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Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is a restaurant-style Italian chicken dinner with golden pan-fried cutlets and a silky Marsala wine mushroom sauce. You’ll simmer wine, broth, and cream until thick, then finish with cold butter for a glossy, deeply flavored sheen.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Marsala
  • 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts Halved horizontally into 8 thin cutlets.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Season to taste.
  • 0.25 tsp pepper Season to taste.
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour For dredging.
  • 3 tbsp olive oil For pan-frying.
  • 4 tbsp butter Divided: 2 tbsp for frying + 2 tbsp cold to finish sauce.
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms Sliced.
  • 3 shallots Minced.
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 0.75 cup dry Marsala wine Use for deglazing and sauce base.
  • 1 cup chicken broth For simmering the sauce.
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream For a silky finish.
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves Fresh thyme for flavor.
  • 1 fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prepare and dredge the chicken
  1. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge them in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess so they fry evenly.
  2. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the cutlets.
  3. Pan-fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden, then transfer to a plate to rest while you make the sauce.
Make the Marsala mushroom sauce
  1. Add sliced cremini mushrooms and minced shallots to the same skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden, scraping up any browned bits.
  2. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant so it doesn’t turn bitter.
  3. Pour in dry Marsala wine and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
  4. Add chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens to a silky consistency.
  5. Turn off the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter until glossy, then stir in fresh thyme leaves.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet and spoon the Marsala mushroom sauce over the top so they absorb flavor.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot, ideally with egg noodles or another carb that catches the sauce.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the last 2 tablespoons of butter cold and swirl it in off-heat for the glossy, restaurant-quality sheen. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth. Freezing isn’t recommended because cream-based sauce can break on thawing. For a dairy-light option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and omit the finishing butter, then add a small knob of olive oil at the end for body.