Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published February 29, 2020. Updated January 21, 2021

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Chicken Marsala with a creamy sauce! This classic Italian-American chicken recipe includes tender, perfectly pan seared chicken cutlets, and flavor enhancing browned mushrooms, and it’s all covered with a richly seasoned marsala wine, garlic and herb sauce.

Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (1)

Who doesn’t love a dish like this that you can make at home and skip the $20+ restaurant price tag per serving?

This Chicken Marsala recipe is equally as good as what you’ll get at an Italian restaurant so it’s the perfect thing to make on your own, and of course a great dish to serve to guests.

And my version comes together quickly since you reduce the marsala wine separately while the chicken and mushrooms cook. I’m all about saving time.

The other great thing about this recipe is the addition of heavy cream. It really just improves the overall consistency, richness and flavor of the sauce. It helps balance out the acidity of the wine.

It’s a classic dish that does not disappoint!

Then with the leftover marsala wine why not make homemade cannoli? It would make for a dinner sure to impress anyone lucky enough to enjoy!

Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (2)

Ingredients Needed to Make Chicken Marsala

  • boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper
  • all-purpose flour
  • unsalted chicken broth
  • dry marsala wine
  • unsalted butter
  • olive oil
  • cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
  • garlic
  • fresh thyme, oregano and parsley
  • heavy cream
  • cornstarch

Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (3)

How to Make Chicken Marsala with Creamy Sauce

  1. Reduce marsala wine and broth: Add marsala wine and chicken broth to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and let gently boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes.
  2. Prepare chicken cutlets: Meanwhile in season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour.
  3. Cook chicken through in skillet: Melt 1 Tbsp butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and let sear until cooked through (165 in center), turning once halfway through, about 10 – 12 minutes.
  4. Set chicken aside, keep warm: Transfer chicken to a plate. Tent with foil.
  5. Saute mushrooms: Reduce burner temperature to medium heat. Melt remaining 1 Tbsp butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil, add mushrooms. Saute mushrooms, just tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic during last 1 minute of sautéing.
  6. Add reduced liquids and seasonings, thicken sauce: Remove pan from heat then pour in marsala reduction, thyme, and oregano. Return to heat, bring to a simmer then stir in cornstarch chicken broth mixture. Stir until thickened.
  7. Stir in cream, season sauce: Off heat stir in heavy cream, season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Add sauce to chicken, garnish: Return chicken breasts to pan, spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (4) Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (5)

Can I Use Sweet Marsala Wine?

I don’t recommend using sweet marsala wine. There is a generous amount of wine here and it is reduced so it would only sweeten the sauce that much more. I’d stick with dry for best results.

Is There a Substitute for the Wine?

Unfortunately for this recipe without the marsala wine it wouldn’t be chicken marsala so I don’t recommend substitutes. Instead I’d recommend trying my creamy mushroom chicken.

What to Serve with Chicken Marsala?

  • pasta
  • roasted vegetables
  • baked potatoes or mashed potatoes
  • steamed asparagus
  • cheesecake for dessert

Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (6)

Tips for the Best Chicken Marsala

  • Be sure to allow enough time for the marsala wine and chicken broth mixture to simmer so it cooks of the strong alcohol flavor, which could otherwise overpower the dish.
  • Stick with unsalted chicken broth, sauce is reduced quite a bit and you don’t want to end up with an overly salty dish.
  • Don’t use marsala “cooking wine”. It’s salted, has added preservatives, and just has an overall lower quality.
  • Use a medium-high heat to cook chicken for a nice pan seared browning (equating to great flavor).
  • Cover chicken with foil while you finish the sauce to keep it warm.
  • Don’t skip the flour. This encourages browning as well as gives the sauce something to cling to.
  • Don’t skip the cream. The best marsala sauce in my opinion is a creamy marsala sauce.

Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (7)

More Delicious Chicken Recipes to Try

  • Baked Chicken Breasts
  • Caprese Chicken
  • Chicken Parmesan
  • Chicken Piccata
  • Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken
  • Creamy Lemon Romano Chicken

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (8)

5 from 32 votes

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Chicken Marsala

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This classic Italian-American chicken recipe includes tender, perfectly pan seared chicken cutlets, and flavor enhancing browned mushrooms, and it's all covered with a richly seasoned marsala wine, garlic and herb sauce.

Servings: 4

Prep15 minutes minutes

Cook20 minutes minutes

Ready in: 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add marsala wine and chicken broth to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let gently boil until reduced to 1 cup**, about 15 minutes.

  • Meanwhile season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge each side in flour.

  • Melt 1 Tbsp butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and let sear until cooked through (165 in center), turning once halfway through, about 10 - 12 minutes.

  • Transfer chicken to a plate. Tent with foil.

  • Reduce burner temperature to medium heat. Melt remaining 1 Tbsp butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil, add mushrooms.

  • Sauté mushrooms, just tossing occasionally (and increasing burner temp slightly as needed to encourage browning), until mushrooms have shrunk and are golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic during last 1 minute of sautéing.

  • Remove pan from heat then pour in marsala reduction***, thyme and oregano.

  • Return to heat, bring to a simmer, while scraping up browned bits from the bottom, then stir in cornstarch chicken broth mixture. Stir until thickened****.

  • Off heat stir in heavy cream, season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken breasts to pan, spoon sauce over top.

  • Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

  • *If you want a more mild marsala flavor in the dish you can reduce marsala wine down to 3/4 cup and then increase chicken broth to 1 3/4 cups.
  • **If by chance it was accidentally reduced to less than 1 cup then just add more chicken broth to reach 1 cup.
  • ***Depending on the wine you may also want to add a pinch or two of sugar if it has no sweetness to it to balance the acidity.
  • ****If sauce seems a little thick add a splash of chicken broth, if its seems a little thin you can add in a little extra cornstarch mixed with broth.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Marsala

Amount Per Serving

Calories 448Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Fat 24g37%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 133mg44%

Sodium 200mg9%

Potassium 944mg27%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 33g66%

Vitamin A 617IU12%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 45mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Chicken Marsala

Author: Jaclyn

Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

How to thicken up chicken Marsala sauce? ›

So, if you are at the stage where your sauce should be thickening and it isn't, sprinkle a ½ teaspoon of flour evenly across the top of the sauce. It should help thicken it right up. Also, when you are coating the chicken in flour make sure you are really coating them well.

Which Marsala is best for chicken Marsala? ›

Use dry marsala rather than sweet marsala which is more commonly used in desserts. Sub with port wine, sherry, or madeira. For non alcoholic version, better to make Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce! 4.

Is it better to cook with dry or sweet Marsala? ›

Though both were acceptable, tasters found that dry Marsala offered more depth of flavor, while sweet Marsala added sweetness and some flavor but wasn't as complex. The takeaway? For both savory and sweet applications, we suggest using dry Marsala if a recipe doesn't specify a style.

What is traditionally served with chicken Marsala? ›

  • Rice. Rice is a classic, gluten-free side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken Marsala. ...
  • Risotto. For a classic Italian side dish, consider risotto, a creamier alternative to plain rice. ...
  • Egg Noodles. ...
  • Angel Hair Pasta. ...
  • Zucchini Noodles. ...
  • Polenta. ...
  • Mashed Potatoes. ...
  • Boursin Hasselback Potatoes.
Mar 17, 2023

How do you thicken creamy chicken sauce? ›

Use one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon cold water (aka a cornstarch slurry) for each cup of medium-thick sauce. Thoroughly mix the cornstarch and water together, then pour into your sauce. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

What is the best way to thicken sauce that has become too watery? ›

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency.

Can I use red wine instead of Marsala for chicken Marsala? ›

If you're preparing a sweeter dish, she suggests reaching for sherry, Moscato, or Port as an easy swap. You could even try a potent dry red tossed in with a bit of sugar and an orange peel as a comparable substitute.

What's the difference between chicken piccata and chicken marsala? ›

While both chicken piccata and chicken Marsala are cooked in the same way, there are a few key differences between the two dishes. Chicken piccata isn't creamy. It's cooked with white wine, chicken broth, capers, and lemon juice. It's tangy and bright instead of rich and creamy.

What is chicken marsala sauce made of? ›

Marsala Sauce:

3/4 cup dry Marsala wine. 1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or stock) 3/4 cup heavy cream (thickened cream, evaporated milk or half and half may also be used)** 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley.

Do you drink Marsala wine or just cook with it? ›

Obviously by now you know that yes, you can drink Marsala wine. Remember, for cooking, you can use the younger, much less expensive variety. But for the best Marsala wine for drinking, you can splurge on the more expensive, aged stuff.

Can I use Taylor Marsala wine for chicken marsala? ›

3.0Use it all the time for making chicken marsala. Also goes pretty well with homemade fudge brownies.

Is there a difference between Marsala wine and sweet Marsala wine? ›

Dry Marsala is typically used for savory entrées where it adds a nutty flavor and caramelization to beef tenderloin, mushrooms, turkey and veal. Sweet Marsala is typically used to make very sweet and viscous sauces. You'll commonly find it used in desserts such as zabaglione and main dishes with chicken or pork loin.

Which Marsala wine is best for chicken Marsala? ›

For cooking savory dishes like this one, use a secco (dry), fine (aged one year) ambra or oro Marsala. This impressive dish leans on the wine's flavor profile, giving it a deep and nutty richness. Even better, it comes together quickly, which makes it just as suitable for busy weeknights as weekend entertaining.

What starch goes with chicken Marsala? ›

Rice is one of the most popular Chicken marsala sides. You can choose from white rice or brown rice. You can make plain rice or add some diced onion and bell pepper for extra flavor. The rice will soak up the delicious Marsala wine sauce.

Is chicken Marsala eaten in Italy? ›

Chicken marsala (Italian: pollo al marsala or scaloppine al marsala) is an Italian-American dish of chicken escalopes in a Marsala wine sauce. It is a variation of traditional Italian scaloppina dishes, of which there are many varieties throughout Italy.

How do you make sauce thicker? ›

A general ratio to work with is 2 tablespoons flour for every cup of liquid. Start by adding a little bit, then cook, stirring, for a few minutes to allow the sauce time to thicken and cook off the raw flour taste; if the results are minimal, add more.

How do you thicken watery hot sauce? ›

If you're dealing with a stir-fry sauce or gravy that's just a little too runny, make a cornstarch slurry with two parts water and one part starch (adding it directly to your sauce will cause it to clump), then whisk it into your hot sauce, keeping in mind your sauce will further thicken as it cools.

What is the best way to thicken a wine sauce? ›

Additionally, some recipes call for adding butter or flour to the sauce for added thickness. You can also opt to try other common thickeners, like cornstarch or arrowroot, if you prefer.

How do you thicken chicken tonight sauce? ›

Cornstarch, arrowroot, common wheat flour, and the flours or powders made from potato, tapioca, chickpea — to name but a few — long have been used to thicken cooking liquids. (Gelatins and gums also can play a similar role.)

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