Chicken Marsala is a comforting classic that feels luxurious yet is surprisingly easy to make at home. The rich, savory sauce with earthy mushrooms and Marsala wine creates deep, complex flavor. This one-pan wonder is perfect for a special weeknight or dinner party.
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Why You’ll Love This Chicken Marsala
- Restaurant quality, home cost: Luxurious and impressive without the high price tag.
- One-pan wonder: Maximum flavor with minimal cleanup in a single skillet.
- Magical sauce: Rich, velvety reduction you’ll want to spoon over everything.
- Simple & forgiving: Straightforward technique delivers consistently delicious results.
Ingredients & Tools
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs / 680 g)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Tools: A large skillet (stainless steel or cast iron works best), meat mallet or rolling pin, shallow dish for dredging, tongs.
Notes: Don’t skip the flour dredge—it creates a golden crust and thickens the sauce. Use good, dry Marsala wine for authentic flavor.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 485 kcal |
| Protein: | 35 g |
| Fat: | 24 g |
| Carbs: | 18 g |
| Fiber: | 1 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Pound your chicken evenly. This is the single most important step for ensuring your chicken cooks quickly and evenly. An uneven breast means some parts will be dry while others are undercooked.
- Use a dry, not sweet, Marsala. Sweet Marsala will make your sauce cloying and unbalanced. Look for a dry Marsala in the cooking wine or fortified wine section of your store—it has a more complex, nutty flavor that works perfectly here.
- Don’t crowd the pan when searing. If you add too many chicken cutlets at once, they’ll steam instead of sear. Cook in batches if necessary to get that beautiful, golden-brown crust that adds so much flavor.
- Have all your ingredients prepped and ready. The sauce comes together quickly once you start deglazing with the Marsala. Having your broth, cream, and herbs measured out and within reach makes the process smooth and stress-free.
How to Make Chicken Marsala
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken. Place the chicken breasts one at a time between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a large zip-top bag. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin, gently pound them to an even ½-inch thickness. This is key for tender, quick-cooking chicken. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. You want a light, even coating.
Step 2: Sear the Chicken. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, carefully add the chicken breasts. Don’t overcrowd—cook in two batches if your pan is small. Sear for about 4-5 minutes per side, until a beautiful golden-brown crust forms and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and set aside. It will finish cooking later in the sauce.
Step 3: Sauté the Mushrooms and Aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium. Add another tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and started to brown nicely. You’ll notice a wonderful, earthy aroma. Add the chopped onion and cook for another 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant—be careful not to burn it.
Step 4: Deglaze with Marsala. Pour the Marsala wine into the skillet. It will sizzle and steam dramatically—this is a good thing! Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up all the browned bits (the fond) from the bottom of the pan. This is where a huge amount of the sauce’s flavor comes from. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which should take 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Build the Sauce. Pour in the chicken broth and add the fresh thyme. Bring the mixture to a steady simmer and let it cook for another 3-4 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the liquid to reduce slightly. Stir in the heavy cream. The sauce will immediately start to look richer and more velvety. Let it simmer gently for another 2 minutes to thicken up. The trick is to let it reduce until it nicely coats the back of a spoon.
Step 6: Finish and Serve. Return the seared chicken breasts and any accumulated juices back to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce and mushrooms over the top. Let everything heat through for 2-3 minutes. Right before serving, swirl in the final tablespoon of cold butter—this gives the sauce a beautiful glossy finish and extra richness. Garnish generously with the fresh chopped parsley.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Cool completely, store in airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in sealed container for up to 2 months (sauce may separate slightly).
- Reviving: Reheat gently on stovetop with a splash of broth or cream to refresh sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Creamy Parmesan Polenta — The soft, cheesy polenta is a dreamy base that soaks up every last drop of that glorious Marsala sauce.
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower — A fantastic low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes that still feels indulgent and pairs wonderfully with the savory chicken.
- Simple Steamed Green Beans — Their bright, crisp texture provides a fresh, clean contrast to the rich and creamy sauce.
Drinks
- A Glass of the Marsala Wine — It’s the perfect pairing—sip what you cook with to complement and enhance the flavors in the dish.
- Pinot Noir — This lighter red wine has earthy notes that harmonize beautifully with the mushrooms without overpowering the chicken.
- Sparkling Water with Lemon — The bubbles and citrus are wonderfully palate-cleansing, cutting through the richness between bites.
Something Sweet
- Dark Chocolate Espresso Mousse — A rich, not-too-sweet dessert that continues the sophisticated, adult flavor profile of the meal.
- Lemon Sorbet — Incredibly refreshing and light, it acts as the perfect “reset” after a savory, umami-rich main course.
- Almond Flour Biscotti — A crunchy, nutty cookie that you can dip into a cup of espresso for a classic Italian finish.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Using sweet Marsala wine. This is the most common pitfall. Sweet Marsala will make your sauce taste more like a dessert topping than a savory masterpiece. Always opt for dry Marsala for the best, most authentic flavor.
