Chicken Marsala

Making a nice dinner for guests is always a bit nerve-wracking, but this super easy chicken marsala recipe makes it a breeze. Cooking up some chicken breast and mushrooms in a creamy marsala wine sauce with plenty of shallots and garlic is enough to impress anyone that comes over. This classic Italian chicken dish is truly so simple!

I can’t enough of this this crispy chicken with mushrooms, all swimming in a rich marsala sauce that is just *chef’s kiss*. I like to make the sauce a little creamy–it really elevates this dish to the next level!

What’s in this Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe?

• Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips.
• Marsala: Use a dry marsala wine for the signature sauce. Marsala is a fortified wine–madeira is the best substitute.
• Mushrooms: Use button, cremini, or another white mushroom.
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour to the dredge the chicken. This creates a crisp coating for pan-frying.
• Shallots + Garlic: These add earthiness to the dish.
• Chicken Broth: This is the base of the sauce, to create the right consistency.
• Heavy Cream: Adding a bit of heavy cream at the end creates a silky finish to the marsala sauce.

Variations to Try

Marsala chicken and mushrooms can be spiced up in so many ways. Try adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the sauce for a burst of flavor, or add 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.

How to Store and Reheat

Chicken marsala 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.

Notes and Tips

To prevent the sauce from curdling, do not boil it after adding the Marsala wine and heavy 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.

How to Make Chicken Marsala Step by Step

Pat the Chicken Dry: Pat 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry.

Make the Flour Mixture: In a shallow bowl mix together ¼ cup of all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground black pepper.

Dredge the Chicken: Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to coat.

Heat the Butter: Heat 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Cook the Chicken: Add the chicken to the skillet, and brown on each side for 3-4 minutes, then set aside.

Add More Butter: Reduce the heat of the skillet to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and allow it to melt.

Sauté the Shallot: Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped shallot, and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Add the Mushrooms: Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and 8 ounces of sliced white mushrooms, and sauté 1-2 minutes.

Add the Chicken: Add the chicken back to the skillet.

Pour in the Wine: Pour in ⅔ cup of dry marsala wine and ⅔ cup of low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a rolling boil and then reduce the heat to low.

Simmer the Sauce: Add ¼ cup of heavy cream, then simmer for about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve over plain white or brown rice.