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Easy Chicken Marsala is a one-skillet recipe that simplifies the classic recipe without sacrificing flavor! Chicken breasts are pounded to just the right thinness before being lightly dredged and pan seared to golden brown perfection. It’s then served with the most creamy, flavorful marsala sauce that will have you all but licking the plate.
When I see chicken marsala on the menu, you can bet that’s what I’ll be ordering! This has always been a comforting dinner that I crave time and time again. With that being said… my easy homemade recipe just might be better than what I’ve paid top dollar for at several restaurants.
There are several elements that make chicken marsala as good as it is. The chicken must be golden, tender, and juicy. The creamy sauce must have just the right marsala flavor from the wine, and the bites of mushrooms and onions must be just sautéed enough to help create the very best bite. And guess what? This easy one-skillet recipe really does have all that and more!
Why You’ll Love This
- SO EASY. Yes! This chicken marsala is made in one skillet with simple, inexpensive ingredients. The steps couldn’t be easier to follow! Plus, one skillet means less clean-up for you. That’s a huge win in my kitchen!
- The creamy sauce. There’s a big reason you’ll want to serve this chicken over pasta or rice. The thick, creamy sauce is so good that you’ll need a trusty carb to help you soak it all up. Don’t let a single drop of that liquid gold go to waste!
- Filling and flavorful. It’s a protein-packed dinner that doesn’t skimp on any flavor. Ingredients like Marsala wine, garlic and more create the very best flavor throughout the dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make the best chicken marsala recipe. Make sure to scroll down to view the full recipe for exact measurements.
- Chicken Breasts
- Olive Oil
- Flour
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
- Sliced mushrooms
- Onion
- Garlic
- Marsala wine
- Chicken broth
- Heavy cream
How To Make Easy Chicken Marsala
Here is a general overview of the steps involved to make chicken marsala. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
Prep the chicken. Slice the breasts in half lengthwise. Pound the chicken with a mallet before tossing in a seasoned flour mixture.
Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Once hot, place a few pieces of chicken into the the oil and cook until golden brown on both sides and fully cooked. Remove the cooked chicken from the oil, place on a plate and keep warm. Repeat this process until all the chicken is cooked.
Make the sauce. Sauté the mushrooms and onions in melted butter for about 3 minutes. Then, whisk in some flour and add the garlic. Scrape the bottom of the pan as you cook and whisk in the Marsala wine. Simmer for a minute before whisking in the broth and heavy cream. Bring to a boil, then simmer.
Enjoy! Return the chicken to the skillet and allow it to simmer for a few minutes to warm back up.
Recipe Tips, Substitutions, and Variations
Here are just a few ways to make this Italian chicken dinner the very best it can be:
- Consider using homemade chicken broth. It may seem like too much of a hassle, but making homemade broth is a lot easier than you may think! Plus, it adds so much more flavor to the dish as a whole.
- Use marsala wine. While you can look up a million substitutions for it, chicken marsala simply wouldn’t be the same without, well, marsala! This key ingredient is what creates the very best signature flavor.
- You can change up the mushrooms. Cremini mushrooms are typically what I use for this recipe, but you can get creative if you’d like. With whatever mushrooms you choose, just make sure you chop them to bite-sized pieces so they’re easy to eat.
- Don’t over-cook the chicken. If you’re not sure if it’s fully cooked, use a meat thermometer! Once the chicken reaches 165°F, it’s fully cooked and safe to eat. If you cook it for too long, the chicken will dry out and get tough.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Let the chicken marsala fully cool to room temperature prior to storing. Once cooled, transfer your leftovers to an airtight container and pop them in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or right back in the skillet until warmed through.
What to Serve with Chicken Marsala
Chicken marsala should (in my opinion) always be served over something like rice or pasta! That way, your creamy sauce will get grabbed instead of wasting away on the plate.
As for sides, some of my favorite pairings for this entree include roasted parmesan broccoli and garlic roasted green beans.
Easy Chicken Marsala
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
- ¼ cup (31 g) flour, plus 1 Tablespoon for later
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons (28 g) butter
- 1 cup (96 g) sliced mushrooms
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup (118 ml) Marsala wine
- ¾ cup (177 ml) chicken broth
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- Optional garnish: parsley
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half lengthways to create 2 thin pieces, for a total of 6 thin pieces. Pound the chicken pieces with a mallet about ¼ inch thick.
- Heat the oil to medium high heat in a deep large skillet.
- Place the flour, salt, and pepper onto a plate. Whisk this together with a fork.
- Take each piece of chicken one at a time and coat it with the flour mixture. Shake off any excess, then place the pieces into the hot oil. (Cook just a couple at a time so they are not crowded.)
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked fully through and seared to a golden brown. Take the chicken pieces from the skillet and place them on a plate. Cover them with tin foil.
- Melt butter in the same skillet, then add mushrooms and diced onion and fry for about 3 minutes.
- Add the 1 Tablespoon of flour and minced garlic cooking for another minute. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to release any bits stuck there.
- Whisk in Marsala wine and simmer it for a minute.
- Whisk in chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring this to a boil. Then simmer it to thicken and reduce the sauce, deglazing the pot every so often. This part of the process will take 8 to 10 minutes. You want to give it plenty of time to deepen in color and thicken up.
- Return the chicken to the skillet continuing to heat for a few minutes, or until the chicken is heated through.
This chicken marsala is dinner party worthy, was absolutely delish!
This chicken marsala recipe tastes like it came from a restaurant. It was easy to make and we served it over linguine, a new favorite that we will make often.
I honestly had no idea it was so easy to make Chicken Marsala! I will be making it (using this recipe) more often now. It was simple, yet so good.
I cook Chicken Marsala often but wanted to try a new recipe. This was AMAZING! One of my teens said it was the best dinner she’s ever had. The sauce is delicious – creamy but not heavy and full of flavor. Thanks again, Julie!