Craving that deeply savory, rich, and elegant dish from your favorite Italian restaurant? You’ve found it. This easy chicken marsala recipe delivers perfectly pan-seared chicken cutlets bathed in a luscious mushroom and Marsala wine sauce. It looks and tastes incredibly gourmet, but it’s surprisingly simple to make right in your own kitchen. Forget reservations—your new favorite weeknight dinner is here.
This classic Italian-American dish is all about balance: tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and a velvety sauce with a hint of sweetness and nutty depth from the wine. It’s the kind of meal that feels special enough for a date night but comes together fast enough for a busy Tuesday.
What Makes This The Best Chicken Marsala Recipe?
There are many chicken marsala recipes out there, but this one is designed for foolproof, restaurant-quality results. We focus on a few key techniques that make all the difference.
Perfectly Tender Chicken: We start with thin chicken cutlets, which cook quickly and evenly, ensuring every bite is moist and tender.
A Rich, Flavorful Sauce: The secret is building layers of flavor. We scrape up all those delicious browned bits from searing the chicken (the “fond”) and finish the sauce with a touch of cold butter for a glossy, velvety texture.
Simple, Accessible Ingredients: No hard-to-find components here. Just classic ingredients that come together to create something truly magical.
Key Ingredients for Authentic Flavor
The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity. Here’s what you’ll need to create an authentic chicken marsala.
Simple, high-quality ingredients are the key to an amazing chicken marsala.
Chicken Breast: Thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts or cutlets are ideal for their quick cooking time and tender texture.
All-Purpose Flour: For dredging the chicken. This creates a light crust that helps thicken the sauce.
Olive Oil & Butter: A combination of both gives you the high smoke point of oil for searing and the rich flavor of butter.
Cremini Mushrooms: Also known as “baby bellas,” they have a deeper, earthier flavor than white button mushrooms.
Shallot & Garlic: The essential aromatic base that builds the foundation of the sauce’s flavor.
Dry Marsala Wine: The star of the show! It provides the signature nutty, complex, and slightly sweet flavor.
Chicken Broth: This creates the body of the sauce and balances the richness of the wine. Use a low-sodium version to control the saltiness.
Fresh Parsley: Adds a pop of fresh, bright flavor and color at the end.
Choosing the Right Marsala Wine
Walking down the wine aisle can be confusing, but choosing the right Marsala is crucial. For this savory dish, you must use Dry Marsala Wine. It’s fortified and aged to develop complex, nutty notes that are perfect for sauces.
Avoid “Sweet Marsala,” which is typically used for desserts like zabaglione and will make your sauce cloyingly sweet. Also, try to buy a Marsala wine that you would consider drinking, not a “cooking wine,” which often contains added salt and preservatives that can detract from the final flavor.
How to Make Chicken Marsala: A Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these simple steps for a flawless finish every time. The process moves quickly, so it’s best to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go (a concept known as ‘mise en place’).
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
If you didn’t buy pre-sliced cutlets, slice your chicken breasts in half horizontally to create four thinner pieces. Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound them to an even ¼-inch thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin. This ensures they cook evenly. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish and dredge each piece of chicken, shaking off any excess.
Step 2: Sear the Chicken to Golden Perfection
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and one tablespoon of the butter. Once the butter is melted and foaming, carefully place two pieces of chicken in the pan. Don’t overcrowd it! Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining two pieces. Set aside.
Step 3: Sauté the Aromatics and Mushrooms
Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are nicely browned. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 4: Create the Luscious Marsala Sauce
Pour the dry Marsala wine into the skillet. As it bubbles, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan—this is where all the flavor is! Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which should take about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring the sauce to a simmer. Let it cook for 5-6 minutes, allowing it to reduce and thicken slightly.
Step 5: Finish the Dish
Reduce the heat to low. Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices back to the skillet. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes to heat through. Turn off the heat and stir in the final tablespoon of cold butter and the fresh parsley. The cold butter will emulsify into the sauce, making it extra glossy and rich. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips for Restaurant-Quality Results
These small details elevate your home-cooked meal into something truly special.
Tip
Why It Works
Don’t Skip Pounding the Chicken
Ensures the chicken cooks quickly and evenly, preventing dry or tough spots.
