Name: Chicken Marsala
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil (divided); 2 tablespoons butter (divided); 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 4 chicken cutlets); kosher salt and pepper; ½ cup flour; 1 small shallot (minced); 8 ounces baby Bella mushrooms (see notes for substitutions); ½ cup DRY Marsala wine; 1 cup low-sodium beef broth; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves); ½ cup heavy cream

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You won't believe just how easy it is to make restaurant-quality Chicken Marsala at home! This simple Italian-American recipe is made with tender, pan-fried chicken, and a rich, creamy, mushroom sauce and comes together in under 30 minutes!

Chicken marasla on white plate with parsley.

One of my all-time favorite recipes to order when dining at Italian restaurants is Chicken Marsala. From the tender chicken to the rich, earthy sauce that is kissed with marsala wine, it is a little bit of heaven.

And while you may think this restaurant favorite is complicated to make at home. Think again!

This recipe for chicken marsala, just like my recipe for Chicken Florentine and Chicken Piccata, comes together in less than 30 minutes, to deliver an insanely impressive and flavorful chicken dinner. It is a meal that feels rich, and elegant, yet it is easy enough for any night of the week.

Notes on Ingredients

Ingredients for chicken marsala on the counter labeled.

Chicken: This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut and pounded into thin cutlets. If you do not want to slice the chicken yourself, you can opt to purchase thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets.
Marsala Wine: Marsala is a fortified wine that adds nutty, rich, caramelized notes to the sauce. For best results, use dry Marsala wine, not a sweet Marsala, which is used in desserts, or cooking Marsala, which does not create an authentic tasting Marsala sauce.
Mushrooms: For this recipe, you want to use cremini or baby portobello mushrooms, not button mushrooms, for a rich earthy taste. You can use fresh mushrooms or reconstituted dried mushrooms.
Flour: To help thicken the sauce and create a crispy exterior on the chicken, you want to coat your chicken in all-purpose flour before pan-frying.
Shallot: Instead of using onion or garlic, which can overwhelm the sauce, I suggest using a shallot which will add just a mild onion and garlic flavor to the dish without overpowering the chicken marsala. If you don't happen to have a shallot on hand, simply omit it.
Broth: Use either low-sodium beef broth or mushroom broth, not chicken broth, as both beef and mushroom pair really well with the earthy flavors in the sauce. Using chicken broth or stock can result in a dish that is lacking in restaurant-quality flavor.
Cream: Finishing the marsala sauce with heavy cream creates a rich, luscious sauce, but it is not classic in chicken marsala. If you don't want to use cream, use additional broth, for a lighter version.
Thyme: A bit of fresh thyme leaves elevates this dish by adding a bit of floral, earthy notes to the sauce. While fresh thyme leaves are best, you can use dried thyme leaves in their place. Just don't use ground thyme as the flavor will quickly overwhelm the sauce.

Substitutions/Modifications

Gluten-Free Chicken Marsala: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and ensure your broth is gluten-free.
Dairy-Free Chicken Marsala: In place of the butter, use additional olive oil and instead of finishing the sauce with heavy cream, use additional beef or mushroom broth.
Substitute for Marsala Wine: While Marsala wine is best for the most authentic flavor, you can use Madiera wine or sherry.

How to Make Chicken Cutlets

It is often more cost-effective to cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into cutlets rather than purchasing thin cutlets.

Trim off any fat from the chicken breasts and then cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have 4 thinner pieces.
Place the cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until the cutlets are even in thickness.

Chicken breasts cut in half and pounded on cutting board.

Tips for Making the Best Chicken Marsala

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Use both butter and oil to sear the chicken. The butter adds nice caramelized notes to the chicken and sauce, while the oil helps to prevent the butter from burning.
Don't overcrowd the pan. It is better to work in batches than to overcrowd your skillet. This will ensure a nice golden sear on the chicken which gives Chicken Marsala a nice contrasting texture.
Use caution when adding the marsala wine. Alcohol is flammable, so use caution when cooking on a gas stovetop. I recommend removing the skillet from the pan, adding the wine, and carefully move the skillet back to the heat.
Allow time for the sauce to reduce. Letting the sauce simmer and reducing it by half will intensify the flavor and make the dish!

Skillet with prepared chicken marsala and topped with parsley.

What to Serve with Chicken Marsala

I recommend serving Chicken Marsala with something to soak up the creamy, rich sauce, like cooked pasta, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Red Potatoes, or Instant Pot Rice.

I also love adding a vegetable side dish like Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Broccoli, Caesar Salad, or a side salad tossed with balsamic vinaigrette.

Storage Instructions

Leftover, cooled chicken marsala can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. I don't recommend freezing leftovers, due to the heavy cream in the sauce.