Get the Recipe: Classic Chicken Marsala
This classic chicken marsala with mushrooms is easy enough for weeknights (ready in just 30 minutes), but elegant enough for company. Great with potatoes or pasta.
Ingredients
- 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
For the marsala sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 medium shallots, finely diced, can substitute red or yellow onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 8-10 oz button or cremini mushrooms, or a mix of mushrooms, sliced
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Halve the chicken breasts lengthwise. Using a meat pounder, rolling pin or a heavy skillet, pound the pieces until evenly thick. Season with salt and pepper. Add the 1/3 cup of flour to a plate and lightly coat (dredge) each piece of chicken in flour, shaking off the excess. Set aside while the skillet heats.
- In a heavy-bottomed large skillet, heat the 3 Tbsp olive oil together with the 1 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat (or a touch higher even). When the butter is foaming, add the floured chicken cutlets, adding only as many as will fit flat with at least an inch between. (Do in batches, if necessary. Cook until the underside is golden, then flip and cook the other side as well, about 3 minutes per side. Be sure to cook the chicken to 165F internal temperature. Remove to a plate.
- Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp butter in the pan. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and cook 15 seconds more. Add the mushrooms and cook until all of the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the Marsala. Allow the Marsala to boil until almost completely evaporated.
- Once the Marsala has almost completely evaporated, add the chicken broth and cook until the mixture is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cream. Return the chicken to the pan and allow it to simmer with the sauce to re-warm. Taste the sauce and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed.
- If desired, garnish with chopped parsley or fresh thyme leaves (or dried thyme leaves).
This dish cooks quickly over high heat, so it's a great help to have all your ingredients measured and handy beside the stove, to add to the hot skillet as needed.
Notes
Tips!
Flouring the chicken before frying gives it a light coating that "browns" more easily than just cooking the chicken plain. I think it's nice that the chicken has a little colour, but it's not a necessary step, so if you prefer, you can skip the flour on the chicken. Be sure your chicken is cooked through before removing it to the plate, as it won't cook further at the end. Take your time when cooking the mushrooms and let them cook until deep golden brown. The extra few minutes make for a much nicer finished dish. Use a meat pounder or a cast-iron skillet to pound your chicken breasts after slicing them in half. They don't have to be super thin, but they should be evenly thick. Starting with thin and even pieces of chicken ensures quick and even cooking. Be sure to taste your sauce at the end of cooking and add additional salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed, to bring all the flavours together. For a gluten-free dish, skip the flour on the chicken and the flour sprinkled on the mushrooms. Thicken the sauce at the end of cooking with a mixture of 2 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water. Add to the hot sauce and cook until the sauce thickens. Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card, where I share more detailed tips, variations and substitution suggestions for this recipe!
Flouring the chicken before frying gives it a light coating that "browns" more easily than just cooking the chicken plain. I think it's nice that the chicken has a little colour, but it's not a necessary step, so if you prefer, you can skip the flour on the chicken. Be sure your chicken is cooked through before removing it to the plate, as it won't cook further at the end. Take your time when cooking the mushrooms and let them cook until deep golden brown. The extra few minutes make for a much nicer finished dish. Use a meat pounder or a cast-iron skillet to pound your chicken breasts after slicing them in half. They don't have to be super thin, but they should be evenly thick. Starting with thin and even pieces of chicken ensures quick and even cooking. Be sure to taste your sauce at the end of cooking and add additional salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed, to bring all the flavours together. For a gluten-free dish, skip the flour on the chicken and the flour sprinkled on the mushrooms. Thicken the sauce at the end of cooking with a mixture of 2 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water. Add to the hot sauce and cook until the sauce thickens. Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card, where I share more detailed tips, variations and substitution suggestions for this recipe!
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 421kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 92mg, Sodium: 400mg, Potassium: 621mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 453IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 2mg
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