Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms and Shallots

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups Marsala wine
• 3/4 cup homemade chicken stock or low-sodium store-bought broth
• 1 packet unflavored gelatin, such as Knox
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, each pounded about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• About 1 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
• 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 4 medium shallots, minced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• White wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, or fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Minced fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. In a bowl or a large measuring cup, stir together the Marsala and stock, then scatter the gelatin across the top and leave it to hydrate. Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper. Add a roughly 1/2-inch layer of flour to a broad, shallow bowl. Coat each cutlet in the flour, shake away the extra, and move it to a clean plate.
2. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it glints. Add the chicken, cooking in batches if the pan is crowded, and brown it on both sides, turning a single time, about 3 minutes per side. Lift the cutlets out with a slotted spatula and set them on paper towels.
3. Add the mushrooms to the same skillet without pouring off the oil. Cook, stirring often, until they give up their liquid and take on deep color, about 10 minutes. Stir in the shallots, garlic, and thyme, and cook until the shallots look translucent, about 2 minutes. If the skillet starts looking dry along the way, add more oil.
4. Pour the Marsala mixture into the skillet, scraping in any gelatin left behind. Bring it to a boil while whisking and loosening the browned bits from the bottom, and cook until the liquid has reduced by about three-quarters. Whisk in the butter and soy sauce, stirring constantly, until the sauce is unified and has the body of heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, then brighten it with a little vinegar or lemon juice if it needs it.
5. Slide the chicken cutlets back into the skillet, gently swirling the pan so they are coated in sauce and heated through. If the sauce starts to separate, swirl in a splash of water to smooth it out again. Move everything to a warmed serving plate, spoon the sauce over the chicken, garnish with parsley, and serve.