Chicken marsala with pan-seared chicken cutlets in a creamy, flavorful sauce made from a reduction of Marsala wine with lots of mushrooms. This delicious dish is simple to make and cooks in no time.
What is Chicken Marsala? It is an Americanized Italian dish where thin slices of chicken are lightly coated in flour, seared, and cooked in a pan sauce made with cremini mushrooms and a reduction of Marsala wine. I've added a small amount of cream to make the sauce silky and balance the wine's acidity in this recipe.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- The chicken is sliced thinly and pounded flat for quick and even cooking.
- A light dredge in flour creates a delicious browned crust and makes a slightly thickened sauce.
What you’ll need
Dry Marsala wine is a key ingredient in this recipe.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Chicken breasts: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Mushrooms: I used cremini mushrooms (also known as baby bella), but there are lots of other choices — white or button (mild-tasting), shiitake (meaty and umami-rich), portobello (meaty, mature version of cremini), porcini (very flavorful and usually sold dried), or a combination.
- Dry Marsala wine: It's a fortified wine that gives the dish a nutty, caramelized flavor. Use dry Marsala wine instead of the sweet variety typically used in desserts like Tiramisu. To substitute, you can use dry Madeira wine, dark Sherry wine, or a wine you enjoy drinking. If possible, avoid "Marsala cooking wine" because they are generally heavily salted.
- Chicken base: I used chicken base dissolved in water to use as chicken stock. You can also use a bouillon cube or chicken broth/stock that's store-bought or homemade.
- Cream: You can use heavy cream, light cream, or half-and-half. Remember that the lower the fat content, the higher chances of curdling when the sauce gets very hot.
- Fresh parsley: It's an optional ingredient that adds freshness and color.
How to make this recipe
Mise en place (prep and organize): (1)Clean/wash the mushrooms and slice them. They may seem a lot, but they shrink as they cook.
(2)Mince the shallot and garlic. Chop the parsley for garnish. (3)Make the chicken stock by combining the chicken base and 1 cup of hot water.
(4)Butterfly the chicken breasts by slicing them horizontally in half. (5)Then cut the larger pieces smaller and trim any membranes or fats. (6)Place the chicken between sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Pound the chicken pieces uniformly thin (about ½ inch) for quick and even cooking using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Pan-sear the chicken: (7)Season them with salt and pepper. (8)Lightly coat each piece with flour, shaking off excess.
(9)Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat and add about 2 tablespoons olive oil, enough to coat the pan. When it's hot and almost smoking, sear the chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes, making sure they are evenly spaced apart. (10)Flip them and let the other side brown as well. Transfer to a plate.
TIP: For a delicious browned crust, sear the chicken cutlets in separate batches while maintaining a high temperature at all times.
Make the sauce: (11)On the same pan, adding oil as necessary, spread the mushrooms in a single layer. Leave them undisturbed for about 2 minutes so they can brown nicely. (12)Give them a mix. (13)Season them with salt and pepper, then let all the moisture evaporate or the sauce will be too thin and watery.
TIP: Don't season the mushrooms too soon. The salt draws out the moisture, and you'll end up steaming them than browning.
(14)Add the shallots and garlic, then mix them. (15)Then add in the thyme. Let them cook for a minute.
(16)Pour the Marsala wine and deglaze the pan by scraping the fond or browned bits on the bottom. (17)Reduce the alcohol by half for about 5 minutes. (18)Mix in the chicken stock and let the sauce simmer for another 5 minutes or until it's reduced by half.
TIP: The Marsala wine will be slightly sweet after being reduced, so taste the sauce and add salt as needed.
Combine the chicken and the sauce: (19)Bring the seared chicken back in the pan. (20)Add in the cream.
(21)Let the chicken heat through for about a minute while spooning the sauce over them. (22)Turn off the heat and add the fresh parsley.
Serve: I love chicken marsala with pasta and a side of vegetables, but you can also serve it with rice, mashed potatoes, or a salad.
Frequently asked questions and tips
Yes, you can skip the cream. A traditional chicken marsala doesn't include cream but uses butter instead. Add in 3 tablespoons of butter in place to thicken the sauce and make it "creamy."
