Chicken Marsala

This one pan meal is restaurant-worthy but so easy to make!

Chicken Marsala has tender chicken breasts simmered in a mushroom Marsala sauce for an easy meal in about 30 minutes!

plate of Chicken Marsala with mushroom sauce

Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American classic chicken, mushrooms, and seasonings cooked in a creamy Marsala wine sauce.

It looks and feels fancy but is easy to make in about 30 minutes.
It uses a handful of staple ingredients and Marsala wine.
You’ll need just one skillet—easy cleanup!

chicken, mushrooms, shallot, flour, oil, wine, butter and seasonings to make Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe with labels

Ingredients for Chicken Marsala

Chicken: I use boneless chicken breasts, but boneless chicken thighs or cutlets are great too.
Marsala: Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily. Be sure to choose a dry Marsala wine and not the sweet variety, which is best used for making Italian desserts. It can be replaced with sherry, port, or Madeira.
Sauce: This Marsala sauce is made with chicken broth, butter, shallots, and thyme thickened with flour.
Mushrooms: Use any variety of mushrooms. I love baby Bella (aka cremini mushrooms), but white mushrooms or portobellos are also great options.

Variations

Flavor: Add garlic along with the mushrooms. You can replace shallot with red or white onion.
Creamy: While it’s not traditional, for a creamier sauce, whisk in about ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream at the end of Step 2.
Vegetables: Add chopped asparagus, spinach, or peas for more texture and color.

cooked chicken in pan for Chicken Marsala

How to Make Chicken Marsala

Cook seasoned chicken filets in oil and set them aside.
Prepare the Marsala sauce, simmering until thickened.
Return chicken to the pot and simmer until heated through (full recipe below).

Garnish with parsley and serve as desired.

cooked mushrooms to make Chicken Marsala

Save it and Savor It

Keep leftover chicken Marsala in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop on medium heat.

Freeze cooled portions in zippered bags for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on medium heat.

What to Serve with Chicken Marsala

Did you make this Chicken Marsala Recipe? Leave a rating and comment below!

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This easy Chicken Marsala recipe combines tender chicken with a savory mushroom and Marsala wine sauce, for a cozy, restaurant-quality meal at home.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

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Cover the chicken breasts with plastic wrap and use the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin to pound to ¼-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.
In a large skillet, preheat the olive oil over medium high heat. Cook the chicken in batches, 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

To Make the Sauce

In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons butter, thyme, and shallot and cook over medium heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until juices are released, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons flour and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour in the Marsala wine and stock or broth and simmer until thick and bubbly, about 3 minutes.
Add chicken back into the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
Garnish and serve over pasta.

Marsala: Choose dry marsala wine for this recipe. Sweet marsala wine will make the final dish too sweet.
Chicken breasts: If they’re very large, they can be cut in half horizontally. Replace chicken breasts with 8 thin chicken cutlets.
Sauce: A creamier chicken Marsala can be made by adding ¼ cup of heavy cream to the sauce.
Leftovers: Keep leftover chicken marsala refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

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