Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

In less than 30 minutes you can have homemade Instant Pot Chicken Marsala that is worthy of restaurants. With a few tricks, the Instant Pot creates an incredibly flavorful, rich chicken dish that is sure to become a favorite!

While I love my recipe for classic Chicken Marsala, this Instant Pot version is a perfect stand in to speed up the process or to prepare a gluten free version of the classic. The chicken is tender and juicy and the sauce is incredibly flavorful.

This dish is perfect served with a side of

Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

A few weeks ago, a reader asked me if I had a recipe for Chicken Marsala for the Instant Pot. She had tried another recipe and was not wowed by the flavor, but loved my recipe for Classic Chicken Marsala, so she was hopeful I could create a version for the Instant Pot.

Challenge accepted.

I’ll admit I was a bit nervous to mess with perfection, but after a few attempts I had success. I was blown away to see that one of the secrets that makes my traditional Chicken Marsala so incredibly rich and good, could be implemented in the Instant Pot in less than half the time.

I have always used dried mushrooms when making my Chicken Marsala. I let the mushrooms soak in hot water for at least a couple hours, if not overnight. The mushrooms soak up the liquid and become soft and tender, while they create a delicious mushroom broth that I use in my Marsala Sauce.

Guess what? No pre-soaking is required when using dried mushrooms in the Instant Pot. Simply throw them in and the pressure cooker work it’s magic. And friends, those dried mushrooms are the secret to the BEST Chicken Marsala. The mushroom broth and flavor from wild mushrooms is unbeatable.

How To Make Chicken Marsala in the Instant Pot

Steps One: Prepare Chicken Breasts

For tender Chicken Marsala, you want to have thin chicken cutlets or boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been pounded thin.

• Either purchase boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (sometimes labeled thin sliced)
• Or place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a gallon size bag with a tablespoon of water. Seal bag and pound chicken breasts thin with meat mallet, or bottom of a heavy pan.

Step Two: Sear Chicken Cutlets in Instant Pot

• Heat your instant pot by hitting the Saute function and waiting until Instant Pot reads, Hot. 
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to inner pan of pressure cooker.
• Season chicken breast cutlets generously with salt and pepper.
• Sear chicken breasts 2 to 3 at a time for 1-2 minutes per side.
• Remove browned chicken breasts to plate.

Step Three: Make Chicken Marsala Sauce

Once the chicken is seared, it is time to make the sauce for the Chicken Marsala.

• Add in a dash more oil to inner pan of Instant Pot if no oil remains after searing chicken.
• Add in a diced shallot to the Instant pot.
• Add in the Marsala Wine and deglaze the pan, by scraping up any browned bits of shallot or chicken off bottom of the pan.
• Add in beef broth and the dried mushrooms.
• Return browned chicken back to Instant Pot and submerge in sauce.

Step Four: Pressure Cook Chicken Marsala

Place lid on the pressure cooker, turn valve to sealed and set Chicken Marsala to cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.

Step Five: Thicken Chicken Marsala Sauce

• Once cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes (this helps to keep the chicken from getting tough.)
• Release any remaining pressure and remove lid.
• Remove chicken breasts to serving platter.
• Turn off Instant Pot and then turn back to Saute.
• Whisk in a cornstarch slurry and stir constantly, until sauce is bubbly and thickened–about 3-4 minutes.
• Pour sauce over chicken cutlets.
• Serve Chicken Marsala

How to Make a Cornstarch Slurry

Cornstarch will help thicken up this Chicken Marsala while keeping this dish gluten-free.

To make a cornstarch slurry for Chicken Marsala, whisk together 2 tablespoons beef broth (or water) with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Whisk well to get out all lumps before adding to Chicken Marsala Sauce.