Use a Combination of Butter and Oil
The oil prevents the butter from burning during the high-heat searing, while the butter provides rich flavor.
Scrape the “Fond”
Those browned bits on the bottom of the pan are concentrated flavor. Deglazing the pan with wine is the most important step for a deep, savory sauce.
Finish with Cold Butter
Stirring in cold butter off the heat (a technique called ‘monter au beurre’) creates a smooth, emulsified sauce with a beautiful sheen.
What to Serve with Chicken Marsala
This savory dish pairs beautifully with sides that can soak up every last drop of the incredible sauce. Some of our favorites include:
Creamy Mashed Potatoes or Parmesan Polenta
Angel Hair Pasta or Fettuccine tossed with butter and parsley
Roasted Asparagus or Green Beans
A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette
For another classic Italian-American chicken dish, be sure to check out our authentic Chicken Parmesan recipe.
Chicken Marsala is perfectly paired with creamy sides to soak up the delicious sauce.
Common Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is delicious as-is, but it’s also wonderfully flexible. Here are a few popular adjustments.
Making Chicken Marsala Without Wine
If you prefer to cook without alcohol, you can substitute the Marsala wine with an equal amount of chicken or mushroom broth. To replicate the wine’s acidity and complexity, add 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the broth mixture.
For a Creamy Chicken Marsala
For a richer, creamier sauce, stir in ¼ to ½ cup of heavy cream at the very end, just after you add the cold butter. Gently heat through but do not let it boil.
Using Chicken Thighs
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a great alternative and offer a richer flavor. They will need a few extra minutes of cooking time per side. Explore more ideas with our collection of delicious chicken thigh recipes.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftover chicken marsala stores beautifully, making it perfect for lunch the next day. Allow the dish to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.
Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating: For best results, gently reheat in a skillet over low heat. You can add a splash of chicken broth to loosen the sauce if it has thickened too much.
Freezing: While possible, the sauce’s texture may change slightly upon thawing. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
If you love easy chicken dinners, you’ll also enjoy our simple Chicken Piccata recipe, which has a similar pan-sauce technique.
This easy chicken marsala recipe delivers tender chicken cutlets and a rich, savory mushroom and Marsala wine sauce. A restaurant-quality meal ready in about 30 minutes!
If not already thin, pound the chicken cutlets between plastic wrap to an even ¼-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge each piece of chicken, shaking off the excess.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter. Once hot, add two chicken cutlets. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Reduce heat to medium. Add another 1 tbsp of butter to the skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and shallot. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until browned. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
Pour in the dry Marsala wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken.
Reduce heat to low and return the chicken to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and let it warm through for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp of cold butter and the chopped parsley until the butter is melted and the sauce is glossy. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 485kcalProtein: 42gFat: 25gFiber: 2g
Notes
Choosing Wine: Use a quality Dry Marsala wine for the best savory flavor. Avoid cooking wines and Sweet Marsala. For a Creamier Sauce: Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream along with the final tablespoon of butter for a richer, creamier sauce. Don't Crowd the Pan: Searing the chicken in batches ensures it gets a beautiful golden-brown crust instead of steaming.
Keyword chicken marsala,chicken with mushrooms,one pan chicken
Dry Marsala wine is the best choice for chicken marsala. It provides a rich, nutty, and savory flavor that complements the dish without making the sauce overly sweet. Sweet Marsala is typically reserved for desserts.
The sauce naturally thickens from the flour used to dredge the chicken and by simmering it to reduce the liquid. If your sauce is still too thin, you can create a small slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and whisking it into the simmering sauce until thickened.
For a non-alcoholic substitute, use an equal amount of chicken or mushroom broth mixed with 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. For an alcoholic substitute, you can use dry sherry or a deep, oaky white wine like Chardonnay, though the flavor profile will be slightly different.
Chicken marsala is classically served over angel hair pasta, fettuccine, or creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce. Other excellent sides include parmesan polenta, roasted asparagus, or a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette.
Yes, it’s a great make-ahead dish. You can prepare it up to a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes To Try
We hope you love this easy chicken marsala recipe as much as we do! It proves that a restaurant-quality meal is easily within reach on any night of the week. If you try it, please leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out!
For more recipe inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest. Happy cooking!
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
