Chicken Marsala Recipe (30 Minutes, One-Pot)

Name: Chicken Marsala
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 4 chicken breast cutlets); Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided; 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2/3 cup dry Marsala wine; 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water; 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves); 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, optional, for garnish

It’s hard being the only mushroom lover in my family. While I appreciate those little capped cuties, my family does not, and they’re not afraid to let me know—an opinionated bunch, that’s for sure. Mostly, it's a texture thing for them. The “sponginess,” as they call it, is off-putting and “unacceptable” (their words, not mine).

Knowing this, I’ve tried preparing mushrooms in a multitude of ways to get them to come around. I have failed so much that I almost gave up. Then I remembered a little dish I made back when I was in culinary school. It had mushrooms, yes, but also chicken and the most delicious sauce. I had a feeling that since they love saucy chicken they’d like the dish.

Turns out, I was right. Now chicken marsala is in my weeknight meal rotation.

What Is Chicken Marsala?

Chicken Marsala isn’t a traditional Italian dish. Rather, it's an Italian American dish, crafted by immigrants who were looking to recreate their favorite meals in their new homeland. Since lamb and pork weren’t readily available, scallops or scaloppine ("thin cuts of meat") were made from chicken.

The chicken is cooked in a hot skillet with a bit of oil or butter and then served with a pan sauce made with Marsala wine. Today, most chicken Marsala is served with pasta, but risotto, mashed potatoes, or roasted potatoes are also excellent accompaniments.

chicken marsala in a cast iron skillet — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Choosing a Marsala Wine

Marsala is a town in western Sicily, famous for its white and black Sicilian grapes that are transformed into Marsala wine. The flavor of Marsala wine is rich and smoky with varying levels of sweetness. It’s available as secco (dry), semisecco (semisweet) and dolce (sweet). Bottles vary in regards to quality as well based on aging and alcohol content, ranging from Fine (lowest) to Vergine (highest).

For chicken Marsala, a dry Marsala is the best option—save the sweet varieties for pairing with desserts. Since you’ll be tasting the marsala in your dish, choose something you wouldn’t mind drinking. If it tastes good to drink, then chances are it’ll taste good in a dish.

Tips for Making Chicken Marsala

Enlist the help of the butcher. If your grocery store has a meat counter, ask the butcher to help cut and pound the chicken breasts.
Prep the chicken. If you’re in charge of slicing and pounding chicken, no problem! Remember to pat it dry with clean paper towels first—chicken can be slippery to work with if you don’t. Use a sharp knife to slice in half and consider partially freezing the chicken (just 15 to 20 minutes) before slicing to make the job easier.
Or use chicken cutlets. If you’re short on time and energy, buy chicken cutlets and skip right to breading. Note that cutlets cost more per pound than chicken breasts, but sometimes you just need the convenience.
Don’t walk away. It’s tempting to accomplish other tasks while you’re making your pan sauce, but things can change quickly in your pan, so don’t leave its side. Don’t be afraid to adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning.
Prep for success. The key to fast execution of this recipe is being prepared. Have all of the ingredients ready to go and you’ll have dinner on the table in no time.

Skillet Chicken Dinners

Chicken Marsala

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Servings 4 servings

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

2 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 4 chicken breast cutlets)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup dry Marsala wine
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves)
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, optional, for garnish

Prepare the chicken:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Slice each breast in half horizontally, forming 4 chicken breast cutlets. Place between two large pieces of parchment paper and pound lightly to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. (Skip this step if using cutlets.)

Remove the top sheet of parchment and transfer the chicken on the bottom piece of parchment to a large baking sheet.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas
Dredge the chicken:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow bowl. Scatter and dust both sides of each chicken cutlet with flour. Shake off any excess and transfer to a new piece of parchment. Roll up the flour-covered parchment and throw it away.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas
Cook the chicken:

Set a large, preferably 12-inch cast-iron skillet or similar pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon butter.

Once the butter has melted, add the chicken cutlets to the pan in a single layer. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook 4 more minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and cover with foil.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas
Cook the vegetables and make the sauce:

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the Marsala and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Add the broth and thyme and cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and swirl to melt and combine. Remove from the heat.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas
Sauce the chicken and serve:

Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon the sauce over, or pour the sauce over the chicken on its platter. Garnish with parsley, if using, and serve.

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Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
333	Calories
19g	Fat
14g	Carbs
25g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	333
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g	24%
Saturated Fat 6g	29%
Cholesterol 73mg	24%
Sodium 383mg	17%
Total Carbohydrate 14g	5%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 3mg	14%
Calcium 26mg	2%
Iron 3mg	14%
Potassium 465mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.