This classic Chicken Marsala combines tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and a rich Marsala wine sauce! This traditional Italian dish has a delicious marriage of flavors that will leave you craving more. This one skillet family-friendly dinner is great for busy weeknights, meal prep, hosting friends and family, and leftovers.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chicken Marsala has rich and comforting flavors.
- The chicken is so tender and juicy.
- The creamy Marsala wine sauce is loaded with flavor.
- These classic Italian flavors taste restaurant-quality.
- This classic dish is always a big hit with family and friends!
- This recipe has been loved by my family and friends for years and years. I have made it so many times!
- Make it on busy weeknights or weekends.
- Serve over whole wheat noodles, brown rice, mashed potatoes, or spaghetti squash.
- This recipe can be made gluten-free if needed. Simply use gluten-free 1 to 1 flour.
- Check out this Chicken Marsala Pasta for another easy family dinner!
What is Chicken Marsala?
Chicken Marsala is a traditional Italian dish that features pan-fried chicken cutlets smothered in a savory sauce made from Marsala wine and mushrooms.
The dish originated in Sicily and has since become a beloved staple of Italian cuisine.
Its distinctive flavors and aromatic sauce make it a true delight for casual family dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full Chicken Marsala recipe.
First, use Italian seasoning. This gives the chicken a distinct Italian flavor.
Both salt and pepper add even more flavor.
Both chicken thighs and chicken breasts work well. Use boneless and skinless. Pound the meat to ½ inch thickness to ensure even cooking.
Dredge the chicken in whole wheat flour. This gives it a delicious breaded texture.
Butter helps cook everything. It adds a cozy buttery flavor!
Heavy cream adds the creaminess factor.
This classic recipe uses mushrooms in the sauce. Baby Bella mushrooms are great for this recipe. If needed, omit the mushrooms for picky eaters. Or, cook this recipe as is but do not serve with mushrooms. I always serve this without the mushrooms when serving for children.
Lastly, Marsala wine adds the classic flavor. Use a dry, fine-aged wine for this recipe.
Taste & Texture
The taste of Chicken Marsala is a beautiful balance of savory, sweet, and umami flavors.
The Marsala wine adds depth and complexity to the sauce. The sautéed mushrooms provide a delightful earthiness.
The chicken thighs or breasts are tender and succulent, soaking up the flavors of the sauce. =
The sauce itself has a velvety texture that coats the chicken, creating a harmonious blend of taste and texture.
How to Make
Step 1
First, mix together the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of the chicken until evenly coated. It helps to push on it with your fingers to make sure it really sticks. Use a meat mallet to pound out the chicken to ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle the flour on top of the seasonings, turn the chicken over, and coat all sides.
Step 2
In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the chicken and mushrooms to the pan and sear the chicken until golden brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken and mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
Step 3
Turn the heat up to high, pour the Marsala wine into the sauté pan, and boil until reduced by half, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, put the chicken and mushrooms back in the pan, add in the heavy cream, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer until the chicken is cooked all the way through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 4
Remove the lid from the pan, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, turn the heat up to medium, and cook for just a minute or two to thicken the sauce. Remove from heat and serve warm over whole-grain noodles with a green veggie or salad on the side.
Expert Tips for Success
Choose thin chicken cutlets or pound regular chicken breasts to an even thickness for quick and even cooking.
Use dry Marsala wine for a more pronounced and authentic flavor. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, you can opt for sweet Marsala wine.
Dredge the chicken cutlets in flour before pan-frying to create a golden crust and help thicken the sauce.
Sauté the mushrooms separately to ensure they develop a deep, rich flavor before combining them with the sauce.
Finish the dish with a touch of butter for added richness and shine.
How to Serve and Store:
Chicken Marsala is traditionally served with a side of pasta, such as linguine or fettuccine, to soak up the delicious sauce. It pairs well with a fresh green salad or steamed vegetables.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. When reheating, gently warm the chicken and sauce in a skillet over low heat to maintain its flavor and texture.
Flavor Variations & Add-Ins
While Chicken Marsala is already a delightful dish, you can experiment with additional ingredients to create exciting flavor variations.
Consider adding sun-dried tomatoes, capers, or even a touch of cream to the sauce for a unique twist.
These additions can elevate the dish and provide a different dimension of taste.
How to Serve & Store
Serve this healthy Chicken Marsala hot and fresh from the pan! Add the chicken to a plate and spoon the Marsala wine sauce on top. Top with some freshly chopped parsley if desired.
Serve over fettuccine pasta, penne pasta, or spaghetti squash.
Alternatively, serve over mashed potatoes.
The richness of the dish pairs well with a light side salad.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, add leftovers to a skillet over low-medium heat. Heat until warm.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can substitute Marsala wine with a combination of chicken broth and grape juice or pomegranate juice. However, keep in mind that the flavor profile will differ slightly.
