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Chicken Marsala Recipe

This chicken marsala recipe brings your favorite restaurant order right to your kitchen with minimal ingredients and simple instructions. It’s perfect for date nights, weekday dinners, and more. 

chicken marsala in a white bowl with angel hair pasta
Plated with cooked noodles and extra Parmesan cheese, dinner doesn’t get much better than this chicken marsala recipe.

Chicken Marsala: What Exactly Is It? 

If you’re unfamiliar, chicken marsala is a classic Italian-American dish that features tender pan-fried chicken cutlets that are simmered with mushrooms and a rich wine sauce. Bold in flavor and extravagant in appearance, it’s a hugely sought-after restaurant dish. However, with this recipe, it couldn’t be easier to make right from your own home. 

Chicken Marsala Recipe In Action

What Is The Best Wine for Chicken Marsala? 

Not surprising given this recipe’s name, Marsala wine is best for chicken marsala recipes. It’s a fortified wine made in Sicily, Italy and has a rich, nutty, slightly caramel-like flavor. However, you’ll want to be sure to use dry Marsala wine. Save the sweet varieties for desserts

If needed, you can also substitute Marsala wine with dry Madeira wine, dark Sherry, Port, Red Vermouth, or white grape juice with a splash of Brandy. 

chicken marsala on top of angel hair pasta topped with sliced mushrooms and Parmesan cheese
I love to top my chicken marsala with extra Parmesan cheese!

Key Ingredients for a Chicken Marsala Recipe 

This chicken marsala recipe is on the healthier side and boasts tons of flavor. Here’s what you’ll need: 

  • Boneless skinless chicken fillets are pounded down to tender perfection. 
  • Flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper combine to create a light coating for the most flavorful chicken. 
  • A good dose of butter is used to sauté the garlic, shallot, and mushrooms
  • Plenty of dry Marsala wine is combined and simmered with chicken stock to create a rich, indulgent marsala sauce 
  • High-quality extra virgin olive oil is used for a more nutritious pan-frying cooking method. 

How to Make Marsala Sauce

The key to creating the most flavorful chicken marsala recipe is in nailing the marsala sauce. Without its hearty umami taste, your dish just won’t be the same. Here’s how to ensure it turns out perfectly every time. 

  • Coat your pan with plenty of butter to enhance the flavor of the garlic, mushrooms, and shallots creating a decadent taste without the need for heavy cream. 
  • Due to the fact that there are such few ingredients in this chicken marsala recipe, it’s crucial to use high-quality products. Therefore, we recommend using good low-sodium chicken stock to ensure the base of the sauce has tons of flavor without overwhelming the chicken with heaps of salt. 
  • Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan and remove any stuck veggies. This prevents them from burning and creates the caramelized flavor we’re looking to achieve. 
  • Be sure to let it simmer and thicken before removing it from the heat.
a bowl of cooked chicken marsala with mushrooms on top of angel hair pasta
Quick and easy to make, chicken marsala is great for weeknight meals, date night dinners, and everything in between.

Serving Suggestions

If you want to turn your chicken marsala into a show-stopping meal, try serving chicken marsala:


More to Cook and Eat


Also Try Chicken Madiera (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

Chicken Madeira (Better than Cheesecake Factory!)

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

chicken marsala in a white bowl with angel hair pasta

Chicken Marsala Recipe

4.99 from 61 ratings
This chicken marsala recipe brings your favorite restaurant order right to your chicken with minimal ingredients and simple instructions. It’s perfect for date nights, weekday dinners, and more.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenderloin fillets
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 TB salt
  • 1 TB garlic powder
  • 2 tsp pepper
  • 8-10 TB butter
  • 2 cups cremini, mini portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 ½ cup DRY Marsala wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • Olive oil for pan frying

Instructions

  • Mix together flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Set aside.
  • Melt 2-3 TB butter in large skillet. Sauté garlic and shallots until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Remove from pan and set aside (can keep in oven under “warm” setting)
  • Pour wine, chicken stock, and 2 TB butter into skillet and, boil until sauce is reduced by half. Time will vary, depending on the skillet. Once the sauce has finished reducing, add salt to tase. Set aside, and keep warm.
  • Dry chicken fillets with paper towel. Put pieces on cutting board, cover with cling wrap, and lightly pound them to about 1/3 in. thickness. Dust each fillet with flour mixture, shaking off excess. Melt 2 TB butter and 2 TB oil in large skillet. Fry chicken fillets on medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side (or just until golden brown). Repeat, working in batches until all chicken is done. Remember not to overcrowd that pan, or the chicken ends up getting steamed rather than nicely browned.
  • Place chicken into serving dish or plates, or over buttered pasta (such as angel hair). Spoon mushroom mixture over chicken. Pour Marsala sauce generously over entire dish. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan, and serve warm.

Notes

If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ♡
 

Nutrition (per serving)

Serving: 1g | Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 530mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 410IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American Italian
Method: Stovetop

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10 comments

    • Lawrence

    I there a way we could print your recipes? I really love them and was just looking for an option to readily print them so it would be easier to read while cooking. I appreciate your time and sharing your awesome recipes.

      • Amy Dong

      Thank you, Lawrence! Yes, you can scroll down to the Recipe Card and click the “Print” button there. Happy continued cooking!

    • Marcie

    I don’t have the Marsala wine. Is there anything I could substitute or will it be ok to leave out? Making this tonight for my hubs bday dinner so plllleeeeeease get back with me soon. Thank you so much!!!

      • chewoutloud

      Hi, Marcie! Marsala is the “star flavor” of this dish, so I definitely recommend getting the Marsala wine if you can (it’s ready available at major stores, including Trader Joes and grocery stores.) That said, you could try subbing with Madeira wine, but chances are you’d have to go out and buy that, too. (And it will not be the same as the Marsala.) Hope you guys find a way to make this dish as written, as it’s truly delicious 🙂 Happy birthday to your hubbs! You’re so sweet to be making him a special dinner tonight 🙂

    • Misty

    This marsala was really great! Though the sauce was more of a juice, it never really thickened, but my family loved it!! It could definitely use more mushrooms 🙂 My 3 year old daughter even kept saying how good it was. Thank you for this recipe!!!

      • chewoutloud

      You’re so welcome, Misty! Glad you guys loved it 🙂 🙂 Thanks for coming over to let us know; I hope you continue finding recipes you love here at COL! 🙂

    • Edible Euphoria

    This looks yummy! Thanks for stopping by my blog 🙂

    • karenworth

    I pinned this recipe. :0)

      • chewoutloud

      Aw, thanks! And I’m so glad you stopped by 🙂

        • veryhungrypiglet

        Yummy and really well laid out site!

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