The Best Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is an incredible easy recipe perfect for entertaining or family dinner.  This is an impressive, yet easy, recipe for homemade Chicken Marsala that rivals any restaurant out there. 

Looking for recipes to serve with this Chicken Marsala? Try Twice Baked Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli, or a Strawberry Spinach Salad.

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Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American dish made from chicken cutlets, mushrooms, and Marsala wine.

And it happens to be one of my most favorite meals ever.

Most people reserve Chicken Marsala for dining at Italian restaurants, but it is actually an easy dish to make at home. In fact, it is one of my go to meals for a quick, fuss-free, yet impressive homemade meal.

This Easy Chicken Marsala is restaurant quality, with a rich mushroom sauce and tender chicken, making it a great recipe to entertain with or just for a date night in.

Ingredients for Chicken Marsala

• Chicken Breasts–cut of pounded into cutlets
• Mushrooms–for the BEST Chicken Marsala, dried wild mushrooms are best (find them in tiny bags in the produce section at the grocery store)
• Marsala Wine–be sure to get real Marsala wine, NOT cooking Marsala wine–there is a HUGE difference in flavor
• Mushroom Stock–no need to purchase, we will make our own using the dried mushrooms
• Fresh Thyme–for an earthy quality that just can’t be topped
• Butter–a tiny bit to add richness and depth to the Marsala sauce
• Cornstarch–thickens the sauce
• Flour–to bread the chicken. If you need Gluten-Free Chicken Marsala, use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour blend, for the dredging of the chicken. I have tried this with success several times. Instant Pot Chicken Marsala is also Gluten-Free.
• Olive Oil

Secret to making the Best Chicken Marsala Recipe

I have a secret tip to make the BEST Chicken Marsala, and this is something you do NOT want to skip.

Use Dried Mushrooms!

The key to a really good Chicken Marsala recipe is the Marsala sauce. But the key to the sauce is more than just the Marsala wine. Mushrooms stock also plays a huge role in creating perfect flavor in the sauce.

To save money and to create a rich homemade mushroom broth, I always start my Chicken Marsala with a pack of dried wild mushrooms, which are so much more flavorful than button mushrooms or even baby portabella mushrooms–plus by re-hydrating the dried mushrooms, you are left with an incredibility rich mushroom stock.

To re-hydrate dried wild mushrooms

• Cover dried mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups hot water and let soak anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight (overnight creates a much more flavorful mushroom stock, but if you forgot to plan, just soak long enough to soften mushrooms).
• Use your the soaking liquid and softened mushrooms in your Chicken Marsala for incredible flavor.

How to Make Chicken Marsala

Once you have the mushroom stock and hydrated mushrooms, making Chicken Marsala comes together very quickly.

Step One: Prepare Chicken

• Purchase thin chicken cutlets or cut full size chicken breasts into cutlets. See instructions on how to do that here. Alternatively, you can pound chicken breasts with the flat side of of meat mallet until chicken breasts are even in thickness (ideally, to 1/2 inch thickness.)
• Season flour generously with salt and pepper.
• Coat chicken breast in flour and shake off excess flour.

Step Two: Pan Fry Chicken

• Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Sear the chicken on each side for 3-4 minutes, until browned.
• Remove the chicken from the skillet and place onto plate.

Step Three: Prepare Marsala Sauce

• To the same pan that chicken was pan-fried in, carefully add in Marsala wine and scrape up any browned bits in skillet. Remember Marsala is alcohol and may flame up–it is fine, but if that makes you nervous, remove pan from heat before adding the wine.
• Boil for 3 minutes, to evaporate the alcohol.
• Add the mushrooms, stock from the hydrated mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, seared chicken and thyme.Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step Four: Thicken Marsala Sauce

• Remove 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid from the pan and whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.
• Once your sauce is thickened, serve!
• I love to serve this elegant chicken recipe with roasted asparagus–which is as simple as tossing one pound of asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and roasting at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. But mashed potatoes, green beans almondine, or roasted Brussels sprouts all make a great accompaniment this impressive home cooked meal.

More Chicken Breast Recipes

• Homemade Chicken Tenders
• Easy Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Skillet Chicken with Green Beans and Tomatoes
• Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
• Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
• Keto Pizza Chicken from All Day I Dream of Food

Chicken Marsala

An impressive, yet easy, recipe for homemade Chicken Marsala that rivals any restaurant out there. Pair this Chicken Marsala recipe with roasted asparagus, and you have an show-stopping, delicious meal.

4.6 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Chicken Marsala

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Soaking Mushrooms: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

Calories: 271kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

• 1 oz wild dried mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 pound of chicken cutlets or chicken breasts, pounded thin
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme removed from stem and chopped--about 2 teaspoons
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon butter optional

Instructions

• Submerge the mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups hot water for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. (Do not discard the liquid).
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Dredge the chicken cutlets into flour that has been seasoned with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Shake off excess flour.
• Sear the chicken on each side for 3-4 minutes, until browned.
• Remove the chicken from the skillet.
• Add the Marsala wine to the skillet and bring to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes, while scraping off the browned bits of chicken.
• Add the mushrooms, stock from the hydrated mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, seared chicken and thyme. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove 2 tablespoons cooking liquid and whisk in cornstarch with the liquid. Whisk cornstarch mixture back into pan along with butter (if using). Stir until sauce is thickened, 2-3 minutes.
• Serve the chicken with the Marsala Sauce.

Notes

• Omit butter to keep this Dairy Free Chicken Marsala.
• Use 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Blend to keep make Gluten Free Chicken Marsala. 

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Marsala

Amount Per Serving

Calories 271 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 72mg24%

Sodium 140mg6%

Potassium 485mg14%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 25g50%

Vitamin A 35IU1%

Vitamin C 1.3mg2%

Calcium 8mg1%

Iron 1.2mg7%

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

I would love to know how you enjoy this recipe!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram or Facebook - I would love to see!

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Kristen Chidsey

Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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