Marsala sauce is made from Marsala wine. This Italian wine is very flavorful.
Chicken Marsala is traditionally served with pasta. Penne and fettuccine are commonly used. It is sometimes served with rice or mashed potatoes.
These two dishes are similar, but chicken piccata is not creamy. Instead, it is cooked with white wine, chicken broth, capers, and lemon juice. It is tangy and bright instead of rich and creamy.
Use a dry Marsala wine for this classic dish.
Sure. Feel free to omit the mushrooms, although they do provide flavor. Perhaps add some caramelized onions instead.
Equipment Needed
Large Nonstick Skillet: This large pan is great for cooking!
You May Also Enjoy
- Creamy Lemon Shrimp Pasta
- Easy Spaghetti
- Weeknight Tomato Basil Pasta
- Chicken Marinade
- Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
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Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs (boneless, skinless )
- ½ cup whole-wheat flour
- 5 tbsp butter (divided)
- 12 ounces baby bella mushrooms (stems removed and sliced in half)
- 1 cup marsala wine
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- First, mix together the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of the chicken until evenly coated. It helps to push on it with your fingers to make sure it really sticks. Use a meat mallet to pound out the chicken to ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle the flour on top of the seasonings, turn the chicken over, and coat all sides.
- In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the chicken and mushrooms to the pan and sear the chicken until golden brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken and mushrooms from pan and set aside.
- Turn the heat up to high, pour the Marsala wine into the sauté pan, and boil until reduced by half, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, put the chicken and mushrooms back in the pan, add in the heavy cream, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer until chicken is cooked all the way through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the pan, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, turn the heat up to medium, and cook for just a minute or two to thicken the sauce. Remove from heat and serve warm over whole-grain noodles with a green veggie or salad on the side.
Notes
This recipe can be made with chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
Pound out the meat to ½ inch thickness. This ensures even cooking.
Be generous with the seasonings.
Do not overcook the chicken.
Chicken is done cooking when it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally.
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Facts
Enjoy this homemade Chicken Marsala!
This is one of the few meals that everyone in my family loves! My husband is a red meat/grease/cheese lover. He normally doesn’t prefer chicken. He has asked me to make this several times. My seven year old calls this five star recipe chicken and he LOVES IT! He has never liked mushrooms until I made this. He said the mushrooms were the best part. I usually serve it over fettuccine noodles. I just wish there was a bit more sauce so I could put it on the noodles.
Is this a good meal to double and then freeze leftovers?
Hi there. Sure. I’ve tripled this and frozen. :)
Loved it! Misread the amount of flour as tsps off my phone and it still came out really well.
Had to dice the mushrooms to make the not obvious for one of my picky eaters. He will eat items, knowingly, just prefers to not see the mushrooms.
Served it with roasted veggies and roasted potatoes since I was out of pasta. Big hit.
I made this for dinner last night and the taste was fantastic. I used a dry dessert Masala wine and served it with rice. I made this recipe for 6 servings and the time it took to brush clean the mushrooms was a lot longer than anticipated. To speed this recipe up I’d strongly suggest preparing the mushrooms before hand. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
My seven year old helped me make this. It was very easy. We ate it over fettuccine noodles. He said it was the best thing he has ever eaten! He even devoured the mushrooms, which he normally will not touch. We will definitely make this again.
Would someone please make a recommendation for the wine. Does it have to be real expensive or can it be the cheapest, or what? TY
It should be a dry marsala but does not need to cost much.
Would it work with breasts? Don’t really care for dark meat.
Hello. You can use white meat.
Last time I checked there were several types of Marcela wine. Some were dry like vermouth.
Recipe makes no mention which wine is best to use.
What can you replace for Masala wine? Chicken broth???
Hi. Apple cider vinegar is a good sub for cooking wines but the chicken will lack the unique marsala flavor.
Could you make this ahead and freeze? How could change this into a crockpot meal?
Hi there. We’ve not frozen this meal nor tried it as a crock pot meal but this might help: http://www.thekitchn.com/5-tips-for-converting-recipes-to-the-slow-cooker-189343.
Looks delicious!
I have a recipe that is very similar. It’s definitely a family favorite!! I use rice flour instead of regular flour, to make it gluten free. I think the better the wine, the better the recipe. What brand Marsala did you use, if I can ask that? :)
Thank you!
Hi! What type of Marsala wine do you use, sweet or dry? Or is there a specific brand you like best?
Thanks!
I would like to know the brand marsala wine that you use too. I look at marsala wine at a store and most contain. Preservatives.
All wine contains preservatives
For cooking, you use a dry Marsala. If you were making a dessert, such as Tiramisu, you would use a sweet Marsala. I didn’t know either, so I looked on the internet, and then not trusting the internet, asked a chef!
Hello. Dry and no particular brand.
I will try definitely this recipe! I have your book! love your website so easy!!!