Chicken Marsala is the kind of recipe you'll find on many restaurant menus, but once you try it yourself, you'll realize how effortless it is to re-create for dinner. Tender, golden chicken breasts are nestled into a savory mushroom and Marsala wine sauce that's rich, flavorful, and comes together in just one pan. With just a handful of ingredients and about 45 minutes, you can have dinner on the table-perfect served over creamy mashed potatoes, pasta, or polenta.
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Ingredients For Chicken Marsala
Chicken – Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts work great for Chicken Marsala. You could also use chicken thighs, but will need to saute them longer since it is dark meat. We always use air chilled chicken for the best and most consistent quality.
You have two options for creating a thinner chicken breast:
- Pound the chicken breast until they are about ½ inch thick, Even thickness from end to end.
- Slicing the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. If you aren’t sure how to do it, this YouTube video shows exactly how that is done.
Dry Marsala Wine – The star of the show. Dry Marsala adds nutty, caramelized depth with just a hint of sweetness.
All Purpose Flour – A light dredge in flour helps create that beautiful crust when the chicken hits the pan and it also thickens the sauce later as those browned bits mix in.
Seasoning – Kosher salt and black pepper is all you need to season the flour for dredging.
Chicken Broth – This is used to mellow the Marsala Wine in this Chicken Marsala Sauce. If you are particularly sensitive to salt, use a low sodium chicken broth.
Salted Butter – SALTED is the only type of butter we recognize at Mom’s Dinner. It is the one you can actually taste and is so yummy. You will divide the butter so that some will saute the chicken and some will saute the mushrooms.
Mushrooms – These mushrooms soak up flavor like sponges, adding depth and that classic savory, meaty quality that defines Chicken Marsala. Cremini offer slightly richer flavor than buttons.
Shallots & Garlic – Shallots are like a mild, sweet onion. If you don’t have shallots you can also use a yellow onion. Just make sure to finely mince it so it mixes into the sauce and you don’t have large chunks.
Cream – Finishes the sauce and makes it extra special, also balances the acidity of the wine. It's what gives Chicken Marsala that restaurant-worthy richness.
How To Make Chicken Marsala
This is a quick overview, with pictures, on how to make Chicken Marsala. For more detailed instructions and ingredient amounts, pop down to the recipe card.
Step 1
Cut or pound the chicken thinner, then dredge in a mixture of flour/salt/pepper.
Step 2
Saute in butter and oil, then remove from the pan.
Step 3
Add more butter, saute the mushrooms. Then add the garlic and shallots for 2 minutes. Deglaze with the Marsala wine, then simmer.
Step 4
Pour in the chicken broth and the cream, nestle in the chicken and warm through until thickened.
Step 5
Serve over top of mashed potatoes, noodles or polenta.
Serving Chicken Marsala
This Chicken Marsala is so good served over top of mashed potatoes, polenta or noodles. Here are some of our favorite mashed potato recipes to use:
Add a green veggie like asparagus , roasted broccoli, or green beans and some dinner rolls and you have an AMAZING dinner!
Storing & Reheating
Store leftover chicken marsala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce. Avoid reheating at high temperatures or in the microwave for too long as the cream sauce can break.
Freeze/thaw – Cool the chicken completely and transfer to freezer-safe containers for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stove.
Tips To Make It The Best
- To check that your pan is hot enough before searing, run your finger under water and flick onto the surface of the pan. It should sizzle quite a bit when ready.
- Dry Marsala is the traditional choice for wine and provides the right balance of savory and nutty flavors, but sweet Marsala will still work if that is all you can find. Cooking wine from your local grocery store will do the trick too.
- Cremini or baby bella mushrooms are the most common, but button mushrooms also work well. For a deeper flavor try a mix of mushrooms such as shiitake or oyster.
- Slice mushrooms fairly thick since they'll shrink when cooked. I cut each into about 5-6 slices.
- To keep the sauce from curdling when adding the cream, keep the heat low and avoid boiling the sauce once it is added. Gently simmer to thicken and the cream will stay smooth.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
Chicken Marsala with Heavy Cream
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup all-purpose flour - for dredging
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 Tbsp. salted butter - divided
- 8 oz. cremini - sliced thick, or button mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 Tbsp. shallot - or yellow onion; finely minced
- ¾ cup dry Marsala wine
- ½ cup chicken broth - low sodium preferred
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Prep
- Begin by creating thinner chicken breasts, there are 2 options here: 1. Pounding covered in plastic wrap to an even thickness, about ½ inch each, and patting them dry with paper towels. 2. Cutting the chicken breast in half lengthwise so you end up with 2 thinner chicken breasts. To a wide, shallow bowl, add the flour, salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Dredge each chicken breast lightly, shaking off the excess.1 ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- To a wide, shallow bowl or plate, add the flour, salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Dredge each chicken breast lightly, shaking off the excess.½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. kosher salt, ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Chicken Marsala
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Once fully heated up, add the chicken and sear until golden on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. If you have more than 4 chicken breasts you may need to do this in 2 batches so the chicken sears and doesn't steam.Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
- In the same skillet, melt another 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.8 oz. cremini
- Stir in the garlic and shallot and cook briefly until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for about 3 minutes to let the alcohol cook off.2 cloves garlic, 2 Tbsp. shallot, ¾ cup dry Marsala wine
- Pour in the chicken broth and simmer for a couple of minutes until the liquid is slightly reduced.½ cup chicken broth
- Lower heat to medium low, stir in the heavy cream, and return the chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the sauce. Spoon sauce and mushrooms on top of the chicken breasts to incorporate more flavor. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked through (165℉) and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.½ cup heavy cream
- Stir in the last tablespoon of butter to finish the sauce with a glossy sheen. Optionally garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Store leftover chicken marsala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce. Avoid reheating at high temperatures or in the microwave for too long as the cream sauce can break.
- Freeze/thaw: Cool the chicken completely and transfer to freezer-safe containers for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stove.
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