This easy Chicken Marsala recipe has juicy chicken smothered in a restaurant quality marsala sauce. Serve this with fettuccine pasta or with creamy mashed potatoes!

Chicken Marsala in a skillet with marsala sauce, mushrooms, and parsley.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is definitely one of my favorite restaurant dishes, but sometimes, I like my homemade version even better. (And I’m pretty sure you will too!) Luckily, it’s easy to master this Italian-American classic at home!

This glorious sauce has reduced marsala wine, mushrooms, garlic, shallots, butter, chicken broth, seasonings, and my favorite flavor enhancers.

The chicken is smothered in the plentiful sauce that this recipe makes, and it pairs perfectly with pasta or potatoes! 

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Sauté mushrooms in butter and set aside. Season chicken with salt/pepper and sprinkle with flour. Sear in olive oil until golden on each side, then set aside. 

Cooked mushrooms in a skillet next to a plate of seared chicken breast slices.

Deglaze the skillet with dry marsala wine and reduce by half. Add butter, garlic, and shallots. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes.

Add marsala sauce mixture (chicken broth, beef bouillon, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, mustard powder, and thyme). Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 7-10 minutes.

Garlic, shallots, and butter in a skillet next to a skillet of marsala sauce.

Stir in the mushrooms, then add the chicken back and spoon the sauce on top. Heat through for 3-4 minutes, then serve with buttered noodles or mashed potatoes, along with roasted green beans. 

A skillet with marsala sauce and mushrooms next to a skillet of Chicken Marsala.

Marsala Wine Options

  • Best Marsala Wine: Dry Marsala is better to use over sweet marsala, as the dry variety still has a hint of sweetness to it. Sometimes I only have Cribari Marsala available to me, and though it’s sweet, it’s balanced enough to work in this dish.
  • Marsala Wine Substitutes: Vermouth, Madeira, port, or dark sherry can be used as substitutes for marsala. 1 tablespoon of brandy or cognac can also be added to dry white wine (such as pinot grigio or chardonnay).
  • Non-Alcoholic Substitute:  1/2 cup of white grape juice + 1/4 cup sherry vinegar + 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract. 

Pro Tips

  • Mushrooms: Cremini, (or baby portobella) mushrooms are best because they have a browner color and firmer texture than white button mushrooms, but white button can certainly be used as well
  • Bouillon: I add 1/2 beef bouillon cube for depth of flavor and slightly darker color in this sauce. (It seems counterintuitive to use this in a chicken recipe, but it adds that special “something”!) 
  • The Worcestershire Sauce adds umami and also can’t be tasted in this soup. Soy sauce can be used as a substitute if needed. The Mustard powder is a flavor enhancer that you can’t taste outright.
  • A few drops of Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet can add a slightly darker color to this stew if preferred, but it’s not necessary!
  • A Fancy Finish: Swirl 1-2 tablespoons of cold butter into the sauce just before serving. This adds a smooth, velvety finish and is a technique used by restaurants for soups and sauces. (Do this when the heat is off.)
  • For Serving: Be sure to serve this with my buttered noodles or creamy mashed potatoes and roasted green beans!

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.  Leftovers do freeze well!
  • If reheating from frozen: Thaw leftover chicken overnight in the fridge (or defrost it in the microwave) and then bake it in a small, lightly greased, covered casserole dish at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

A white plate with Chicken Marsala and Fettuccine Pasta.

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A black skillet with Chicken Marsala in a wine sauce with mushrooms and parsley.

Chicken Marsala Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
5 from 29 ratings
Servings: 4 people
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This classic Chicken Marsala recipe is a restaurant worthy dish with a flavorful marsala wine sauce that you can serve with fettuccine pasta or potatoes!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Mushrooms

  • 12 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced/rinsed/dried. See notes.
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Chicken

  • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt/Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Marsala Sauce

  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ½ beef bouillon cube
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, mustard powder
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 cup dry marsala wine, see notes
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon gravy master or kitchen bouquet, optional
  • Freshly Parsley, to garnish

Instructions

Prep Work

  • Combine Sauce Mixture: Combine chicken broth, beef bouillon, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, mustard powder, and thyme. Set aside.

Cook the Mushrooms

  • Melt butter over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Allow them to brown for 4-5 minutes, stir occasionally as they cook. Sprinkle with a little salt halfway through if desired. Set aside once cooked. (This method is the best way for them to retain their shape, color, texture, and flavor. This way they don't become waterlogged/rubbery by staying in the skillet.)

Dredge/Sear the Chicken

  • Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Cover with saran wrap and use the textured side of a meat mallet to pound it to ½ inch thick. Pat dry.
  • Season each side with salt/pepper. Combine the garlic powder with the flour. Sprinkle it over the chicken and rub it over the surface of each side.
  • Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside.

Make the Sauce

  • Turn the heat off. Add the wine and then set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the skillet, the “fond” will add more flavor to the sauce. Bring to a gentle bubble and reduce by half, about 5-6 minutes.
  • Add the butter, garlic, and shallots and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes. The color of the flour mixture should be dark brown.
  • Add the sauce mixture (from step 1) in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it simmer and reduce for 7-10 minutes, uncovered. The longer it simmers, the thicker and more concentrated it will get. (Optional: Add 1/8 tsp. Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet for a darker color.)
  • Add the mushrooms back to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the chicken back and spoon the sauce on top. Cover partially and let it heat through for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve!

Notes

Marsala Options:
  • Best Marsala Wine: Dry Marsala is better to use over sweet marsala, as the dry variety still has a hint of sweetness to it. Sometimes I only have Cribari Marsala available to me, and though it’s sweet, it’s balanced enough to work in this dish.
  • Marsala Wine Substitutes: Vermouth, Madeira, port, or dark sherry can be used as substitutes for marsala. 1 tablespoon of brandy or cognac can also be added to dry white wine (such as pinot grigio or chardonnay).
  • Non-Alcoholic Substitute:  1/2 cup of white grape juice + 1/4 cup sherry vinegar + 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract. 
Pro Tips:
  • Mushrooms: Cremini, (or baby portobella) mushrooms are best because they have a browner color and firmer texture than white button mushrooms, but white button can certainly be used as well
  • Bouillon: I add 1/2 beef bouillon cube for depth of flavor and slightly darker color in this sauce. (It seems counterintuitive to use this in a chicken recipe, but it adds that special "something"!) 
  • The Worcestershire Sauce adds umami and also can't be tasted in this soup. Soy sauce can be used as a substitute if needed. The Mustard powder is a flavor enhancer that you can't taste outright.
  • A few drops of Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet can add a slightly darker color to this stew if preferred, but it's not necessary!
  • A Fancy Finish: Swirl 1-2 tablespoons of cold butter into the sauce just before serving. This adds a smooth, velvety finish and is a technique used by restaurants for soups and sauces. (Do this when the heat is off.)
  • For Serving: Be sure to serve this with my buttered noodles or creamy mashed potatoes and roasted green beans!
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.  Leftovers do freeze well!
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 85mg, Sodium: 743mg, Potassium: 710mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 592IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 49mg, Iron: 2mg
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Author: Stephanie