Chicken Marsala

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This chicken marsala is a classic Italian-American skillet dinner — golden, flour-dusted chicken cutlets in a rich and creamy Marsala wine sauce loaded with deeply browned cremini mushrooms. It’s savory, elegant, and comes together in about 35 minutes with one pan.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: chicken marsala, chicken marsala recipe, chicken with marsala sauce, creamy chicken marsala

Servings: servings

Calories: 403kcal

Ingredients

For the chicken

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 4 chicken cutlets
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
12 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
2 small shallots finely diced
3 garlic cloves minced
¾ cup dry Marsala wine
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally to create 4 thin cutlets (or use store-bought cutlets). Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even ¼-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper, then dredge each cutlet in flour, shaking off the excess.
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, salt and pepper
Heat some olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter foams, add the cutlets in a single layer — work in 2 batches if needed. Sear for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
1 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet. Add the sliced cremini mushrooms, spread in an even layer, and let sit undisturbed for 2–3 minutes before stirring. Cook 6–8 minutes total until deeply browned and any liquid has cooked off. Season lightly with salt.
1 tablespoons olive oil, 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
Push the mushrooms to one side. Add the diced shallots and sauté for 2 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2 small shallots, 3 garlic cloves
Pour in the dry Marsala wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until the wine reduces by about half and the raw alcohol smell has cooked off.
¾ cup dry Marsala wine
Add the chicken broth and simmer for 3–4 minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in the heavy cream and let the sauce gently bubble for 2–3 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
¾ cup chicken broth, ½ cup heavy cream
Nestle the chicken cutlets back into the pan along with any juices from the plate. Spoon the sauce over the top and simmer for 1–2 minutes to warm through. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately over mashed potatoes, pasta, or polenta.
2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Notes

Dry Marsala only: Sweet Marsala is meant for desserts and will make the sauce taste too sweet. Look for “dry” or “secco” on the label. If unavailable, dry Madeira or dry sherry both work as substitutes.
For a thicker, gravy-style sauce: Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of flour over the mushrooms and aromatics before deglazing. Let it cook for a minute so it doesn’t taste raw, then continue with the wine and broth as written.
Mixed mushrooms: Try a combination of cremini, baby bella, and shiitake for a more complex, earthy flavor. Keep the total at 12 ounces.
Add fresh thyme: For a subtle herby note, stir in ½ teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves along with the chicken broth.

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