I perfected Chicken Marsala with pan-seared cutlets, browned mushrooms, and a richly seasoned marsala wine sauce that conceals one clever trick for a silky, restaurant-style finish.
I kept putting off making this because I thought it would be too fancy, but I was wrong. After testing a few Marsala Chicken Recipes and even a Chicken Marsala Without Mushrooms idea, I landed on a version that makes me pause before taking a bite.
Pan seared boneless skinless chicken breasts, browned mushrooms and a silky Marsala wine sauce feel like a restaurant moment, yet it’s totally doable at home. I like how the sauce clings to the meat and how the mushrooms add an earthy kick.
Try it when you want something that looks impressive but wont ruin your evening.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Lean protein, fills you up, cooks fast, can dry out if overcooked.
- Mushrooms: Earthy flavor, add meaty texture, some fiber and B vitamins, soak up sauce.
- Marsala wine: Sweetish, lightly nutty, brings depth and mild sweetness to the sauce.
- Heavy cream: Adds richness and silkiness, boosts calories, smooths the wine’s tang.
- Butter and olive oil: Brown chicken nicely, add flavor, butter gives richness, oil prevents burning.
- Garlic and shallot: Aromatics that give punch, garlic sharpness, shallot sweet subtlety.
- Lemon juice and parsley: Lemon brightens sauce, parsley freshens look and flavor, optional but nice.
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb), halved horizontally to make 8 thin cutlets
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped (or 1/2 small onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
How to Make this
1. Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels, season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then dredge each piece lightly in the flour and shake off the excess.
2. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Don’t overcrowd the pan, work in batches if you need to.
3. Add the cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer cooked cutlets to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
4. Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt, cook until they release their moisture and start to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Stir in the chopped shallot and minced garlic and cook another 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant but not burned.
6. Pour in the Marsala wine and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, 2 to 3 minutes, this concentrates the flavor and burns off most of the alcohol.
7. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, let it reduce slightly for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit.
8. Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and the optional lemon juice, simmer gently until the sauce is silky and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
9. Return the chicken and any juices back to the skillet, spoon sauce over the cutlets and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve right away.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy-bottomed skillet for browning the cutlets and making the sauce
2. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for halving breasts and slicing mushrooms/shallot
3. Shallow dish or plate for dredging the cutlets in flour
4. Tongs or a wide spatula to flip and transfer the cutlets, tongs are easiest
5. Wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits and stir the sauce
6. Measuring cups and spoons for the Marsala, stock, cream and seasonings
7. Liquid measuring cup for pouring the wine and stock without spilling
8. Paper towels and a plate to pat dry and rest the chicken
9. Small ladle or serving spoon for spooning sauce over the cutlets, and a kitchen thermometer optional if you want extra peace of mind
FAQ
Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} Substitutions and Variations
- Marsala wine: use dry sherry or Madeira, same amount. If you want non alcoholic, try equal parts grape juice and a splash of white vinegar or lemon juice to cut the sweetness.
- Heavy cream: swap with half and half plus 2 tablespoons melted butter for richness, or use coconut cream for a dairy free option (might change flavor slightly).
- All purpose flour (for dredging): use cornstarch for a lighter, crisper crust (use about 1/4 cup), or a 1:1 gluten free flour blend if needed.
- Boneless chicken breasts: replace with boneless skinless thighs, turkey cutlets, or pork cutlets. Note cooking times will change a bit, thighs need a little longer and are more forgiving.
Pro Tips
1) Pat the cutlets really dry and flour them light, dont glob on the flour or the crust will get gummy when it hits the pan. After dredging let them sit 5 minutes so the flour actually sticks, it helps get a nicer brown.
2) Get the pan good and hot before adding oil and cook in small batches, if you crowd it the chicken will steam not sear. Use a wire rack or paper towels on a baking sheet to keep cooked pieces from sitting in juices, that keeps them crisp.
3) Let the mushrooms brown properly, dont rush them — they need to release and then re-absorb their liquid to build flavor. Add garlic only near the end so it doesnt burn, and when you pour in the Marsala scrape the browned bits from the pan, thats where the sauce gets its best taste.
4) Add the cream on low heat and warm it gently, too much boiling will break the sauce. Finish with a squeeze of lemon if you like brightness, and always taste for salt and pepper at the end, small adjustments make a big difference.
Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce}
I perfected Chicken Marsala with pan-seared cutlets, browned mushrooms, and a richly seasoned marsala wine sauce that conceals one clever trick for a silky, restaurant-style finish.
8
servings
300
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy-bottomed skillet for browning the cutlets and making the sauce
2. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for halving breasts and slicing mushrooms/shallot
3. Shallow dish or plate for dredging the cutlets in flour
4. Tongs or a wide spatula to flip and transfer the cutlets, tongs are easiest
5. Wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits and stir the sauce
6. Measuring cups and spoons for the Marsala, stock, cream and seasonings
7. Liquid measuring cup for pouring the wine and stock without spilling
8. Paper towels and a plate to pat dry and rest the chicken
9. Small ladle or serving spoon for spooning sauce over the cutlets, and a kitchen thermometer optional if you want extra peace of mind
Ingredients
-
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb), halved horizontally to make 8 thin cutlets
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
-
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
-
2 tablespoons olive oil
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced
-
1 small shallot, finely chopped (or 1/2 small onion)
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
-
3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
-
1/3 cup heavy cream
-
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
-
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels, season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then dredge each piece lightly in the flour and shake off the excess.
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Don't overcrowd the pan, work in batches if you need to.
- Add the cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer cooked cutlets to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt, cook until they release their moisture and start to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped shallot and minced garlic and cook another 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant but not burned.
- Pour in the Marsala wine and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, 2 to 3 minutes, this concentrates the flavor and burns off most of the alcohol.
- Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, let it reduce slightly for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and the optional lemon juice, simmer gently until the sauce is silky and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Return the chicken and any juices back to the skillet, spoon sauce over the cutlets and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve right away.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 192g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 300kcal
- Fat: 13.2g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated: 6g
- Cholesterol: 113mg
- Sodium: 300mg
- Potassium: 350mg
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 3g
- Protein: 27.5g
- Vitamin A: 250IU
- Vitamin C: 3mg
- Calcium: 60mg
- Iron: 1.3mg