This Chicken Marsala recipe is made all in one pan, in less than 30 minutes, prep included! Whip up this easy dinner and enjoy rich creamy marsala sauce studded with caramelized mushrooms on top of seared, juicy chicken breasts in no time at all.
Gather This
Most of what you need are pantry staples or easily grabbed at the grocery store for this delicious chicken marsala. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Button or baby bella mushrooms– Get fancy with a blend of porcinis, portabella or oyster mushrooms.
- Dry Marsala Wine– The namesake of the whole dish, this one probably shouldn’t be swapped out, but if you need a substitution for marsala wine, just sub in additional chicken stock and a hefty splash of vinegar.
- Garlic
- Chicken stock
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Unsalted butter
- Neutral oil
- Heavy cream
- Coarse kosher salt and pepper
- Cornstarch
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – I like to use coarse kosher salt to bring out the other flavors of this chicken marsala. If using another type of salt, keep in mind that different salts measure differently.
- Seasoning – The garlic, salt, pepper and mushrooms add enough flavor for me, but you can certainly season it more! Try adding crushed red pepper flakes to take the heat up a notch.
- Swaps – Instead of chicken breasts, try chicken thighs, thigh fillets or even pork instead. Instead of the mushrooms I suggested, get fancy with a blend of porcinis, portabella or oyster mushrooms.
- Senses – This dish entices with the sizzle of pan-seared chicken cutlets bathed in a glossy, mushroom-studded wine sauce. The savory aroma of garlic and Marsala wine fills the air, while each bite melts tenderly on the tongue—earthy, rich, and just a little sweet.
Perfect Pairings
Some of our favorites are something nice, vibrant and green like Crunchy Baked Broccoli, Peas and Onions or Green Beans with Bacon.
Be sure to have a pot of pasta, rice, or a nice loaf of bread on hand to soak up all the extra goodness in this savory dish.
And for a base, plain rice or egg noodles work, but these take it up a notch: Buttered Noodles, Toasted Couscous and Almond Rice Pilaf.
Chicken Marsala Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt , divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil , divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups white mushrooms , washed and sliced (12 small mushrooms)
- 4 cloves fresh garlic , minced
- 1 ½ cups marsala wine
- ⅔ cup low sodium chicken stock
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cold water
Instructions
- Filet the 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts in half, pat dry. Season both sides of the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the coarse kosher salt and a ½ teaspoon of the ground black pepper.
- Heat a large, rimmed skillet over medium heat. When hot add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and butter. When the butter melts, stir in the mushrooms with a ¼ teaspoon of the coarse kosher salt until lightly browned, approximately 4 minutes.
- Once golden, remove the mushrooms to a bowl, set saide. Increase the heat to medium-high and add another 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter.
- When the butter is melted, add the chicken to the pan and sear on each side, until golden brown. About 3-4 minutes per side.
- Remove the chicken and reduce the heat to low. Add the minced 4 cloves fresh garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Slowly pour in the 1 ½ cups marsala wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When all the wine is added, add the ⅔ cup low sodium chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once bubbling, let cook down for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Slowly, while stirring, add in the ¼ cup heavy cream and remaining 1 tablespoon of butter until completely combined. Taste and adjust salt if desired.
- Whisk together the 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 1 teaspoon cold water until smooth. Slowly add the slurry into the pan while stirring.
- Return the mushrooms and chicken to the pan, coating them with sauce and mushrooms, cooking for another 1-2 minutes.
- Serve immediately with a generous serving of sauce.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Video
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave. The delicious sauce might need to have the seasoning corrected as chilled sauces often need a little salt to be revived.
Yep! Let it cool to room temperature then store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge, then reheat in a pan or the microwave to enjoy later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Marsala wine is a fortified, sweet wine that originated in Sicily. It can be marketed as sweet, or dry, and is most used to make delicious sauces. While the authentic stuff is fantastic, your grocery store marsala works perfectly in this recipe!
You can either slice in half, pound to about ½ inch thick, or use thin chicken cutlets that are prepped for you. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound.
More Easy Mushroom Recipes
Mushrooms are one of my favorite, most versatile ingredients. Here are some of my favorite ways to use them.
- Even more dinner ideas!
Excellent recipe. Will make it again!
This marsala sauce is so, so good!
My favorite dish of all time!
Love an easy one pan meal! So good for those lazy days. This recipe was great!
Love the presentation and I just want to grab it all. Love the juicy texture of the chicken and the sauce looks delicious.
Easy to make and thanks for including instructions on what to do if you are out of cream. Lifesaver!
We have been spending a lot more time in the kitchen, cooking as a family lately. It has been fun to involve the kids with recipe research and cooking! We found your recipe and we made it today! It was a success and a hit with everybody!
Such a delicious dinner! Love that you can make it so fast!
Our new favorite chicken marsala recipe – thank you SO much!