- Skipping the step of pounding the chicken. Uneven chicken leads to uneven cooking. You’ll end up with a dry, overcooked thin end and a potentially undercooked thick center. Taking two minutes to pound it flat is a game-changer.
- Moving the chicken too soon while searing. When you first place the chicken in the hot pan, let it be! If you try to move it around, it will stick and tear, and you won’t get that perfect golden crust. Let it sear undisturbed for a few minutes until it releases naturally.
- Boiling the sauce after adding the cream. A gentle simmer is your friend; a rolling boil is not. Boiling can cause the cream to curdle or the sauce to break, making it greasy instead of silky. Keep the heat moderate once the cream goes in.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Use a mix of mushrooms. While cremini are standard and delicious, try using a blend with some shiitake or oyster mushrooms. They each bring a unique texture and deeper, more complex earthy flavors to the dish.
- Tip: Let the sauce reduce properly. Patience is key here. After adding the liquids, give the sauce enough time on a steady simmer to thicken and concentrate. A properly reduced sauce will coat the back of a spoon and have an intense, layered flavor.
- Tip: Finish with cold butter. After you’ve taken the pan off the heat, swirl in that last tablespoon of cold butter. This technique, called *monter au beurre*, emulsifies the sauce, giving it a restaurant-quality shine and a velvety texture that’s just incredible.
- Tip: Don’t wash your mushrooms. Just wipe them clean with a damp paper towel. Mushrooms are like sponges and will absorb water if you rinse them, which then steams them in the pan instead of allowing them to sauté and brown properly.
FAQs
Can I make Chicken Marsala ahead of time?
Absolutely, and it actually reheats quite well. Let the dish cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When reheating, do so gently over low heat on the stovetop, adding a small splash of chicken broth or cream to loosen the sauce back up. Avoid the microwave, as it can make the chicken rubbery and cause the sauce to separate.
What can I use instead of Marsala wine?
If you’re in a pinch, you can create a substitute. Use a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc and add a teaspoon of brandy or a tiny drop of vanilla extract to mimic Marsala’s unique nutty-sweetness. While it won’t be exactly the same, it will still result in a very tasty pan sauce. Avoid using sweet sherry or cooking sherry, as they are often too salty or sweet.
Is Chicken Marsala considered a low-carb dish?
It can be, with a couple of modifications. The main source of carbs is the flour used for dredging. To make it lower in carbs, you can skip the flour dredge entirely or use a dusting of almond flour or crushed pork rinds instead. The sauce itself, without the flour, is relatively low in carbohydrates, especially if you ensure you’re using a dry Marsala wine.
My sauce is too thin. How can I thicken it?
The most common reason is not letting it reduce enough. Simply continue to simmer the sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired consistency. If you’re really in a hurry, you can make a quick slurry by mixing a teaspoon of arrowroot or cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stirring it into the simmering sauce. It will thicken up almost instantly.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
You sure can! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a fantastic option. They are naturally more flavorful and forgiving than breasts, so they’re harder to overcook. Just be sure to pound them to an even thickness as well, and adjust the cooking time slightly as they may take a minute or two longer to cook through completely.
Chicken Marsala
Learn how to make classic Chicken Marsala with a rich mushroom sauce. This easy one-pan recipe delivers restaurant-quality results. Try it tonight!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
-
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs / 680 g)
-
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-
1 tsp kosher salt
-
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-
2 tbsp olive oil
-
3 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
-
8 oz cremini mushrooms (sliced)
-
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
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2 cloves garlic (minced)
-
3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
-
1 cup chicken broth
-
1/2 cup heavy cream
-
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
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2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
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Place the chicken breasts one at a time between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a large zip-top bag. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin, gently pound them to an even ½-inch thickness. This is key for tender, quick-cooking chicken. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. You want a light, even coating.01
-
Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, carefully add the chicken breasts. Don’t overcrowd—cook in two batches if your pan is small. Sear for about 4-5 minutes per side, until a beautiful golden-brown crust forms and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and set aside. It will finish cooking later in the sauce.02
-
Reduce the heat to medium. Add another tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and started to brown nicely. You’ll notice a wonderful, earthy aroma. Add the chopped onion and cook for another 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant—be careful not to burn it.03
-
Pour the Marsala wine into the skillet. It will sizzle and steam dramatically—this is a good thing! Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up all the browned bits (the fond) from the bottom of the pan. This is where a huge amount of the sauce’s flavor comes from. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which should take 2-3 minutes.04
-
Pour in the chicken broth and add the fresh thyme. Bring the mixture to a steady simmer and let it cook for another 3-4 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the liquid to reduce slightly. Stir in the heavy cream. The sauce will immediately start to look richer and more velvety. Let it simmer gently for another 2 minutes to thicken up. The trick is to let it reduce until it nicely coats the back of a spoon.05
-
Return the seared chicken breasts and any accumulated juices back to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce and mushrooms over the top. Let everything heat through for 2-3 minutes. Right before serving, swirl in the final tablespoon of cold butter—this gives the sauce a beautiful glossy finish and extra richness. Garnish generously with the fresh chopped parsley.06
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