Today I’m gonna teach you how to make chicken marsala. This is a 30 minute recipe, restaurant quality, and an easy weeknight meal. I love that the sauce has so much rich flavor; it is light and so, so satisfying.
This recipe totally tastes like my favorite restaurant version, and it is so easy to make at home. You can just make it at a fraction of the price. I like to keep chicken exciting around here, and this creamy, savory sauce is exactly how you do it.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup flour (for dredging)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Sauce
- 8 oz (1/2 lb) brown mushrooms (Baby Bella), thickly sliced
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf or Italian parsley, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prep the Ingredients
Start with some quick prep. Thickly slice up your brown mushrooms and set them aside. Finely mince the garlic cloves and chop your fresh parsley. I like to chop a little extra to garnish the top later. - Prepare the Chicken
Cut the two large chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you end up with four even cutlets. For more even cooking times, it helps to pound the chicken between some layers of plastic wrap to about one-third to one-fourth inch thick. Season the chicken all over with half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. - Dredge the Cutlets
Pour the flour into a shallow bowl. Add the chicken cutlets one by one, shaking off the excess flour. Dredging the chicken in flour will give it a beautiful golden crust and will help thicken up the sauce. - Pan-Fry the Chicken
Place a large skillet over medium heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. Once the butter is melted and the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan in a single layer. Make sure the chicken is golden brown and just cooked through (165°F on an instant-read thermometer). Once the chicken is done, remove it to a plate and cover with foil to keep it warm. - Sauté the Mushrooms
Add your thickly sliced mushrooms to the same pan with more oil as needed. Sauté those for another five minutes until the mushrooms are soft and golden. Once the mushrooms are done, sprinkle the top with half a teaspoon of onion powder and the minced garlic cloves. Sauté for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly, or until the garlic is fragrant. - Make the Sauce
Add the dry Marsala wine. Boil that down for about four to five minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the chicken stock. While stirring the sauce, slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream. Bring it to a simmer and continue to cook the sauce another four to five minutes or until it’s slightly thickened. Season the sauce at the end with salt to taste. - Combine and Serve
Once the sauce has reached your desired consistency, add the chicken cutlets back to the pan. Spoon the sauce all over the chicken cutlets and keep it on the heat just until the chicken is heated through. Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Cooking Tips
- Choose the Right Wine: Make sure it’s a dry Marsala and not a sweet Marsala. This ensures the savory profile of the dish is balanced correctly.
- Don’t Over-Thicken on the Stove: The sauce does get a little bit thicker as it cools. So don’t worry if it seems a little light at first; it will set up beautifully as you plate it.
- Mushroom Texture: I love that the mushrooms are thickly sliced. Thickly slicing them gives them that much more flavor and a wonderful meaty texture.
- Fresh Herbs: I do like to serve with a little bit more fresh parsley because it gives it that vibrant color and, of course, more flavor.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken is fantastic on its own, but it is so good over pasta, steamy, buttery white rice, or creamy mashed potatoes. Honestly, you can just put it on everything. It’s delicious.
Final Notes
I am so excited for you to try this. The combination of juicy, tender chicken and those meaty mushrooms smothered in sauce is irresistible. Make sure to spoon on some extra sauce over each piece of chicken when you serve it—that is what makes this dish so fantastic. Enjoy