastically, none the less. You might want to experiment with both to find where your tastes lie.

One Chicken cutlet and Mushroom and Marsal Wine Sauce served over Shell pasta.

Deepen and Enrich the Flavor

Season everything from the start. After I butterfly the chicken breast, I season with Kosher salt and pepper. I salt the sautéed mushrooms. I salt the water my pasta cooks in. I even add cooked bacon, which is salty. This may sound like a lot of salt but a little goes a long way.

I also add Spaghetti Sauce (Prego) and Lemon Juice. The tomato, from the sauce deepens the flavor and darkens the tone. Alternatives could be tomato paste or plain tomato sauce if you’d like. I’m betting that it could even be done with a squeeze of Ketchup. I add the lemon to the sauce while it’s cooking but, I find that it’s even more refreshing, adding a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, over the top of each serving, even more satisfying.

The wine I use in this dish is what gives this recipe its name, Marsala. It can be dry or sweet and most recipes call for dry Marsala wine but, I prefer mine sweet. Again, that’s just a personal preference so you decide what’s best for you.

Chicken Marsala “How to” video tutorial by PoorMansGourmet.

Chicken Marsala Ingredients: Serves 2 to 3

1 Chicken Breast, Halved, Butterflied & Tenderized with a Mallet, then seasoned with Kosher Salt and Pepper and dredged in flour
1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
3 tbsp Butter, add 2 for chicken and 1 for Mushrooms
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
5 oz Mushrooms
1 cup Marsala Cooking Wine, Dry is recommended but I used Sweet and loved it!
1/2 cup Whipping Cream/Half and Half
1/3 cup Marinara or Spaghetti Sauce
1 pinch Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 Green Onion, chopped (optional)

Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

This recipe can be served over your favorite pasta, rice, bread etc. and is often garnished with Scallions over the top. Just follow the instructions in the short video tutorial and I’ll show you exactly how to make this Chicken Marsala recipe.

Sangria Senorial, Spanish Red Wine bottle, Brandy and a glass and pitcher full of Berry Sangria.

The Best Sangria

I’ve written and posted a Sangria recipe previously before. That’s not to say that it isn’t the best for it’s genre but that recipe is entirely different, in essence, compared to this one. That Sangria recipe, was a Peach Sangria and it is amazing. This, however, reprises ingredients that make up the general flavors in a particular Mexican soft drink called, “Sangria Senorial”. I’ve included a berry medley in this Sangria recipe to make it different yet full of fruit and fresh flavor, still. Though Sangria is traditionally served with similar ingredients, this recipe is very different and, in my opinion, this is the best sangria.

Sangria Senorial

I don’t think that most of you are aware of my previous work history, experience and/or previous background because I’ve only shared bit’s and pieces from post to post. I am a certified welder and crane operator, among many other things. The point I’m trying to make is that this drink, Sangria Senorial, was on the food trucks that would visit the construction sites and jobs that I’ve worked on for over 20 years. As you may or may not know, many of these food trucks are owned and operated by Hispanics so, I’ve eaten my fair share of Mexican food over the years. This drink, in particular, was usually among the soda selections and one of my favorites to drink with my lunch. It’s a sparkling non-alcoholic Sangria with natural and artificial flavorings or soda. This drink has heavily influenced the way I’ve decided to write this recipe. It’s not the same, by any means, but it does have similar properties but with Alcohol, instead.

1 750 ml bottle of Anciano Reserva 2013 Spanish Red Wine.

Sangria Red Wine

Since Sangria originates from Spain and Portugal, it’s only fitting to use a Spanish red wine so, I picked up this cheap $10 dollar bottle of wine from my state liquor store for this recipe. You may or may not know that I make my own wine and I teach you how to do it as well. But, as I mentioned, for the purposes of this recipe, I felt that it was fitting to use a Spanish Red Wine but, you use what you have. I know that some folks recommend darker wines like a Pinot Noir. Personally, I think that it makes sense to use dry burgundies because Sangria is deluded down and sweetened with so many other ingredients, including fruit, that the balance comes together perfectly.

Berry Sangria Ingredients:

3 cup Red Wine, 1 750 ml bottle
2 cups Dr Pepper
12 oz Mike’s Hard Lemonade
1/2 cup Simple Syrup
1/4 cup triple Sec
1/4 Cherry shnapps
1/4 cup Brandy
1 lbs Frozen Berry Medley, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries & strawberries

Follow the instructions in the Berry Sangria Video Tutorial and I’ll show you exactly how to make this fruity wine beverage.

Berry Sangria video tutorial by PoorMansGourmet