Chicken Marsala is an Italian classic with juicy pan-seared chicken in a creamy and savory marsala wine sauce. You can easily re-create this restaurant-quality Chicken Marsala from the comfort of your own kitchen. You will only hope for leftovers after making this dish. This is a dish that my entire family loves!
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We love recreating our favorite restaurant recipes. Some of our best copycat recipes include Zuppa Toscana inspired by Cheesecake Factory, Chili’s-inspired Cajun Chicken Pasta and Monetery Chicken, and Shrimp Pasta from Olive Garden. They can be made at a fraction of the price, are often healthier, and are great crowd-pleasers. This Chicken Marsala recipe is no exception.
Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe
It’s easier than you think to re-create this classic Italian-American Chicken Marsala. It’s such a special dish for Valentine’s Day or a date night in, but it’s also a dish my children love.
This chicken marsala is great served up with some Creamy Mashed Potatoes or even pasta with a side of Roasted Asparagus or Caesar Salad. Serve this to your dinner guests and they will always be impressed. P.S. This recipe is easy to scale and can easily be doubled or tripled for a crowd. Watch the video tutorial below and you will be a pro in no time.
Chicken Marsala Video
I hope this Chicken Marsala recipe becomes a new favorite chicken dinner for you. If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel to see all of our new videos.
What is Chicken Marsala?
Chicken Marsala is made of thin chicken cutlets that are pan-seared and served in a creamy and flavorful mushroom wine sauce. Marsala wine originated in western Sicily, Italy, back in the 1700s. While chicken marsala itself might not be found in many restaurants in Italy, it is an Italian-inspired dish. It can be found in many Italian restaurants here in the US. Traditionally, it’s made without adding cream, so it’s optional, but I love adding it.
Marsala Chicken Ingredients
This Italian-American dish is made with simple ingredients. Be sure to source the right Marsala wine (see tips below):
- Chicken breast – 2 large chicken breasts cut in half will make 4 cutlets (you can also substitute with 1 1/4 lbs of chicken tenders).
- Flour, salt, and pepper – for dredging the chicken
- Olive oil and butter – combining olive oil and butter adds rich flavor to the sauce and prevents the butter from burning since the oil has a higher smoke point.
- Mushrooms – give depth and flavor to the creamy sauce. I would argue that mushrooms are a key ingredient, but if you must substitute, you could sautee/ caramelize some sliced fresh onion instead to compensate for lost flavor.
- Onion powder and garlic – add great flavor while keeping the sauce smooth.
- Marsala wine sauce – is made up of dry marsala wine, chicken stock, and heavy whipping cream. The cream is optional, but it adds a lovely richness to the sauce. Also, make sure to use a DRY Marsala wine for authentic flavor (more on that below).
How to Make Chicken Marsala
You’ll love how this recipe comes together in one skillet. We call this the ‘dish factor,’ and I am all about washing fewer dishes.
- Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 even cutlets. Place between plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or heavy saucepan to pound to an even 1/3″ thickness. Season chicken all over with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, dredge in flour (shaking off the excess), then set aside.
- Heat a large non-reactive pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Once butter and oil are hot, add dredged chicken in a single layer and saute until golden and cooked through; about 3-4 minutes per side (don’t overcook). Cook the chicken in batches if your skillet is too small. Set chicken aside and tent with foil to keep warm.
Pro Tip:
To test for doneness and prevent overcooking, use an instant-read thermometer and cook until the chicken breast reaches a safe internal temperature of 165˚F.
- Add mushrooms and saute until excess liquid from mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms are golden brown (5 min). Stir in 1/2 tsp onion powder and 2 minced garlic cloves and saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add 3/4 cup marsala wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Increase the heat and cook until mostly reduced down (4-5 min), then add 3/4 cup chicken stock, and while stirring, add 1/2 cup heavy cream in a steady stream. Lower the heat to keep at a simmer and continue to simmer the sauce for another 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Season sauce with salt to taste. I added 1/4 tsp salt.
- Return chicken to pan and sprinkle the tops with 2 Tbsp parsley. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and keep on the heat until heated through (about 2 minutes). The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
What is the Best Wine for Chicken Marsala?
Use dry marsala wine, NOT sweet marsala. Sweet Marsala is meant for dessert recipes and won’t work well. If your grocery store doesn’t sell liquors, you can find marsala at your local liquor store. The first time I made Chicken Marsala was with sweet wine, and I took a long pause from the dish after that, only to discover I was using the wrong wine! It’s surprising how many recipes don’t specify this critical detail.
Can I Substitute the Marsala Wine?
