Chicken Marsala is a wildly popular dish whose origins remain unknown to the public at large. If you have been wondering where did chicken Marsala originate, keep reading to discover the rich story behind this staple of Italian-American cuisine.
Where Did Chicken Marsala Originate?
The first hint to the origins of chicken Marsala is the name of the dish itself. Marsala is a city in the province of Trapani, in Sicily, home to this fortified wine.
Marsala wine is gold-colored and is known for its deep, intense flavor. Italians drink sweet Marsala with desserts and pastries. Dry Marsala, on the other hand, goes well with meat or fish.
However, this is only half of the story. Chicken Marsala as we know it today is a combination of influences that make it difficult for experts to pinpoint a single origin.
Broadly speaking, chicken Marsala is an Italian recipe. However, food historians believe that the dish bears a strong French influence thanks to the cohort of French chefs who arrived in Italy during the 19th century riding the coattails of the Napoleonic war machine.
Finally, the history of chicken Marsala wouldn’t be complete without the United States. Most likely, the current version of the dish is the result of Italian immigrants trying to re-create a traditional dish with the ingredients they had available at their new country. This would explain why Chicken Marsala is far more popular in the United States than in Italy.
That’s why the most accurate answer to the question “Where did chicken Marsala originate” would be “a French-influenced Italian dish that came into its own in the United States”. Or, if you want to keep things short, an Italian-American dish.
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