Notes on Pressure Cooker Chicken Marsala

• I love using dried mushrooms, in this Chicken Marsala Recipe, as they are the key to incredibly flavorful sauce. However, if you can’t find dried mushrooms, you can use sliced baby bella mushrooms and saute along with the shallots. If you use FRESH mushrooms, decrease beef broth from 1 cup to 2/3  cup as the fresh mushrooms will give off more liquid than dried mushrooms.
• Be sure to rinse your dried mushrooms before adding to your sauce, to remove any grit, sand or dirt from the wild mushrooms.
• Be sure to use a good quality dry Marsala Wine for this Chicken Marsala recipe.
• I use beef broth to add extra flavor to the Chicken Marsala sauce, but you can use chicken stock if you’d like.
• Feel free to finish your Chicken Marsala with a tablespoon or two of butter to make the sauce even richer–just remember it will no longer be a Dairy-Free recipe.

More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

• Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
• Instant Pot Orange Chicken
• Instant Pot Roast Chicken 
• Instant Pot Chicken Chili
• Instant Pot Chicken Breasts 
• Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

People are always impressed with this Instant Pot Chicken Marsala Recipe, but it is seriously incredibly easy to make. You can just keep that our little secret and wow your friends with this impressive chicken recipe!

Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

In less than 30 minutes you can have homemade Chicken Marsala that is worthy of restaurants. 

4.67 from 15 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Pressure: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 251kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil more if needed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 shallot diced
• 1/3 cup Dry Marsala Wine
• 1 cup beef broth (plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1 ounce dried mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

• Heat your pressure cooker by hitting the Saute function and waiting until Instant Pot reads, Hot. 
  
• Add  tablespoon olive oil to inner pan of pressure cooker.
  
• Season chicken breast cutlets generously with salt and pepper.
  
• Sear chicken breasts 2 to 3 at a time for 1-2 minutes per side. Remove browned chicken breasts to plate.
• Add in a dash more oil to inner pan of Instant Pot if no oil remains after searing chicken.
  
• Add in a diced shallot to the Instant pot, saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent.
  
• Add in the Marsala Wine and deglaze the pan, by scraping up any browned bits of shallot or chicken off bottom of the pan.
  
• Add in 1 cup beef broth and the dried mushrooms.
  
• Return browned chicken back to Instant Pot and submerge in sauce.
  
• Place lid on the pressure cooker, turn valve to sealed and set Chicken Marsala to cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
  
• Once cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes (this helps to keep the chicken from getting tough). Then release any remaining pressure.
  
• Remove chicken breasts to serving platter.
  
• Turn off Instant Pot and then turn back to Saute.
  
• Whisk together cornstarch with 2 tablespoons reserved beef broth. 
• Whisk in a cornstarch slurry and stir constantly, until sauce is bubbly and thickened--about 3-4 minutes.
• Pour sauce over chicken cutlets.
  

Equipment Needed

• Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

Notes

• If you can not find chicken cutlets, use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead. Slice large breasts in half lengthwise and then place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a gallon size bag with a tablespoon of water. Seal bag and pound chicken breasts thin with meat mallet, or bottom of a heavy pan.
• In place of dried mushrooms, you can use sliced baby bella mushrooms and saute along with the shallots. If you use FRESH mushrooms, decrease beef broth from 1 cup to 1/2 cup as the fresh mushrooms will give off more liquid than dried mushrooms. 
• Be sure to rinse your dried mushrooms before adding to your sauce, to remove any grit, sand or dirt from the wild mushrooms.
• Be sure to use a good quality dry Marsala Wine for this Chicken Marsala recipe--not a cooking marsala wine you find in the spice isle of your grocery store.
• I use beef broth to add extra flavor to the Chicken Marsala sauce, but you can use chicken stock if you'd like.
• Feel free to finish your Chicken Marsala with a tablespoon or two of butter to make the sauce even richer--just remember it will no longer be a Dairy-Free recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

Amount Per Serving

Calories 251 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 72mg24%

Sodium 940mg41%

Potassium 708mg20%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 35IU1%

Vitamin C 2.4mg3%

Calcium 9mg1%

Iron 0.9mg5%

* 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!