This chicken marsala is every bit as delicious as your favorite restaurant version, plus, it’s so simple that anyone can make it!

finished chicken marsala in a skillet

This recipe is…

Move over restaurant chicken marsala …we’ve got an at-home version that’s even tastier! That’s right — you can enjoy your favorite Italian restaurant order from the comfort of your own home, and to make it even sweeter, the dish is way easier to make than you may anticipate. This is a really great Italian dish to make for an at-home birthday or anniversary dinner, but because it’s so simple, it’s the yummiest way to elevate even the most regular of weekdays! 

Chicken marsala is an Italian chicken dish served in a rich mushroom cream sauce made with marsala wine. It’s absolutely delicious, and can be found at most Italian-American restaurants.

Recipe Ingredients

The ingredient list is pretty simple, making this recipe one that you can easily make at home (vs. only order from a restaurant!). Here’s everything you’ll need:

all of the ingredients for chicken marsala on a marble surface
  • Chicken Breasts – to start, you’ll need 2 chicken breasts (about 1 pound of chicken). Each chicken breast will need to be cut in half, or butterflied, so that you end up with 4 thinner chicken breasts.
  • Flour – to coat the chicken, you’ll need a ⅓ cup of flour.
  • Salt + Pepper – 1 teaspoon of sea salt and ½ of a teaspoon of ground black pepper combine with the flour to add some flavor to the seared chicken.
  • Butter – you’ll need 3 tablespoons of butter total here — 1 for searing the chicken, 1 for sauteing the shallot and garlic, and 1 for the mushrooms.
  • Shallot – to really up the flavor of the Marsala sauce, you’ll need 1 finely diced shallot and…
  • Garlic – …3 cloves of minced garlic.
  • Mushrooms – 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms head into the skillet with the sauteed garlic and shallot.
  • Heavy Cream – a ½ cup of heavy cream makes this sauce uber creamy.
  • Marsala Wine – what would marsala chicken be without marsala wine? You’ll need a ½ cup here!
  • Lemon – the juice from ½ of a lemon heads into the sauce to finish it off with some nice brightness and acidity.
  • Fresh Thyme – 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme adds the most delicious herby flavor.
  • Parsley – finish your dish off with a garnish of fresh chopped Italian parsley!

Ingredient Modifications

Though this recipe is delicious as written, feel free to make a few swaps if needed. Below, you’ll find swaps that we know will work really well:

  • Make it gluten-free: use a gluten free all-purpose flour (like THIS one) to make this dish gluten-free.
  • Make it dairy-free: use a ½ cup of full-fat canned coconut milk in place of the heavy cream.
  • Use a different cut of chicken: if you’re out of chicken breasts (or just prefer a different cut), substitute the chicken breasts in the recipe for an equal amount of chicken thighs. 

If you’re looking for a non-alcoholic sub for marsala wine, you could absolutely use chicken broth here. Know that the flavor will be slightly different (and definitely less rich), but it’ll still be really tasty.

How to Make

While chicken marsala may seem like a meal that only chefs in restaurants can pull off, it’s actually really easy to execute! Here’s exactly how you’ll pull it together:

halved chicken breasts on a cutting board next to a large knife
chicken breasts searing in a skillet
chicken marsala sauce in a skillet on the stovetop
a person using tongs to coat chicken breasts in a flour mixture
butter, sliced shallot, and minced garlic in a skillet on the stovetop
chicken in a simmering chicken marsala sauce
flour coated chicken breasts searing in a skillet of butter
sauteed shallots, garlic, and mushrooms in a skillet
finished chicken marsala in a skillet
  1. Butterfly the chicken breasts – if you haven’t already, go ahead and butterfly your chicken breasts so that you have 4 thin chicken breasts (vs. 2 thick ones).
  2. Combine flour, salt, and pepper – to a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine.
  3. Coat the chicken breasts – toss the butterflied chicken breasts in the flour mixture to coat on both sides, shaking off any excess flour mixture back into the bowl.
  4. Sear the chicken – melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over high heat. Once hot, sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side, until slightly browned. Then, remove from pan, keeping any chicken juices or browned bits in the pan.
  5. Saute the shallot and garlic – add another tablespoon of butter to the pan that you seared the chicken in, followed by the shallot and garlic. Saute until slightly browned.
  6. Saute the mushrooms – add the last tablespoon of butter to the pan with the shallots and garlic, then add the mushrooms and saute until browned and reduced in size.
  7. Add the wine, cream, lemon juice, and thyme – add the wine, cream, lemon juice, and thyme to the skillet, and bring to a simmer. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan and stir as it cooks.
  8. Return the chicken to the pan and let simmer – once the sauce has thickened slightly, return the chicken to the pan. Let the sauce bubble for 3-4 minutes.
  9. Serve and enjoy – garnish with parsley and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then serve and enjoy!
How do you thicken marsala sauce?

Because we want this sauce to be nice and thick, there isn’t a ton of liquid added into it. Letting your sauce simmer for a little while will help to thicken it too!

What to serve with chicken marsala?

My favorite way to serve chicken marsala is over some sort of potato (either roasted wedges or mashed), but any starchy side would be great (think: rice, risotto, pasta, etc.)

How do you store and reheat this recipe?

Store your chicken marsala in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply pop a serving in the microwave or reheat a larger portion in a skillet on the stovetop!

Can this chicken marsala be modified to fit different diet restrictions?

Definitely! For a more keto approach, omit the flour on the chicken, and serve alongside a simple side salad. For a gluten-free chicken marsala, be sure to use gluten-free all-purpose flour. For a dairy-free approach, use full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream!

a serving of chicken marsala on a plate next to a fork and knife

Chicken Marsala Recipe

5 — Votes 3 votes
By Brandi Schilhab
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
This chicken marsala is every bit as delicious as your favorite restaurant version, plus, it’s so simple that anyone can make it!

Ingredients  

  • 2 large chicken breasts about 1 pound total
  • cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 shallot finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup marsala wine
  • Juice from ½ a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • Fresh Italian parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)
  • Flaky sea salt for garnish (optional)
  • Cracked black pepper for garnish (optional)

Instructions 

  • Butterfly your chicken breasts by cutting them in half widthwise so that you have 4 thin chicken breasts (vs. 2 thick ones).
  • To a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine.
  • Toss the butterflied chicken breasts in the flour mixture to coat on both sides, shaking off any excess flour mixture back into the bowl.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over high heat. Once hot, sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side, until slightly browned. Then, remove from pan, keeping any chicken juices or browned bits in the pan.
  • Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan that you seared the chicken in, followed by the shallot and garlic. Saute until slightly browned.
  • Add the last tablespoon of butter to the pan with the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms, and saute until browned and reduced in size.
  • Add the wine, cream, lemon juice, and thyme to the skillet, and bring to a simmer. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan and stir as it cooks.
  • Once the sauce has thickened slightly, return the chicken to the pan. Let the sauce bubble for 3-4 minutes.
  • Garnish with parsley and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.6g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 17.3g | Saturated Fat: 9.5g | Cholesterol: 122.6mg | Sodium: 644.5mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 3.8g

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 329
Keyword: chicken marsala

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Brandi Schilhab


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3 Comments

  1. Any alternatives for the wine if we don’t drink alcohol? Could red wine vinegar or sherry work?

  2. 5 stars
    This recipe was top-notch! The taste was amazing. My entire family enjoyed and wanted more. A+

    1. We are so happy to hear that, Rachel! Thank you for taking the time to share with us. -Team FF