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Marsala Chicken

Featured in Perfect Poultry Recipes.

Juicy chicken pan-seared to golden perfection, paired with mushrooms in a silky wine sauce. On the table fast, it's great with veggies or mashed potatoes.
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Updated on Thu, 10 Apr 2025 19:08:45 GMT
Two juicy chicken breasts with mushrooms and fresh herbs on a white plate. Pin it
Two juicy chicken breasts with mushrooms and fresh herbs on a white plate. | cuisinegenial.com

This DIY Chicken Marsala pairs crispy golden chicken pieces with juicy mushrooms in a smooth, wine-infused sauce. It's quick enough for regular family meals but fancy enough for special get-togethers. This beloved Italian-American dish brings restaurant-level taste right to your kitchen using basic ingredients and simple methods. You'll love the deep, earthy taste of this crowd-pleasing meal that's sure to become a regular request.

What Makes This Dish So Good

The beauty here comes from how everything works together. Juicy chicken, caramelized mushrooms, and that velvety Marsala wine sauce create something truly special in just 45 minutes. When you mix sweet Marsala wine with creamy elements and fragrant seasonings, ordinary ingredients transform into something you'd pay good money for at a restaurant, but it's totally doable at home.

What You'll Need for Chicken Marsala

  • For the Chicken:
    • 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), cut horizontally
    • 1/2 cup flour (all-purpose)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon pepper (black)
  • For the Sauce:
    • 16 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
    • 3/4 cup wine (Marsala)
    • 3/4 cup broth (chicken)
    • 1/2 cup cream (heavy)
    • 2 finely chopped shallots
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • For Cooking:
    • 4 tablespoons butter, split up
    • 2 tablespoons oil (olive)
    • Fresh parsley to finish

Easy Cooking Directions

Get Your Chicken Ready
Flatten chicken to 1/4-inch thick. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a flat dish. Coat chicken pieces in the flour mix.
Fry Your Chicken
Warm up 2 tablespoons each of butter and oil in a big pan over medium-high heat. Fry chicken until golden, roughly 4 minutes each side. Set aside on a plate.
Create Your Mushroom Sauce
Using the same pan, melt the leftover butter. Toss in mushrooms and cook till golden. Add shallots and garlic, cooking until soft. Pour in the Marsala wine, scraping the tasty bits from the bottom.
Complete Your Sauce
Pour in broth, cream, and thyme. Let it bubble until it's half the volume, about 5 minutes. Put chicken back in the pan and warm through for 2-3 minutes.

Insider Cooking Tricks

Go for dry Marsala wine instead of cooking wine for better flavor. Make sure to pound your chicken evenly so it cooks the same all over. Don't stuff too many chicken pieces or mushrooms in the pan at once. Let your sauce cook down enough to get nice and thick. Taste and add more salt or pepper at the end if needed.

Serving Suggestions

This goes great on top of buttery noodles, smooth polenta, or fluffy mashed potatoes. Try it with steamed asparagus or oven-roasted veggies. Sprinkle some fresh parsley and extra thyme on top if you want. Grab some crusty bread to mop up all that tasty sauce. A simple green salad on the side makes the meal complete.

Golden chicken pieces covered with browned mushrooms and fresh parsley in a rich sauce on a plate. Pin it
Golden chicken pieces covered with browned mushrooms and fresh parsley in a rich sauce on a plate. | cuisinegenial.com

Storage and Planning Ahead

Keep any leftovers in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 3 days. Warm it up slowly in a pan, adding a bit of broth if needed. The sauce might get thick when cold, so thin it out with warm broth when you reheat it. For the freshest taste, you can prep the sauce parts ahead of time and throw everything together right before you eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What pan gives the best results?
A steel pan browns chicken beautifully. Nonstick pans work but won't give you that deep golden color or flavorful bits for the sauce.
→ How do I handle big chicken breasts?
Slice large breasts horizontally to make thinner pieces, then pound them to about 1/4 inch so they cook evenly.
→ When is the sauce done?
When it darkens slightly, thickens a bit, and reduces by about half. It should be the texture of a light cream.
→ What's good to serve on the side?
Steamed green beans and Parmesan mashed potatoes soak up the sauce perfectly. Any sauce-friendly side works here.
→ Can I swap out mushrooms?
Sure, try bella mushrooms or standard button ones. Pick pre-sliced mushrooms to speed things up.

Conclusion

Juicy

Chicken seared until golden is paired with mushrooms in a creamy Marsala wine sauce. A 45-minute meal that delivers restaurant flavors from your kitchen.

Marsala Chicken

Crispy chicken and mushrooms smothered in a velvety Marsala cream sauce. A timeless favorite for dinner.

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook Time
30 Minutes
Total Time
45 Minutes
By: Ferdaous

Category: Poultry

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Italian and American Fusion

Yield: 4 Servings (4 chicken pieces)

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

01 1½ lbs of chicken breasts, no skin or bones, flattened to about ¼ inch.
02 3 tablespoons of plain flour.
03 A pinch of salt.
04 Black pepper, freshly cracked.
05 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
06 3 tablespoons of butter, split into portions.
07 1 small pack (8 oz) of pre-sliced button or cremini mushrooms.
08 3 tablespoons of shallots, finely diced.
09 2 garlic cloves, chopped small.
10 ⅔ cup of chicken stock.
11 ⅔ cup of Marsala wine, dry type.
12 ⅔ cup of heavy whipping cream.
13 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, chopped.
14 Italian parsley, finely chopped (2 tablespoons optional, for garnish).

Instructions

Step 01

In a zip bag, mix some flour, ¾ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Toss in the chicken, shake it up, and coat completely.

Step 02

Heat a skillet with oil and 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-high heat. Fry the coated chicken till it’s golden and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes total. Move to a plate when done.

Step 03

Add the remaining butter to the same pan. Toss in the mushrooms and cook till golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, shallots, and a pinch of salt, then cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Step 04

Pour in the wine, cream, stock, thyme, and some salt and pepper. Scrape the pan to lift the brown bits. Bring everything to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until it thickens by half.

Step 05

Put the chicken back into the pan with any juices it released. Let everything simmer together for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens up. If using, sprinkle parsley on top.

Notes

  1. A stainless steel skillet works best for browning.
  2. Cut larger chicken breasts in half horizontally before flattening.
  3. Goes great with mashed potatoes or green beans on the side.

Tools You'll Need

  • One large skillet, preferably stainless steel.
  • A sealable plastic bag.
  • A mallet for flattening meat.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains dairy.
  • Contains wheat.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 537
  • Total Fat: 32 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 12 g
  • Protein: 43 g