Chicken with Mushrooms and Marsala

Ingredients

1 3-pound whole free-range chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1/2 bunch fresh thyme sprigs (about 8 sprigs)

2 cups button mushrooms, halved

2 shallots, diced

1 1/2 cups sweet Marsala wine

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes

2 cups penne pasta

Directions

1. Rinse the chicken pieces with cool water, then pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken pieces well with salt and pepper.

2. In a large roasting pan heat a 3-count of olive oil (about 3 tablespoons) over medium heat. Add chicken and brown in hot oil about 10 minutes, until golden all over, turning pieces occasionally to brown on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and set aside on a plate tented with aluminum foil. Add garlic, thyme, mushrooms, and shallots to hot roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper and saute until mushrooms are brown and shallots are slightly caramelized. Deglaze the pan with Marsala and chicken broth, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

3. Nestle the chicken back in the pan, making sure each piece has good contact with the bottom of the pan. Top each chicken piece with butter. Cover the pan, leaving lid slightly askew. Cook over mediumlow heat for 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through (180 degrees F), basting the chicken with the pan juices periodically.

4. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne pasta according to package directions; drain. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Serve with hot penne