Turkey Scallopini with Marsala Sauce

I have been engaged for one week and I have told everyone I know. Patty cried. Babcia Rose said it is about time and also that the ring is too small, which is not true and also very Babcia Rose. Matt called from Springfield and said Ryan is a good man and I said I know and he said good, you picked well this time. The "this time" is a reference to exactly nothing since Ryan is the first serious boyfriend I have ever brought home, but that is a Matt Kowalczyk endorsement and I will take it.

Kristin flew in from New York on a near-empty flight for the weekend to see the ring in person, which was unexpected and wonderful. We spent Saturday afternoon at our apartment eating takeout from the Thai place on Western Ave that is still open for delivery, and talking for six hours the way we only ever do when she is actually physically here. She said she had been thinking about coming back to Chicago. I said I thought she loved New York. She said she did love New York and also she had not hugged a family member in three months. I understood that.

The cooking this week has been a little more celebratory, which is nice after months of functional sustenance. I made a proper roast chicken — dry-brined overnight, roasted on a rack at high heat, with a pan sauce I made from the drippings. Ryan watched me make the pan sauce with the reverence he usually reserves for things at the firehouse that are technically complicated. I told him it is just fat and fond and acid and stock and he said that sounds like a recipe for something chemical. He ate three pieces of chicken and had seconds of the sauce.

The blog post was the roast chicken, dedicated vaguely to good news in bad times. The responses were warm — people with their own recent good news, people celebrating small things, people saying they needed something like this. I did not say I was engaged on the blog, not yet. I wanted to keep it just ours for a little while longer. But the chicken was for everyone.

The roast chicken that week was about the pan sauce as much as anything — that moment when fat and fond and wine come together into something that tastes like effort and occasion at once. Turkey Scallopini with Marsala Sauce captures exactly that spirit: it’s fast enough for a Tuesday but feels like you’re marking something. I’ve made it since, on nights when the news is good and someone deserves a proper dinner.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs turkey breast cutlets, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
8 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 tsp dried)
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for serving

Instructions

Pound and season. Place turkey cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in flour, shaking off any excess.
Sear the turkey. Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, cook the turkey cutlets 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
Cook the mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp butter to the same skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
Build the pan sauce. Pour the Marsala wine into the skillet, scraping up all the browned fond from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and thyme, and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, another 3 to 4 minutes.
Finish and serve. Return the turkey cutlets to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)

Turkey Scallopini with Marsala Sauce — A Pan Sauce Worth Celebrating