Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

For sautéed spinach:

• 8 oz fresh spinach
• 1 tbs olive oil
• dash red pepper flakes
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

For chicken:

• 3 boneless chicken breasts, sliced thin
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbs butter
• 2 tbs olive oil

For Marsala gravy:

• 3 tbs butter
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• 2 c. Marsala wine
• 1/2 c. half & half
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

For topping:

• 1 – 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, sliced
• 1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 c. chopped marinated artichoke hearts (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven the 400°.

Make the sautéed spinach first by heating 1 tbs olive oil in a pan. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic slices and cook until very aromatic. Add the spinach, followed by the salt and pepper. Cook down until the spinach is very wilted. Set aside.

Second, prepare your chicken. Mix the flour, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and pepper together. (You should always be seasoning your flour!) Melt the butter and olive oil in a pan. Dredge the thin chicken cutlets in the flour mixture and place in the pan for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. (When dredging cutlets, the flour should be a thin layer — not caked on.) When all the chicken is cooked, set aside on a separate dish.

In the same pan on medium heat, prepare the Marsala gravy by adding 1 tbs butter and the shallots and cooking the shallots until translucent. Add the Marsala wine and cook down for about 4-5 minutes. Add the half & half, the chicken stock, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook the gravy down for about an additional 7-8 minutes. Add the additional 2 tbs butter to slightly thicken the gravy. Set aside.

Pour some Marsala gravy into a baking dish until the bottom is completely covered. Add chicken cutlets into one layer. (I needed two baking dishes.) Add a thin layer of Marsala gravy on top of the chicken. Add a layer of sautéed spinach on top of the chicken, followed by red roasted pepper slices. (I added marinated artichoke hearts to one of the baking dishes and it was really good! The artichoke hearts are completely optional.) Cover the chicken, spinach, and red roasted peppers with a thin layer of Marsala gravy.

Divide the mozzarella cheese and sprinkle on top of the dish. Cover the baking dishes with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked throughout.

Serve over rice, potatoes, or pasta. Enjoy!