Chicken With Mustard and Mascarpone and Organizing your Kitchen Mess

Hi everyone. I was speaking with a Celebrity home chef today and we were discussing how many of us are reluctant to cook because of the mess we leave in our wake. It is so unpleasant to have to clean up a counter and sink full of dishes after we have spent a long time making a meal. We may just want to relax after eating which is why many of us end up ordering in or sticking frozen food in the oven-we can just throw out the packaging.

Well, I have a suggestion. What I have found very helpful is not only to ALWAYS clean as I go along (which can certainly be done while we wait for water to boil, sauces to simmer or ovens to preheat), but to stack and organize my dirty bowls, cutting boards and utensils in a tidy fashion in the sink and the counter if need be. It is psychological, but it makes me feel like there is less of a daunting task ahead of me when there is less visual chaos in my kitchen. Dirty items can seem neat if you arrange them just right. Just do the dishes later when you get a chance if you can’t do them during the meal preparation. You can even soak all the utensils in a big cup of soapy water to make it easier to clean them later.

This recipe is a fantastically easy and deliciously rich dinner item. You can serve it with noodles or rice. I got it from watching Giada on the Food Network a few years ago and love it! Enjoy!

Chicken with Mustard and Mascarpone:

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced (or white button mushrooms)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine (I have used red or white wine in this recipe)
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese (can get at Whole Foods or Italian food shops)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.
While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

P.S. . As I was getting ready for bed, I heard Jamie Lee Curtis on Sports Radio WFAN telling listeners to have a family meal to prevent drug use! See, I told you it was important!

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2 Responses

  1. My mother always stressed the importance of cleaning as you go. There is another added benefit that she taught me. If you assemble your ingredients at the start (which is a good idea, so that you don’t find out you’re out of something when it’s too late to change course) and put them away as you use them, you have a sure-fire way of telling if you forgot an ingredient – it will still be sitting on the counter!

  2. Alma my Dear..you’ve done it again!
    When I saw this recipe posted on your website..it looked very appetizing. I went to the store, purchased the ingredients and made a meal fit for a king. Gary loved this new dish, as did I, especially how easy it was. This is definitely a keeper..it’s restaurant quality and totally a meal I will use when we have company.
    Keep the recipes coming, we just love reading your blog and trying the new techniques and recipes for food dishes!

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