Chicken Marsala Recipe

I made Chicken Marsala last Tuesday and honestly the sauce came out better than I expected. The flour coating stayed on this time and the mushroom Marsala sauce didn’t get thin and watery like it usually does when I rush it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The flour bag trick means no messy hands and every inch gets coated
• You don’t clean the pan between steps so all that browned butter flavor stays
• Mushrooms actually brown instead of steaming if you let them sit
• The sauce reduces down to something that coats the back of a spoon, not just wine-flavored water
• Heavy cream goes in at the end and doesn’t break or curdle
• It’s done in 45 minutes but tastes like you’ve been working on it way longer

The Story Behind This Recipe

I kept ordering this at Italian places and then trying to make easy Marsala chicken at home and it’d come out bland or the sauce would be too thin. Last week I just decided to stop cutting corners. I let the wine actually reduce like the recipe said instead of rushing it. I used real Marsala instead of whatever cooking wine I had lying around. And I stopped trying to skip the cream because I thought it wouldn’t matter but it really does. Now I’ve got a version that works and I’m not embarrassed to serve it when people come over.

What You Need

You’ll want 1 cup of all-purpose flour mixed with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper for the coating. Don’t use fancy flour here, just the regular stuff. The coating needs to grip the chicken and then brown up without burning, and all-purpose does that fine.

4 boneless skinless chicken filets go into that flour mix. I had filets that were about 6 ounces each but yours might be different sizes and that’s okay. Just make sure they’re not those giant thick ones or they won’t cook evenly.

2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter get heated together. You need both because butter alone burns too fast and oil alone doesn’t taste like anything. They work better as a team and that’s where the browning flavor comes from.

8 ounces sliced mushrooms go in after the chicken comes out. I used baby bellas because that’s what I had but white buttons work too. Just don’t use those fancy mushrooms that cost like nine dollars because they’ll cook down to nothing anyway.

2 shallots get sliced thin along with 2 garlic cloves that you mince up. Shallots are sweeter than onions and they don’t get that sharp bite when you cook them down in the mushroom Marsala sauce.

3/4 cup chicken broth and 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine make the actual sauce. The Marsala has to be dry, not sweet, or the whole thing tastes like dessert went wrong. I found mine near the cooking wines but it was in a regular wine bottle.

1/3 cup heavy cream goes in at the end with 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves. The cream makes it stop being just wine-flavored broth and turns it into something that actually coats the chicken. Fresh parsley gets chopped for garnish but honestly I forgot it once and nobody noticed.

How to Make Chicken Marsala

Put the flour, salt and pepper inside a big plastic bag that seals. Add the chicken filets one at a time and shake until they’re covered completely. I used to try doing this on a plate but it never stuck right and my hands got all gummy.

The coating should look thick but not clumpy. If it clumps off in spots just shake it again.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a 13-inch skillet over medium-high. Wait until the butter foams up and the oil starts to shimmer before you add anything. If you put the chicken in too early it just sits there and steams instead of browning.

Lay each piece of chicken into the pan gently so it doesn’t splash hot oil everywhere. Let it sizzle and brown on the bottom without moving it around for several minutes. Flip it once and keep cooking until the internal temperature hits 165°F, which took me about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Mine were kind of thick so yours might go faster.

Take the chicken out and keep it warm on a plate with some foil over it or just set the heat to low under the plate. Don’t wipe out the pan because all that browned butter and flour bits are the base of your sauce.

Toss the sliced mushrooms, shallots, and garlic into the same pan. Stir them around frequently over medium-high heat. The mushrooms will start hissing as their moisture cooks out and that’s when they actually brown instead of just getting soft and gray. This easy Marsala chicken needs mushrooms that have some color on them. It took me 2 to 3 minutes but I wasn’t watching the clock that close.

Pour in the chicken broth and dry Marsala wine. The liquid bubbles up really fast at first because the pan’s so hot. Turn it down to a low simmer and just let it go until it reduces to about half of what you started with.

This is the part I used to rush and that’s why my sauce always came out thin. It needs the full 12 to 15 minutes. You’ll smell it getting deeper and more concentrated as the alcohol cooks off and the flavors pull together.

Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream and fresh thyme leaves. The sauce will lighten up in color and get thicker almost immediately. Put the chicken back in the pan and nestle it down into the sauce so it’s mostly covered. Let everything simmer together gently for 7 to 10 minutes.

The sauce thickens up into something that actually clings to the chicken instead of running off onto the plate. When you tilt the pan the sauce should move slow and coat the back of a spoon. That’s when you know it’s done.

