Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American dish made up of chicken breast and Chicken Marsala wine.
Chicken Marsala is an Italian dish of golden pan-fried chicken breast cutlets and fresh mushrooms in a very rich Marsala wine sauce.Though it’s a classic restaurant dish, it’s really easy to make at home. With only one pan, you'll have it on the dining table in 45 minutes. The recipe makes a lovely sauce that is delicious over pasta, polenta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
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. (And you can skip all this hassle by using chicken tenderloins.)
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 a couple of tablespoons of the butter in a very 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 five to six minutes total. Transfer the chicken in to a plate and put chicken 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.
Add the broth, wine, 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 warmth 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 side any juices that accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and therefore the sauce thickens a touch more, 2 to 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.Your Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala is Ready
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Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
What you will 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. (And you can skip all this hassle by using chicken tenderloins.)
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN MARSALA
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Chicken Breasty |
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.)
![]() |
Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
Place the flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a ziplock bag.
![]() |
Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
Add the chicken to the bag; seal the bag tightly and shake to coat chicken evenly. Set aside.
![]() |
Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
Heat the oil and a couple of tablespoons of the butter in a very 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.
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Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
Cook, turning once, until the chicken is golden and just barely cooked through, about five to six minutes total. Transfer the chicken in to a plate and put chicken aside.
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Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
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.
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Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
Add the shallots, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
![]() |
Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
Add the broth, wine, 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 warmth to medium.
![]() |
Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
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).
![]() |
Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
Add the chicken back to the pan, along side any juices that accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and therefore the sauce thickens a touch more, 2 to 3 minutes.
![]() |
Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.Your Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala is Ready
![]() |
Chicken Marsala : Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala |
Chicken Marsala Recipe Guide
Chicken Marsala is an Italian dish of golden pan-fried chicken breast cutlets and fresh mushrooms in a very rich Marsala wine sauce.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded ¼-inch thick
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
2/3 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup dry Marsala wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley,for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
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 the chicken evenly. Set aside.
Add the broth, Marsala, 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 flame 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 side any juices that accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and therefore the sauce thickens a touch more, 2 to 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.
Note: If your chicken breasts are large (like the ones in the photos that are about 3/4 lb. each), it’s best to first cut them horizontally to make four flat fillets, then pound them to a good 1/4-inch thickness. If you pound large chicken breasts without first halving them, they’ll be huge. Of course, you could also pound them thin first and then cut them in half vertically; the only drawback is that they’ll lose their natural shape (which, admittedly, is not a big deal!).
Heat the oil and a couple of tablespoons of the pure butter during 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 breast to a plate and put 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 1/4 teaspoon of salt; cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the shallots, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium flame 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 side any juices that accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and therefore the sauce thickens a touch more, 2 to 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.
Note: If your chicken breasts are large (like the ones in the photos that are about 3/4 lb. each), it’s best to first cut them horizontally to make four flat fillets, then pound them to a good 1/4-inch thickness. If you pound large chicken breasts without first halving them, they’ll be huge. Of course, you could also pound them thin first and then cut them in half vertically; the only drawback is that they’ll lose their natural shape (which, admittedly, is not a big deal!).
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories:537
Fat:32 g
Saturated fat:16 g
Carbohydrates:12 g
Sugar:4 g
Fiber:1 g
Protein:43 g
Sodium:877 mg
Cholesterol:203 mg
Fat:32 g
Saturated fat:16 g
Carbohydrates:12 g
Sugar:4 g
Fiber:1 g
Protein:43 g
Sodium:877 mg
Cholesterol:203 mg
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