Chicken Marsala and Pimento-Cheese Potato Gratin

As promised from a prior blog post, here are two recipes that pair well together and are DELISH! My picture really doesn't look as appetizing as it was, but trust me the flavors of this dish are incredible. Perfect for a date night at home, not one I would recommend during the week, as both of these are work and take time to prepare. Normally I would never make something that is this time intensive but it is so good I will definitely make it again very soon. Let me know if you try either out and what you think!

Chicken Marsala (source: Food Network)

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

• All-purpose flour, for dredging (I used Corn Starch to make it gluten-free)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

• 8 ounces crimini or porcini mushrooms, stemmed and halved (I used procini mushrooms)

• 1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (I didn’t use)

Directions:

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Pimento-Cheese Potato Gratin (source: food.com)

Ingredients:

• 3 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick round

• 3/4 cup heavy cream

• 3 shallots, finely diced (I didn’t use)

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red chili pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

• 1 (9 ounce) jar roasted red peppers or 1 (9 ounce) jar piquillo peppers (I used roasted red peppers)

• 2 tablespoons reserved liquid from roasted red peppers or 2 tablespoons piquillo peppers

• 2 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F

Bring 2 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart pot. Add potatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Combine cream, shallots, chile flakes, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and reserved liquid from jar of peppers in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until chile flakes have begun to stain the cream, about 2 minutes.

Add half the cheese and stir until melted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Layer a third of the potatoes in a 6-cup baking dish, overlapping if necessary. Scatter half the roasted peppers on top of potatoes (cut up any peppers that have remained whole so that they lie flat). Repeat until all peppers and potatoes have been used.

Pour cream mixture over potatoes and peppers; gently shake dish to distribute liquid. Cover with aluminum foil and bake on middle rack for 15 minutes. Uncover dish, sprinkle remaining cheese over top, and place dish on top oven rack. Bake until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned on top, about 8 minutes. Serve immediately.