Recipe: Chicken and Mushroom Marsala with Julienne Vegetables and Sauteed Linguine

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM MARSALA WITH JULIENNE VEGETABLES AND SAUTEED LINGUINE

"This entree may be heart-healthy, but it's tasty enough and attractive enough to serve to dinner guests. Make sure you prepare the Marsala Sauce and the linguine in advance."

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups fresh julienne carrots, zucchini and yellow squash (about 1 each)
2 cups cooked linguine
1 cup Marsala Sauce (recipe follows)
4 sprigs fresh basil

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chicken breast halves 3 minutes on each side.

Add the mushrooms and cook until they are golden and chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Arrange the chicken and mushrooms on a platter or divide among 4 plates; keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute the julienne vegetables for 1 minute. Add the cooked linguine and toss.

TO SERVE:
Transfer the linguine/vegetable mixture to the platter or plates. Top with the Marsala Sauce and garnish with the basil sprigs.

MARSALA SAUCE
Makes 6 servings (2 ounces each)

"This sauce is low-fat but very flavorful, perfect for pasta, meats or vegetables. To turn it into a vegetarian sauce, substitute all-vegetable bouillon cubes. You can use concentrated stock for the beef bouillon."

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic (1 large clove)
2 teaspoons minced fresh onion
1 portobello mushroom cap, cleaned and sliced
4 ounces fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Marsala wine
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 cup hot water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons cold water
Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the portobello and button mushrooms; cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the flame and add the wine. Return to the heat and bring wine to a boil.

Dissolve the bouillon cubes in the hot water and add to the pan. Let simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir the cornstarch into the cold water to form a paste. Stir into the simmer liquid; continue to stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with pepper.

About this recipe:
Every cloud has its silver lining, and the silver lining for patients at Piedmont Hospital is that the dining system works just like hotel room service, right down to the delivery of each custom-ordered meal by a cart-pushing employee in a bow tie.

"There aren't too many hospitals that serve filet mignon," notes executive chef Darryl Start, who sees to it that every meal is prepared to order, just like at a restaurant. "That's probably why we get a lot of excitement about our food.

The chicken marsala is one of the most popular items on the menu, right up there with hamburgers, he said. The bad news for the hale and hungry, though, is that you can only dine at Piedmont if you've been admitted. Think of it as an exclusive club, where every visitor needs a sponsorship from his or her physician.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 402 calories (percent of calories from fat, 38), 32 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 17 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 66 milligrams cholesterol, 202 milligrams sodium.

Source: Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, Deborah Geering, for the Atlanta-Journal-Constitution, June 28, 2007