This popular Italian-American dish is a great weeknight meal, and a good way to elevate boring old chicken breasts. Even though chicken marsala it looks fancy and tastes delicious, you can have this dish ready in less than 45 minutes from start to finish!
This thinly pounded chicken breast is finished in a delectable mushroom and wine sauce, specifically Marsala. This Sicilian fortified wine is a great addition to savory sauces and is similar in usage to the Portuguese Madeira or the Spanish Pedro Ximenez.
Chicken Marsala is so versatile it makes a great weeknight meal. Not to mention it pairs well with so many different side dishes. I often serve it along with my French whipped potatoes, but you can choose whatever you like!
How To Cook Chicken Marsala
This recipe has about 13 ingredients, but most of the stuff is easy to find – if not already in your pantry. You can also use substitutions which I’ll mention below.
Ingredients
- 2 large Chicken Breasts – I suggest getting the biggest ones you can, as you will cut them in half before pounding thin.
- 500 grams Mushrooms – most recipes will use button mushrooms and you absolutely can as well. However I prefer to use better mushrooms when possible so for this recipe I used some Oyster Mushrooms.
- 1 Yellow Onion – finely chopped. Can also substitute for a couple shallots.
- 4 tbsp Flour – 3 for the frying and 1 for thickening the sauce
- 500 ml Chicken Stock – homemade or store-bought
- 150 ml Marsala Wine – you can also use Madeira or PX if you find it more convenient. The flavors will be slightly different, but still delicious.
- 60 grams Butter
- 5 cloves Garlic – chopped
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Black Pepper – to taste
- Italian Flat Leaf Parsley – roughly chopped, for garnish
- 2 tbsp Heavy Cream – optional
To begin making a chicken marsala you should first cut your chicken breasts in half along the width. This makes pounding them easier, and provides a more uniform shape. Then simply pound them with a meat tenderizer until they are about 50% larger.
In a bowl mix together three tablespoons of flour and salt and pepper. I use about a half teaspoon each of salt and of freshly cracked black pepper. Then add your pounded chicken breasts and toss to coat completely.
In a large thick bottomed pan add the olive oil and the butter. Put on medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted add in your chicken and fry each side about 3 minutes. Then remove and set aside.
After removing the chicken, add in your mushrooms and onion. Stir the pan around. Don’t worry if there is some stuff crusted to the bottom of the pan from cooking the chicken, all that will lift off once we deglaze later.
When the mushrooms have reduced by at least 50% then pour in the Marsala wine. Stir it around and let it deglaze the pan. Cook it for about a minute stirring the pan around.
Add in the chicken stock and bring the heat up to max. Let the sauce come to a boil and start reducing. When the sauce has reduced about 20%, mix a tablespoon of flour with a few couple tablespoons of water in a cup, then pour it into the sauce while stirring. The sauce should immediately begin thickening into a thicker, but still runny consistency.
Add the chicken pieces into the pan and reduce the heat to minimum. Spoon over the sauce so they are completely covered, and let bathe in the sauce for about 5 minutes. This will warm them back up and infuse the delicious marsala sauce into the chicken breasts.
What To Serve With Chicken Marsala
Other than the previously mentioned whipped potatoes, here are a few other sides that go great with a chicken marsala dinner:
- Roast vegetables like asparagus or carrots.
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Garlic Bread
- Fried potatoes like Papas Criollas or Poor Man’s Potatoes
Chicken Marsala
Equipment
- 1 Pan
Ingredients
- 2 large Chicken Breasts I suggest getting the biggest ones you can as you will cut them in half before pounding thin.
- 500 grams Mushrooms most recipes will use button mushrooms and you absolutely can as well. However I prefer to use better mushrooms when possible so for this recipe I used some Oyster Mushrooms.
- 1 Yellow Onion finely chopped. Can also substitute for a couple shallots.
- 4 tbsp Flour 3 for the frying and 1 for thickening the sauce
- 500 ml Chicken Stock homemade or store-bought
- 150 ml Marsala Wine you can also use Madeira or PX if you find it more convenient. The flavors will be slightly different but still delicious.
- 60 grams Butter
- 5 cloves Garlic chopped
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
- Italian Flat Leaf Parsley roughly chopped , for garnish
- 2 tbsp Heavy Cream optional
Instructions
- Slice your chicken breasts in half along the width. Use a meat tenderizer to pound each fillet nice and thin.
- In a bowl add 3 tbsp of the flour along with some salt and black pepper. I usually add about half a teaspoon of salt and a whole teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. If you use powdered black pepper then adjust to your preference.
- Toss the chicken in the seasoning mix until all pieces are fully coated.
- In a pan add some oil and butter and when hot lay down the chicken. Fry each side about 2 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Into the same pan on medium-high add the mushrooms and saute until browned. Then add the onion and saute it a bit until softened. Finally add the garlic just for another 30 seconds or so.
- Once the garlic is fragrant pour in the wine and stir the pan around. Scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan and reincorporate them into the sauce. Reduce the wine by about 50% then add the chicken stock. Turn the heat up to high until the stock comes to a boil and let reduce a further 50% total. When it is nearly there, lower the heat to the lowest setting, add the chicken pieces back into the sauce and make sure they are completely submerged. Let the chicken cook in the sauce for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove and plate the chicken and spoon over some more mushrooms and sauce. If you are serving with potatoes as a side you can spoon over extra sauce for them, otherwise use your best judgement with whatever side you do make! Enjoy!