The alcohol evaporates; what is left is a concentrated flavor that makes the dish delicious. If alcohol is a concern or you still don't want it, you can replace it with some grape juice or more stock/broth.
Yes, you can. However, chicken marsala is one of those recipes where chicken breast is better to use. If you go ahead with the chicken thighs, you have to cook it slightly longer.
The key takeaway
Be sure to pound the chicken into uniform thickness and brown them quickly over high heat to keep them moist and delicious.
Watch how I make it here
More chicken recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Chicken Marsala
Equipment
- Large skillet or a sauté pan
- Meat mallet or rolling pin
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907 grams) or 3-4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour for dredging
- ¼ cup (57 grams) olive oil for pan-searing and sautéing
- 12 ounces (340 grams) cremini mushrooms
- 2 small shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ cups (342 grams) dry Marsala wine
- 1 teaspoon chicken base or bouillon
- ½ cup (118 grams) heavy or light cream
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Mise en place (prep and organize): Clean/wash the mushrooms and slice them. They may seem a lot, but they shrink as they cook.Mince the shallot and garlic. Chop the parsley for garnish. Make the chicken stock by combining the chicken base and 1 cup of hot water.Butterfly the chicken breasts by slicing them horizontally in half. Then cut the larger pieces smaller and trim any membranes or fats. Place the chicken between sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Pound the chicken pieces uniformly thin (about ½ inch) for quick and even cooking using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Pan-sear the chicken: Season them with salt and pepper. Lightly coat each piece with flour, shaking off excess.Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat and add about 2 tablespoons olive oil, enough to coat the pan. When it's hot and almost smoking, sear the chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes, making sure they are evenly spaced apart. Flip them and let the other side brown as well. Transfer to a plate.TIP: For a delicious browned crust, sear the chicken cutlets in separate batches while maintaining a high temperature at all times.
- Make the sauce: On the same pan, adding oil as necessary, spread the mushrooms in a single layer. Leave them undisturbed for about 2 minutes so they can brown nicely. Give them a mix, season with salt and pepper, then let all the moisture evaporate or the sauce will be to thin or watery.TIP: Don't season the mushrooms too soon. The salt draws out the moisture, and you'll end up steaming them than browning.Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme. Stir and let them cook for a minute.Pour the Marsala wine and deglaze the pan by scraping the fond or browned bits on the bottom. Reduce the alcohol by half for about 5 minutes. Mix in the chicken stock and let the sauce simmer for another 5 minutes or until it's reduced by half.TIP: The Marsala wine will be slightly sweet after being reduced, so taste the sauce and add salt as needed.
- Combine the chicken and the sauce: Bring the seared chicken back in the pan and add the cream.Let the chicken heat through for about a minute while spooning the sauce over them. Turn off the heat and add the fresh parsley.
- Serve: I love chicken marsala with pasta and a side of vegetables, but you can also serve it with rice, mashed potatoes, or a salad.
Video
Notes
- Chicken breasts: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Mushrooms: I used cremini mushrooms, but there are lots of other choices — white or button (mild-tasting), shiitake (meaty and umami-rich), portobello (meaty, mature version of cremini), porcini (very flavorful and usually sold dried), or a combination.
- Dry Marsala wine: It's a fortified wine that gives the dish a nutty, caramelized flavor. Use dry Marsala wine instead of the sweet variety typically used in desserts. To substitute, you can use dry Madeira wine, dark Sherry wine, or a wine you enjoy drinking. If possible, avoid "Marsala cooking wine" because they are generally heavily salted.
- Chicken base: I used chicken base dissolved in water to use as chicken stock. You can also use a bouillon cube or chicken broth/stock that's store-bought or homemade.
- Cream: You can use heavy cream, light cream, or half-and-half. Remember that the lower the fat content, the higher chances of curdling when the sauce gets very hot. If you don't like cream, add 3 tablespoons of butter instead.
- Fresh parsley: It's an optional ingredient that adds freshness and color.
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