Crockpot chicken marsala is a creamy, comforting dinner that tastes like it came straight from my fav Italian restaurant, but takes just 15 minutes of prep! With tender chicken thighs, rich mushrooms, and a silky wine sauce, my slow cooker chicken marsala is both easy and impressive. It’s the perfect weeknight meal or make-ahead dinner for guests. And the best part is there’s minimal cleanup thanks to my slow cooker doing all the work.
Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala Thighs
Chicken marsala is a classic Italian recipe, and I’ve made it super simple to whip up in my crockpot! My slow cooker chicken marsala recipe transforms simple ingredients into a family-favorite dinner. I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs to ensure the meat stays juicy and full of flavor.
The combination of Marsala wine and chicken broth creates a rich, lightly sweet sauce that pairs perfectly with the earthy mushrooms. By layering the chicken under the onions and mushrooms, the flavors meld beautifully, creating a deep, concentrated sauce without any extra steps. Whether served over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta, this chicken marsala crock pot recipe is an easy way to enjoy classic Italian comfort food at home.
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Layer the Ingredients for the Best Flavor
One of the keys to making a standout crockpot chicken marsala is how you layer the ingredients. Instead of tossing everything in at once, I recommend placing the chicken on the bottom, then topping it with onions and mushrooms before pouring the Marsala and broth over everything. This ensures the chicken stays tender while absorbing the wine’s richness, and the mushrooms and onions cook in a concentrated, flavorful liquid that becomes the base of your sauce.
Crockpot Chicken Marsala Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (thawed if frozen*)
- 10 tablespoons all-purpose flour (½ cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 onion (sliced)
- 4 cups mushrooms (quartered**)
- 1½ cups dry Marsala wine (***)
- 14.5 ounces low-sodium chicken broth (1 can)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup half-and-half (room temperature)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Meanwhile, place the flour in a large Ziplock bag. Working with half of the chicken at a time, place the chicken in the ziplock bag and shake to coat with flour.3½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 10 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Fry the coated chicken in the hot oil for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown on the outside. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Place browned chicken in the bottom of the crockpot.
- Turn the heat down to medium, and deglaze the skillet by pouring the wine into the pan and stirring to loosen the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer the wine for 4-5 minutes to reduce.1½ cups dry Marsala wine
- Add the onions and mushrooms on top of the chicken in the crockpot.1 onion, 4 cups mushrooms
- Pour the reduced wine and chicken broth over the mushrooms and onions. Add the minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover the crockpot and set the heat to low for 3 hours.14.5 ounces low-sodium chicken broth, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- After 3 hours, remove the chicken thighs from the crockpot and cover with foil.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together, then stir into the liquid in the crockpot. Turn the heat to high and leave for 30 minutes, or until thickened.¼ cup water, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Stir in the half-and-half, and return the chicken thighs to the crockpot to warm through.½ cup half-and-half
- Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Notes
- While you don’t have to brown the chicken thighs, I highly recommend it. Those browned bits add so much flavor to the sauce!
- You can skip the step of removing the chicken from the Crockpot before thickening the sauce, but you’ll end up with shredded chicken instead of whole thighs. I do this when I’m feeling extra lazy, and it’s still just as delish – especially over spaghetti!
- You can skip the cream if you’d like a less thick/creamy sauce.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken Marsala Step by Step
Dredge the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Meanwhile, place 10 tablespoons of all-purpose flour in a large Ziplock bag. Working with half of 3½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs at a time, place the chicken in the Ziplock bag and shake to coat with flour.
Sear the Chicken: Fry the flour-coated chicken thighs in the hot oil for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown on the outside. Repeat with the remaining chicken. You don’t want to cook the chicken through; just get a good sear on the outside for flavor. The chicken will finish cooking in the crockpot.
Fill the Crockpot: Place the browned chicken thighs in the bottom of the crockpot.
Deglaze the Pan: Turn the heat down to medium, and deglaze the skillet by pouring 1½ cups of dry marsala wine into the pan and stirring to loosen the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer the wine for 4-5 minutes to reduce. This will create the base for your flavorful marsala sauce.
Cook the Marsala: Add 1 sliced onion and 4 cups of quartered mushrooms on top of the chicken in the crockpot. Pour the reduced wine and 14.5 ounces (1 can) of chicken broth over the mushrooms and onions. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Cover the crockpot and set the heat to low for 3 hours, or until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
Remove the Chicken: After 3 hours, remove the chicken thighs from the crockpot, set them on a plate, and cover them with foil to keep warm while you finish the sauce.
Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and ¼ cup of cold water together, then stir into the liquid in the crockpot. Turn the heat to high and leave for 30 minutes, or until thickened. Make sure to use cold water to create the slurry; otherwise, you may end up with chunks of gooey cornstarch rather than an evenly thickened sauce.
Stir in the Cream: Stir in ½ cup of room-temperature half-and-half, and return the chicken thighs to the crockpot to warm through. Using room-temperature half-and-half ensures it doesn’t curdle from temperature shock when you add it to the warm sauce.
Serve: Serve your hot crockpot chicken marsala over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles to soak up all that yummy sauce!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover slow cooker chicken marsala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a large skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave in 30-second increments until hot.
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