Chop up some fresh parsley and scatter it over the top before you serve. It looks nice and smells good but honestly the Chicken Marsala recipe works fine without it if you forget.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I added the cream too early, like right after the wine went in, and it broke into these weird grainy bits floating in the sauce. Cream needs to go in after the wine reduces or the acid does something to it. I had to start the sauce over while the chicken sat there getting cold and I was so annoyed.

Now I wait until the wine’s completely reduced and the heat’s lower before the cream goes anywhere near the pan. Haven’t had it break since.

Chicken Marsala Recipe

By Emma

Prep:

10 min

Cook:

35 min

Total:

45 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken filets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Method

1. 1 Combine flour, salt, and pepper inside a large sealable plastic bag. Add chicken filets one by one, shaking until each piece is heavily coated in the seasoned flour mixture. The coating should stick well but not clump.
2. 2 Heat olive oil and butter together in a 13-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Wait until the butter foams and oil shimmers before adding chicken.
3. 3 Lay chicken gently into the pan, letting it sizzle and brown on the bottom undisturbed for several minutes. Flip and cook until the internal temperature hits 165°F, about 6-8 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove the chicken and keep it warm over low heat or on a plate tented with foil.
4. 4 In the same pan, don’t wipe it out. The buttery oil leftover carries flavor. Toss in sliced mushrooms, shallots, and minced garlic. Stir frequently over medium-high heat and listen for mushrooms’ moisture evaporating with a gentle hiss. Cook until mushrooms are browned and softened, roughly 2 to 3 minutes.
5. 5 Pour in chicken broth and dry Marsala wine into the hot pan. The liquid will bubble vigorously at first – keep it at a low simmer and let it reduce until it’s about half the original volume. This will take around 12 to 15 minutes. The aroma will deepen, and the sauce thickens slightly.
6. 6 Lower heat to medium-low and stir in heavy cream and fresh thyme leaves. Return the chicken to the pan; nestle it into the sauce. Let everything simmer gently together for 7 to 10 minutes. The sauce should thicken up into a luscious, velvety consistency that clings to the chicken.
7. 7 Once ready, scatter chopped fresh parsley over the top for a burst of color and light herbal aroma before serving.

Nutritional information

Calories

795

Protein

77g

Carbs

21g

Fat

39g

Print Recipe Save to Pinterest

Tips for the Best Chicken Marsala

Don’t move the chicken around once it hits the pan. I know it’s tempting to peek underneath but every time you lift it or shift it you mess with the crust that’s trying to form. Just let it sit there and sizzle until the edges start looking golden and it releases easily when you slide the spatula under.

If your mushrooms are giving off a ton of liquid and just sitting there steaming, your pan isn’t hot enough or you’ve crowded them too much. Push them to spread out in a single layer and crank the heat up a bit. They need space to actually brown instead of just sweating in their own juice.

The wine reduction smells like it’s done way before it actually is. I used to pull it off the heat when it smelled concentrated but the sauce would still come out thin. Now I watch the liquid level and don’t stop until it’s visibly reduced by half, which honestly looks like less than you’d think is left in there.

When you put the chicken back in for that final simmer, spoon some of the mushroom Marsala sauce over the top so the pieces that stick up don’t dry out. I noticed the chicken stays juicier when it’s partially submerged and basted a bit during those last 7 to 10 minutes.

Use a 13-inch skillet if you’ve got one because four chicken filets need room or they’ll steam each other. I tried cramming them into a smaller pan once and the temperature dropped so much they basically boiled in their own moisture instead of getting that nice golden crust.

Serving Ideas

I put this over egg noodles the first time and the sauce soaked right in which was really good. Mashed potatoes work too if you want something that’ll soak up all that cream and wine.

A simple arugula salad with lemon juice cuts through how rich the Chicken Marsala recipe is. I just toss arugula with olive oil, lemon and shaved parmesan and it’s enough.

Crusty bread for wiping up the extra sauce is honestly the best part. I’ll tear off chunks and drag them through whatever’s left on the plate because that sauce is too good to waste.

Roasted asparagus or green beans on the side give you something crisp to balance out the soft chicken and mushrooms.

Variations

You can use pork chops instead of chicken and it works pretty much the same way. Just make sure they’re not too thick or the outside burns before the inside cooks through. The mushroom Marsala sauce tastes even richer with pork for some reason, maybe because pork has more fat.

Swap the heavy cream for half-and-half if that’s what you’ve got but the sauce won’t be quite as thick. It’ll still taste fine, just a little thinner and you might need to let it reduce an extra few minutes.

