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Chicken breasts cooked in a creamy sauce with sliced mushrooms and garnished with chopped parsley in a skillet.
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Chicken Marsala Recipe

That creamy, savory Marsala sauce you keep ordering at Italian restaurants? Make it better at home in 40 minutes. Golden chicken, browned mushrooms, a velvety wine sauce you'll be spooning over everything. One skillet. Done.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian, Italian-American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 463kcal
Author: Abi Gunasekaran

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts about 1½ lb, cut into 4 halved horizontally
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ¾ cup dry Marsala wine
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
  • Grated parmesan for garnish

Instructions

  • Pat dry the chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.
  • Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off excess.
  • Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high.
  • Cook the chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set it aside.
    Four seasoned, cooked chicken breasts in a black cast iron skillet, with a bowl of pepper, a bottle of oil, parsley, and a striped towel beside the pan.
  • In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tbsp butter.
  • Sauté mushrooms 5–6 minutes until browned.
    Sliced mushrooms in a black cast iron skillet, with a small bowl of pepper, a bottle of oil, parsley, and a striped kitchen towel nearby.
  • Then add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
  • Pour in Marsala and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan. Simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
    A cast iron skillet filled with sliced mushrooms cooking in broth, next to a bunch of parsley, a jar of oil, a bowl of pepper, and a striped towel.
  • Add broth and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer for 4–6 minutes until lightly thickened.
  • Reduce the heat to medo=ium-low, stir in the cream and simmer for 1 minute.
    A cast iron skillet filled with creamy marsala sauce, topped with ground pepper, sits on a counter beside fresh parsley, a black striped towel, and a bottle of olive oil.
  • Return the chicken to the skillet; spoon the sauce over and simmer for 1–2 minutes to warm through.
    Four cooked chicken breasts in creamy marsala sauce in a black skillet, with a bunch of parsley, striped towel, and a glass bottle of oil nearby.
  • Top with parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Pair with fettuccine noodles to enjoy.
    Chicken breasts in a creamy mushroom sauce are cooked in a black cast iron skillet, garnished with chopped parsley. Parsley, parmesan, garlic, and pasta are visible nearby.

Notes

  • Pound the chicken evenly. Aim for about ½-inch thick so it cooks evenly and stays tender instead of dry on the edges and raw in the center.
  • Dry the chicken before dredging. Moisture kills browning. Pat it dry so the flour coating sticks lightly and forms a golden crust.
  • Don’t crowd the pan. Work in batches if needed. Overcrowding steams the chicken instead of searing it.
  • Let the mushrooms brown properly. Cook until they release their moisture and the pan looks almost dry before adding wine. That’s where the flavor builds.
  • Use real dry Marsala wine. Not cooking wine. Sweet Marsala will make the sauce overly sugary. Dry gives you balance.
  • Deglaze thoroughly. Scrape up every browned bit after adding the wine — that’s the backbone of the sauce.
  • Simmer to reduce. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon before adding the chicken back in.
  • Finish gently. Once the chicken goes back into the pan, keep the heat moderate. Overboiling can make the sauce greasy or cause it to separate.
  • Internal temp target: 160–165°F in the thickest part of the chicken.
  • Rest briefly before serving. 5 minutes helps the juices settle so the chicken stays tender.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 738mg | Potassium: 787mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 648IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg