Creamy Chicken Marsala with Mascarpone

Sometimes a recipe comes along because you planned it. Other times, it happens because you bought an ingredient a couple of weeks ago and are now absolutely refusing to let it go to waste. Enter: mascarpone cheese.

I love mascarpone in pasta dishes. It melts into everything and creates this incredibly dedcadent, creamy sauce with just a hint of sweetness. In this dish, that richness plays really nicely with the marsala wine, which adds a bright, savory contrast.

This is essentially a cozy chicken-and-noodles situation, but the mascarpone gives it a little something extra. I didn't have traditional butter noodles on hand, so I grabbed these fancy lasagna-looking noodles instead. I originally bought them for lasagna soup, but figured they'd work here too. And, as it turns out, I was absolutely right.

If Chicken Marsala is your kind of dinner, you're going to want to make this one. It's creamy, comforting and downright delicious. And the smell while it's cooking? Let's just say it gives the house serious "Italian grandma has been in the kitchen all afternoon" energy. I'm not complaining.

Creamy Chicken Marsala with Mascarpone

Recipe from Just a Pinch

Serves 4

• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs cut into strips
• salt and pepper
• 4 Tbsp butter divided
• 1 md onion chopped
• 6 clove garlic minced
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
• 1 c marsala wine
• 1 c mascarpone cheese room temp
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• fresh parsley chopped for garnish
• buttered egg noodles for serving

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add two tbsp of the butter to a skillet and cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender and juices evaporate. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the wine and bring to a boil and let reduce by half. Stir the Mascarpone cheese and mustard into the sauce.

Add the chicken and any juices back to the pan and cook until chicken is cooked through. Serve over buttered noodles garnished with parsley