Add a handful of sun-dried tomatoes when the mushrooms go in and they’ll plump up in the sauce and add this sweet-tart thing that’s actually really good. I did this once when I had a jar sitting around and it didn’t mess with the flavor, just added another layer.

Skip the shallots and use a small yellow onion if you can’t find shallots or don’t want to pay for them. Yellow onion is a little sharper and takes longer to soften but the easy Marsala chicken still comes together fine. Just slice it thin so it cooks down properly.

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Yeah, boneless skinless thighs work and they stay juicier because they’ve got more fat. They take about the same amount of time to cook through to 165°F but watch them because they’re usually smaller than breasts. The coating sticks just as well.

What if I don’t have Marsala wine? You really need it for this recipe to taste right but in a pinch use dry sherry mixed with a tiny splash of brandy. Sweet Marsala or cooking Marsala from the grocery store will make it taste weird and too sweet. Don’t use regular red or white wine because it just doesn’t have that same flavor.

Can I make this ahead of time? The chicken and sauce keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container but the coating gets soft when it sits in the sauce. Reheat it gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of chicken broth to loosen the sauce back up. I wouldn’t make it more than a day ahead if you want the texture to stay decent.

How do I reheat leftovers without drying out the chicken? Put it in a skillet with a few tablespoons of chicken broth or water, cover it with a lid, and heat it on medium-low until it’s warmed through. The steam keeps the chicken from drying out and the extra liquid brings the sauce back. Microwave works but the chicken gets rubbery.

Can I freeze Chicken Marsala? I’ve frozen it and it’s okay but not great. The cream sauce can separate a little when you thaw and reheat it. If you’re going to freeze it, do it in an airtight container for up to 2 months and reheat it slowly on the stove, whisking the sauce as it warms up to bring it back together.

What kind of mushrooms work best? Baby bella mushrooms have more flavor than white buttons but both work fine. Don’t use portobello caps because they’re too big and meaty and they turn the sauce really dark. Shiitake mushrooms are too strong and kind of take over the whole dish.

My sauce is too thin, what do I do? Let it simmer longer uncovered until more liquid evaporates. If you’re in a hurry, mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir it in, then simmer for another minute. The wine might not have reduced enough before you added the cream.

My sauce is too thick, how do I fix it? Stir in chicken broth a tablespoon at a time until it loosens up to the consistency you want. Sometimes if it sits too long it keeps thickening as the flour and cream bind together. Just thin it out gradually so you don’t overshoot.

Can I skip the flour coating? You could but the chicken won’t brown as well and you’ll lose that thickening power the flour adds to the sauce when it mixes with the butter and oil. The coating also helps the sauce cling to the chicken instead of just sliding off onto the plate.

Do I have to use fresh thyme or can I use dried? Dried thyme works but use way less, like 1/4 teaspoon instead of 1 teaspoon of fresh. Dried herbs are more concentrated and if you use the same amount it’ll taste too herby and kind of dusty. Fresh tastes better here but dried gets you close.

What if my chicken is different sizes? Just adjust the cooking time for each piece. Smaller ones might only need 5 minutes per side and bigger ones could take 9 or 10 minutes. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer instead of guessing by time. Pull each piece out as it hits 165°F and keep it warm while the others finish.

Can I use chicken tenders? They work but they cook way faster, like 3 to 4 minutes per side total. You’ll need to watch them close or they’ll overcook and get dry. The coating might be too much flour for how small they are so shake off the excess really well before they go in the pan.

My coating keeps falling off in the pan, what am I doing wrong? The pan probably wasn’t hot enough when you put the chicken in or you moved it around too much before the coating had a chance to set. Let the oil and butter get really hot and shimmer before the chicken goes in, then don’t touch it until it’s ready to flip.

How do I know when the wine is reduced enough? It should look like about half the liquid you started with and it’ll coat a spoon when you dip it in and pull it out. If you drag a spatula across the bottom of the pan you should see the pan for a second before the liquid flows back. It takes the full 12 to 15 minutes usually.

Can I double this recipe? You’ll need two pans or cook the chicken in batches because eight filets won’t fit in one pan without crowding. If they’re touching they won’t brown right. You can double the sauce in one pan after the chicken’s done though, just give it extra time to reduce since there’s more liquid.

What’s the best pan to use? A 13-inch skillet with enough surface area so the chicken isn’t crammed in there. Stainless steel or a good nonstick both work. Cast iron holds heat really well but it’s heavy and I’m usually too tired to deal with lifting it around on a Tuesday night.