This Chicken Marsala recipe (so easy!) makes for a great weeknight meal but is also fancy enough to serve to company! Chicken breast and mushrooms are cooked in creamy marsala wine sauce with shallots and garlic for a flavorful dish that doesn’t require hours in the kitchen.
What’s in this Chicken Marsala Recipe?
Things are about to get a little fancy with this dish, but don’t worry, it’s still really easy to make! This is so rich, flavorful and creamy, it tastes like a real indulgent treat but is actually less than 400 calories.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best for this recipe, but you can also use thighs.
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps create a delicious brown crust.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhances the flavor of the chicken.
- Unsalted Butter: Helps the chicken cook without sticking or burning and adds a rich flavor.
- Shallot: Add a delicate, sweet, slightly pungent flavor.
- Garlic: Adds an earthy flavor.
- Mushrooms: Choose white (aka: button) mushrooms for the best flavor.
- Marsala Wine: Adds a nutty and rich flavor. You can use dry or sweet marsala wine in this recipe.
- Chicken Broth: Creates the base of the marsala sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Makes the sauce creamy and delicious!
Pro Tip: If you can’t find marsala wine, sherry or red vermouth work well!
Variations on Marsala Chicken
This classic Italian dish can be spiced up in so many ways. Try adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the sauce for a burst of flavor. You could also try adding some caramelized onions to enhance the sweetness. For a fresher taste, sauteé some spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in oil, then add it to the chicken before making the sauce.
If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, you can also leave them out of this dish. I recommend adding some savory herbs like thyme or rosemary to round out the flavor of the sauce.
Marsala is a fortified wine that originates from Sicily. It’s often used in cooking and has a nutty and rich flavor – perfect to pair with mushrooms and chicken. For this recipe it’s best to use marsala, but if you are in a pinch, you can substitute it with sherry or red vermouth.
Chicken marsala is one of recipes that gets more flavorful if you leave it, so absolutely this can be made ahead of time! Let the pan cool to room temperature and then cover it and pop it in the fridge and reheat on the stove top later in the day.
To prevent the sauce from curdling, it’s important to avoid boiling the sauce once you add the Marsala wine and cream. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Additionally, you can temper the cream by gradually adding a small amount of the hot sauce to the cream to bring it to a similar temperature before adding it to the pan. This helps to prevent curdling.
It’s generally not recommended to freeze leftover Chicken Marsala, especially if it contains a creamy or dairy-based sauce. Freezing can affect the texture and quality of the sauce. However, if you have leftover cooked chicken, you can freeze it separately and use it in other dishes or soups at a later time.
How to Store and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in a skillet set over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Marsala pairs well with various side dishes. Some popular options include pasta (such as fettuccine or linguine), mashed potatoes, risotto, roasted vegetables (like asparagus or green beans), or a fresh green salad. The choice of side dishes can complement and balance the flavors of the dish.
Chicken Marsala Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into thin strips
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided (½ stick)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 8 ounces white mushrooms sliced
- ⅔ cup dry marsala wine
- ⅔ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- In a shallow bowl mix together the flour, salt and black pepper¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to coat
- Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the chicken to the skillet, brown on each side for 3-4 minutes
- Set the chicken aside
- Reduce the heat of the skillet to medium
- Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter to the skillet and allow it to melt
- Add the shallot, sauté 1-2 minutes1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- Add the garlic and mushrooms, sauté 1-2 minutes2 cloves garlic, 8 ounces white mushrooms
- Add the chicken back to the skillet
- Pour in the marsala and chicken broth⅔ cup dry marsala wine, ⅔ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Bring to a rolling boil and then reduce the heat to low
- Add the heavy cream¼ cup heavy cream
- Simmer for about 10 minutes
- Garnish with parsley and serve over plain white or brown riceChopped fresh parsley
Notes
-
- Get your mushrooms nice and brown for more flavor.
- You can use dry or sweet marsala wine in this recipe.
- Use organic / free run chicken if you can and that hasn’t been raised on antibiotics.
- Your chicken breast pieces should be the same thickness so that they are cooked evenly. When fully cooked, the chicken should have an internal temperature of 165°F.
Lisa Dames says
My family absolutely declared this a WINNER! Forgot to get the shallots but used red onion instead. Served it on Pappardelle egg noodles. Awesome! Can’t wait to make again!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Lisa!
Dennis Kacillas says
Excellent
Becky Hardin says
Thanks, Dennis!
Leona says
This is one of my daughters pasta dishes. Very good.
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing, Leona!
Laura Brown says
Great recipe. Easy to follow. I couldn’t find shallots so I used scallions. Tasted pretty good. I’d used a tad more salt next time.
Becky Hardin says
So glad you enjoyed it, Laura!
TC says
This recipe easy, simple and delicious! I would highly recommend thank you
Becky Hardin says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Coco says
I am not much of a cook but this recipe was easy enough to make me look like I am a veteran in the kitchen. This was the perfect Marsala recipe
Becky Hardin says
I’m so happy to hear you loved this recipe, Coco!