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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This recipe is fabulous. Can it be doubled for a large family?
Thank you, Gerri. I imagine that should be okay!
Made your Chicken Marsala tonight.. Followed the recipe exactly how it was. Absolutely delicious, we loved it and can not wait to eat the leftovers! Love following you Natasha!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Pauline! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I just make your Chicken Marsala recipe. It was delicious beyond words! My teenage daughter licked the plate!! I believe there is no more to say. Thank you so much, Natasha!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Good afternoon Natasha,
I made your recipe 2 weeks ago and it was so delish ! I am making it again tonight !!
I noticed you used a Zwilling Frying pan…..please could you let me know what size…10 inch…11 inch ???
Thank you in advance for your help.
Love your videos
Kindest regards,
Lorrie
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you’re enjoying our videos, Lorrie!
Hi Lorrie, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! This is the stainless steel pan I use here. We also have a lot of our favorites in our shop here.
I just made your chicken Marsala recipe and it is so delicious!!!!The sauce and mushrooms along with the dry Marsala wine is a winner!!! Cannot wait time try more of your recipes! Thank you!
Super happy reading your feedback! Thanks for sharing that with us and I’m glad that you loved it, this is one of our favorites at home too.
Hi! I ran across this recipe video on Pinterest while trying to find videos of people cooking with stainless steel. I’ve just ordered a new stainless pan, and am about to make the switch from non-stick cookware to stainless. I’ve tried in the past with sometimes disastrous results lol. I’ve done my homework this time, and feel more confident. I’d love to see you make a video with tips, tricks, and recipes specifically geared toward using stainless steel cookware. You obviously are a pro at it. There just aren’t that many good videos out there with that content. Thank you for your wonderful videos!
Thanks for your suggestion, Ashley. I hope you love every recipe that you’re going to try!
Made your Chicken Marsala tonight.. Followed the recipe exactly how it was. Absolutely delicious, we loved it and can not wait to eat the leftovers! Love following you Natasha!
I’m so glad to hear that Pauline! Thank you for sharing that awesome feedback!
I don’t have Marsala or Madeira wine, and it’s tough to get it. . . . Would it be terrible to use Marsala cooking wine?
If you are looking to make it wine-free, you could just use more broth and boil that down, but the flavor profile wouldn’t be quite the same. We don’t like to use coking wine, they don’t have the same effect.
The only expensive ingredient is the dry Marsala that I bought from the liquor store. I used Florio and it was about $15, but I used my wine pumper gizmo. I refrigerated it and have made this recipe 3 times and still have some wine left in the bottle. Believe me, it is worth it!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Elaine! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I haven’t made this yet, but will for absolute certain. Your recipes never, EVER disappoint!
Just making an editorial note here…The cost to make this is “easy/medium” and the skill level has a dollar amount! Ummmm
Hi Julia, thank you so much for pointing that out! It is now fixed and I hope you love this chicken marsala!
Dear Natasha,
I made your Paska Easter bread the other day and because it was so good I wanted to look at more of your recipes. I tried this chicken recipe today and my family was literally licking their plates clean! So tasty! You’re an amazing chef! I cannot wait to try another recipe tomorrow!
Love it! So great to read your wonderful feedback, I hope you will enjoy all the recipes that you will try.
Love watching your videos and interested in purchasing an Instant read thermometer. What is a good one to order, and what brand do you use? Need to do some shopping for ingredients before I can try some of the recipes.
Hi Arlene, we use this Instant Read Thermometer ALWAYS.
Natasha,
The wonderful thing about cooking is that we all have different tastes and can adjust recipes to suit our individual tastes.
I made the Chicken Marsala but substituted sweet Marsala wine for the dry and my family loved it.
The chicken was juicy, the mushrooms were tender and the sauce was delicious with a touch of sweetness.
I did not think it was very sweet but I imagine one could add half sweet and half dry wine but I recommend I highly.
My only comment (not complaint) is that the sauce was thicker than the video.
We will certainly make it again.
Rob
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Rob. Thank you for sharing that with us!
It was delicious!!
Glad to hear that Teresa!
I made this recipe last night and loved how easy and quick it was with simple ingredients. My kids ate it without hesitation. I did feel like something was missing like an extra kick and realized I forgot to salt the sauce at the end. But also looking back at your pictures, I noticed you had an onion with all your ingredients but it wasnt listed in the ingredients or directions?
Hi Ana, that is correct, there is an onion in the photo. We had been testing it both ways and I forgot to photograph with the powdered onion. It works both ways but we felt the texture was nicer and smoother without compromising on flavor to use onion powder.
A local restaurant ( now closed) has a sweet chicken Marsala which my wife loved. Is there an ingredient we can add to make this dish sweeter?
Hi Robert, I’m wondering it a Sweet Marsala Wine will do the trick? I haven’t tested that but one of my readers reported using that before. If you experiment I would love to know how you like that.
In my opinion, sweet marsala ruins chicken marsala. I have had it both ways in restaurants and do not care for the sweet marsala dish. This recipe is as good as my favorite Italian restaurant cooks.
Thank you for sharing that with us, Elaine!
Hi Natasha..
My first try for Chicken Marsala with your recipe..it turned out so so good that everyone loved it in my family. Especially these times that kids can’t go to any restaurants. Thank you so much!
Navdeep.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed this recipe Navdeep!
Natasha, this is the 4th receipt of yours I have done. LOVED it – you so know whats good
My family enjoyed the meal and asked already to cook it again.
Thank you x
Nin
Awww that’s the best, Nina! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes. Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles
Oh my goodness, I am so happy I stumbled onto your site. I made this chicken marsala recipe last night and it was amazing. My husband was raving about it. I’ve made the chicken parm last week and that was amazing as well. You are definitely following your God given talents. Thank you for sharing them with the rest of us. Could you share your favorite deep dish frying pan that you use frequently?
I’m so glad you discovered our blog, Penny! this is the stainless steel pan I use here. We also have a lot of our favorites in our shop here.
Hey, can you use sweet Marsala wine if that is all you have? How would I counter the sweetness?
Hi, Alexis, you can definitely use that. I haven’t tested that myself to advise, however. Is it much sweeter than the original?
Hi Natasha, thank you for the quick response. I am currently making your chocolate chip banana bread and apple turnovers for the weekend. I am so excited. My meals for the next 2 weeks consist of 12 of your dinners. Can not wait. I have never had original, I used the sweet one for your tiramisu I made a couple weeks ago. Should I maybe use a little less of it?
Hi Alexis, I tried the sweet one in the past and it ruined the chicken marsala for me. It was too sweet.
That is amazing! This comment made my smile big. Thank you for sharing that with me, Alexis!
Is it possible to use Sherry instead of Marsala or Madiera??
If you are not able to find Marsala wine, a Madeira wine would also work. If alcohol is a concern, most of the alcohol is cooked out in the pan so you just get the added flavor and the sauce ends up with an insignificant amount of alcohol. If you are looking to make it wine-free, you could just use more broth and boil that down, but the flavor profile wouldn’t be quite the same.