Chicken Marsala
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American dish of golden pan-fried chicken cutlets and mushrooms in a rich Marsala wine sauce.
Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American dish of golden pan-fried chicken cutlets and mushrooms in a rich Marsala wine sauce. It’s the most popular chicken recipe on this website, and though it’s a classic restaurant dish, it’s really easy to make at home. With just one pan, you can have it on the dinner table in 45 minutes. The recipe makes a lovely sauce that is delicious over pasta, polenta, rice, or Parmesan smashed potatoes.
If your family loves Italian food like mine does, once you master chicken Marsala, try your hand at other Italian restaurant favorites, such as chicken cacciatore, pasta fagioli, eggplant parmesan, penne alla vodka, and lasagna.
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Marsala
Marsala is a brandy-fortified wine from Sicily that is 100% worth adding to your pantry, if only to make this dish time and again. It will keep in a cool, dry spot for months.
I buy boneless skinless chicken breasts and pound them thin myself, as opposed to using the ultra-thin sliced cutlets sold at the supermarket, since pounding tenderizes the meat. This adds an extra step but you can save time by using pre-sliced mushrooms. (Or you can skip all this hassle by using chicken tenderloins, which are naturally tender.)
How To Make Chicken Marsala
If your chicken breasts are large, like the ones in the photo above, it’s best to first cut them in half horizontally. (If you pound them without first halving them, they’ll be ginormous and oddly shaped.)
Once you’ve got four flat filets, pound them each to an even 1/4-inch thickness.
Place the flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a ziplock bag.
Add the chicken to the bag; seal the bag tightly and shake to coat chicken evenly. Set aside.
Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (Use a stainless steel pan for the best browning. Nonstick will work too, but you won’t get that nice golden color on the chicken.) Place the flour-dusted chicken in the pan, shaking off any excess first.
Cook, turning once, until the chicken is golden and just barely cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the shallots, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Add the broth, wine, heavy cream, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper; use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the pan into the liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium.
Gently boil, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by about half, slightly thickened, and darkened in color, 10 to 15 minutes (you’re going for a thin cream sauce; it won’t start to thicken until the very end of the cooking time).
Add the chicken back to the pan, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce thickens a bit more, 2 to 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded ¼-in (6-mm) thick (see note), or chicken tenderloins
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 (8-oz) package pre-sliced bella or button mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, from 1 medium shallot
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅔ cup chicken broth
- ⅔ cup dry Marsala wine
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Place the flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a ziplock bag. Add the chicken to the bag; seal bag tightly and shake to coat chicken evenly. Set aside.
- Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (Use a stainless steel pan for the best browning. Nonstick will work too, but you won’t get that nice golden color on the chicken.) Place the flour-dusted chicken in the pan, shaking off any excess first, and cook, turning once, until the chicken is golden and just barely cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt; cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the broth, Marsala, heavy cream, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper; use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the pan into the liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by about half, slightly thickened, and darkened in color, 10 to 15 minutes (you’re going for a thin cream sauce; it won’t start to thicken until the very end of the cooking time). Add the chicken back to the pan, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce thickens a bit more, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.
Notes
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Excellent recipe! It was easy to follow and delicious as usual from @onceuponachef. The whole family loved it. I have used other recipes before but will definitely make this one again. The only adjustment I would make is to try using tapioca flour as a substitute for the heavy cream so I don’t get in trouble with my cardiologist. 😉
I made this last night. Followed recipe exactly. Loved it. I am adding to my meal rotations.
So delicious!!! I’ve never made chicken Marsala before but I do love to cook and this recipe was so good and not hard to follow. I combined it with some spaghetti squash and it was delicious.
That was SO GOOD !!! Thanks 🙂
First time I am doing a Marsala chicken and this is a hit here!
I did not have marsala so I used white wine and I doubled the sauce too and delicious!
Second recipe I am doing here and just love them 🙂
Karine
This recipe was absolutely delicious! First time making it and it was so good I could have licked the pan!! Made it exactly as written. Will definitely be making it again & again.
Quick question – I make this all the time for my family of 4. I need to make it for a party of 8 on Thursday. Can I cook it an hour or two earlier than dinner is planned and then reheat it or will the chicken get too dry? Also, instead of frying the breast whole, do you think it’s OK to cut up the chicken breast into 1 inch thick pieces, fry those and then make it like a casserole? I am always worried about the chicken over cooking and tasting like rubber! Help!
Hi Sharon, I may be weighing in to late to be helpful (sorry)! But for future reference, this is definitely best if served right after they’re prepared. For the chicken Marsala, one reader commented that she made this ahead, stored the sauce & chicken separately, and reheated it briefly before serving.
And while I haven’t tried it, I think you could cut the chicken into pieces. I’d follow the guidance from this recipe.
Made this tonight. Very easy and very delicious.
Made it yesterday, for the first time, and it turned out absolutely great. Thank you for the wonderful instruction.
I modified your recipe slightly and made a chicken marsala pizza with it. It was to die for! Thanks for the recipe!
I cut the chicken into bite size pieces, made extra sauce and reduced it until it was very thick. I spread the marsala over the pizza crust, then generously sprinkled shredded mozzarella on top. Baked it on the bottom rack ~ 15 minutes at 525°. Grated fresh parm on top. YUM!! It is our new favorite nontraditional pizza.
Had this tonight, DELICIOUS ! Recipe was easy to follow. My wife and I both agreed, that this was the BEST CHICKMAR that we have ever had. Can’t wait to prepare for the kids and grandkids. Thanks, so glad we found this.
Thanks, Jen. I enjoy your recipes and your book.
The one is delicious. I have made this also with pork tenderloin.
I use brandy if I do not have marsala wine- just as good.
Perfect. We had this as a mid-week dinner, but it felt super special. Made it with the sides suggested and a Caesar Salad. Paired with a glass of wine, it was like dining at a bistro. A definite keeper.