If you cannot find Marsala wine, a Madeira wine would also work, as we used in our Chicken Madeira. If alcohol is a concern, most of the alcohol is cooked out in the pan, so you get the added flavor, and the sauce ends up with an insignificant amount of alcohol. If you want to make it wine-free, you could use more broth and boil that down, but the flavor profile wouldn’t be the same.
Is it necessary to pound out the chicken?
It is important to pound the chicken cutlets for several reasons. Pounding your chicken to even thicknesses ensures they will get cooked evenly. It also helps break down the chicken’s fibers, making it extra tender. If you are protesting this step, you can save some prep time using chicken tenders instead.
Tips for the Best Chicken Marsala
When cooking with wine, the acidity and alcohol combined with cream may cause the sauce to clump or separate if you change the recipe or process. Follow these tips to help prevent that from happening to your sauce:
- Avoid light cream or “half & half,” which doesn’t play well with wine and can curdle.
- Use a non-reactive skillet when cooking with acidic ingredients. Some good options include enameled cast iron, stainless steel, or ceramic-coated cookware.
- Stir the sauce while slowly adding the cream.
- Keep the sauce at a simmer after adding the cream and avoid a rapid boil.
Storing Chicken Marsala
Leftovers of Chicken Marsala keep well, and in general, anytime you have chicken in a creamy sauce, it reheats well without having that ‘reheated chicken flavor.’ After absorbing the flavors for a day or two, the chicken will taste even better.
- To Store – Once the dish is made, let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. According to the USDA, cooked chicken should be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheating – As a rule of thumb, you should reheat food using the same method it was cooked. Transfer the chicken to a skillet and reheat on the stovetop over low heat until warm. Do not boil, or the chicken will overcook, and the sauce may separate.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
If you loved this Chicken Marsala recipe, you should check out some of our other delicious chicken dinners:
- Chicken Parmesan
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Spatchcock Chicken
- Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Honey Garlic Chicken
- Greek Chicken Bowls
Chicken Marsala Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs chicken breast, (2 large), or chicken tenders
- 1/2 tsp salt , or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz brown button mushrooms, halved or thickly sliced if very large
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup dry marsala wine, (not sweet)
- 3/4 cup chicken stock, reduced-sodium
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 even cutlets. Place between plastic wrap and pound until 1/3" thick. Season chicken all over with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, dredge in flour (shaking off the excess) and then set aside.
- Heat a large non-reactive, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Once butter and oil are hot, add dredged chicken and saute until golden and cooked through; about 3-4 minutes per side or just until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F on an Instant-read thermometer. Set chicken aside and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add more oil to the pan if needed along with mushrooms and saute until excess liquid from mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms are golden brown (5 min). Stir in 1/2 tsp onion powder and 2 minced garlic cloves and saute another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add 3/4 cup marsala wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat and cook until mostly reduced down (4-5 min) then add 3/4 cup chicken stock and while stirring add 1/2 cup heavy cream in a steady stream. Lower the heat to keep at a simmer and continue to simmer and reduce sauce another 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Season sauce with 1/4 tsp salt or season to taste.
- Return chicken to pan and sprinkle the tops with 2 Tbsp chopped parsley. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and keep on the heat until heated through and the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency (2 minutes). Keep in mind, the sauce will thicken more as it cools.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Made this last night for my family and it was a big hit. I doubled the recipe and served it over bowtie pasta! I’m not very efficient in the kitchen so it took a couple of hours to prepare, but definitely worth the effort.
Curious to see how well the leftovers will reheat..
Hi Jeff, usually the leftovers reheat well. I’m happy to know that you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
I would love to try this but dont have the heavy cream, could I use whole milk?
Hi Pamela, I worry the result will not turn out quite right. Milk doesn’t thicken as the cream does. If you happen to try that, though, I’d love to know how you like that.
The milk will not thicken like the cream, I used a little corn starch while simmering the sauce to thicken. It turned out quite good!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Danny!
Hello. I would love to make this recipe for a bigger group of people, but don’t want to be standing over the stove when guests arrive, as we usually do apps and drinks for the first hour. Would it be ok to make everything earlier in day and reheat in the oven, or will the chicken dry out? Any more advice on pre-making it or should I choose a different dish? Thank you
Hi Natalya, we love this best fresh, but it does reheat well. To reheat the cooked chicken marsala – bake the meat and sauce in a 350 degree (F) oven (covered) until warmed through (about 15-20 minutes max). I hope that helps.
I love using this recipe with chicken thighs. After I remove the chicken and add the mushrooms to start the sauce. I make a lot more sauce and spoon over chicken. Cover with foil and put in oven to finish cooking. With the rest of the sauce I add some parm cheese till melted in and put over your choice of pasta. Nummy
Wow that sounds so amazing and you’re making me hungry!
Do you have a recipe for Paneras Mac and Cheese. My Grandson loves it so much and I do make Mac and Cheese but I would love to make this.
Hi Yvonne, I have a Creamy Mac and Cheese Recipe HERE. I hope you love it!
Hi Natasha, could you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
Hi Stepghanie, that will work. Just omit or lessen the salt in the recipe.
Absolutely outstanding! I LOVE your recipes. They are user friendly and easy to follow. I also love your videos. Thank you so very much for sharing. You are making a lot of folks very happy!
Thanks for the wonderful feedback, Alexis. We appreciate your good comments and review!
This looks amazing! I would love to make it for a party of 12, but am not sure how that would work cooking wise–I have no pan that would hold enough chicken for 12 people. I know I could make the chicken in batches, then make the sauce (with 3x the ingredients you used), but then I won’t be able to fit all of the chicken back in the pan to coat all of it with the sauce. Any suggestions? I don’t really want to have 3 different pans going. Thanks!
Hi Holly, the best way to make a triple batch is to do it in 3 batches unless you have a skillet that is large enough to accommodate 1 1/2 times the recipe without crowding the pan, then you could do it in 2 batches before combining everything in one large casserole dish and baking.
do you have a large baking pan (a turkey roaster, for instance). Then you just pour all of the sauce over the cooked chicken, cover with foil and finish in the oven at 325o
Hi – to fit all four cutlets into one pan can I utilize a large cast iron skillet for this entire recipe? Or will it get too hot for the sauce portion?
Hi Mike, I put all of them into the skillet at once, just make sure it’s preheated well. Watch the video to see that in action. I hope you love the recipe.
I added some chopped spinach and gnocchi. Absolutely delicious
AMAZING! Made this for dinner this evening and it tasted like 5 star restaurant quality! My hubby who does not like mushrooms and is very picky LOVED this dish. Will definitely be using this recipe in my normal rotation of dinners! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Stephani!
This is my go to when I want to impress dinner guests. So flavorful, and I feel quite impressed with myself. LOL
Thank you for posting such a wonderful receipe.
It really is the best! I’m so glad you love this recipe, Kim!
We loved it but wished we had more sauce. Next time I’ll double it!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Meryl! That sauce really is amazing!
My flattened chicken unflattettened as it cooked, so i had to cook it a bit longer. I bought prehalved chicken breast as the rest were frozen.
My mushrooms seemed to have all of the flavor of the Marsala wine. The chicken had some of its own flavor, but really not alot.
And the sauce wasn’t really thick like I hoped. I should have reduced it some more I guess, but I was afraid of the cream curdling.
Hi Paul! You’d still want to pound that chicken flatter even if it is cut or halved. That should help if you try this again. The sauce shouldn’t be thick, but you’re right. If you’d like, you can cook it down more! I hope you give this another try soon!
Made this last night and loved it, can’t wait for the leftovers tonight, going to make the sauce again to go with it as we couldn’t get enough of it last night and ate it all. Will definitely be making this lots in the future
That’s great to hear, Troy! Thanks for your good comments and feedback, I appreciate it.
Hi Natasha. If I want more sauce for a side of angel hair, can I just double the marsala, broth and cream?
Hi Rachel, Yes that would work just fine. Enjoy!
This was just wonderful, cooked exactly to your specs. I also made your zucchini and potato sliced bake as a side dish. Seriously this was better than a restaurant meal.
Thank you
Loved it, Carol. I’m happy to know that you loved this recipe. Hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
I kind of followed your recipe but it turned out great! I had chanterelle mushrooms that I foraged from my yard and a nearby park so I had to use that. I discovered that I’m out of marsala so I used sherry instead. I had some leftover pasta that I warmed up in some of the sauce, what a great dinner!!
Could you please give the steps/process to make ahead? This looks amazing!
Hi Denise, we love this best fresh, but it does reheat. To reheat the cooked chicken marsala – bake the meat and sauce in a 350 degree (F) oven (covered) until warmed through (about 15-20 minutes max). I hope that helps.
Omg this sauce is the best I have ever had, it’s better than any restaurant that’s for sure.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi Natasha, I just made the Chicken Marsala and loved it. We didn’t have enough sauce to add over the pasta. How can I make more sauce? Thanks.
Hi Judie, feel free to add more ingredients to the sauce so you can have more sauce next time. Glad you loved it!