There is just something about Chicken Marsala. Golden, pan-seared chicken cutlets meet a velvety Marsala wine sauce in this comforting and timeless dish. Earthy cremini mushrooms and fragrant garlic add depth, while a touch of butter gives the sauce its signature silkiness. Simmered gently to bring everything together, the chicken soaks up all the savory, aromatic flavors. Finished with a handful of fresh parsley for brightness, it’s a dish that feels both rustic and refined. Whether you’re cooking for family or hosting friends, this is the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table. Serve it with creamy mashed potatoes, warm crusty bread, or even buttered noodles for a satisfying, soul-warming dinner.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts (or 4 thin cut chicken breast cutlets)
½ cup + 1 tbsp flour, divided
2 chicken breasts (or 4 thin cut chicken breast cutlets)
½ cup + 1 tbsp flour, divided
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp black pepper
10-12 oz cremini mushrooms, washed and sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup marsala wine
¾ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp softened butter
¼ cup parsley, chopped
Olive oil
Additional salt and pepper, as needed
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp black pepper
10-12 oz cremini mushrooms, washed and sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup marsala wine
¾ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp softened butter
¼ cup parsley, chopped
Olive oil
Additional salt and pepper, as needed
You can use the thin sliced chicken breast cutlets or you can choose to use regular chicken breasts and split each breast half and pound them flat.
For marsala, I typically split breast in half. To do this, lay each breast flat on a cutting board, press down on the chicken breast, and slice straight horizontally through the center of the breast with a sharp carving knife. Once they are split, pound the breasts lightly with a meat mallet to flatten them a bit. Season each breast cutlet on both sides with salt and pepper.
Add ½ cup of the flour to a bowl large enough to toss the chicken in without creating a mess of spillage. Add ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp onion powder and mix together.
Dredge the chicken breast pieces in the flour making sure to fully coat them. Shake off any excess flour.
Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Sear the dredged chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned. Cook the chicken breast in batches until all are cooked. Keep the chicken warm on a baking tray in a 200 °F oven.
Note: If the pan you cooked the chicken in is usable, make the sauce in that same pan. If the pan got overly charred cooking the chicken, you can make the sauce in a clean pan.
Maintain medium heat in the pan, and add additional olive oil to the pan if necessary. Add the mushrooms, along with some salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
While the mushrooms are sautéing, combine 2 tablespoons of softened butter with 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl to create a Beurre Manié. Use the tines of a fork to slowly mash the flour onto the butter until they fully combine to form a soft yellow paste.
Once the mushrooms are soft, make a space in the middle of the pan and add the garlic. Allow the garlic to cook for one minute and then mix it in with the mushrooms. Add the marsala wine, and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula and then stir. Allow the wine to reduce for two to three minutes. Now add the chicken stock. Turn the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Add the Beurre Manie to the pan and whisk it into the sauce. Once it is fully incorporated, allow the sauce to simmer and thicken for 3-5 minutes.
Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and nestle them into the sauce. Ensure they are fully covered in the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken to fully coat them, if needed. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce on low for another 5 minutes.
To serve, add a piece of the chicken to a plate. Spoon a generous portion of the marsala sauce and mushrooms over the chicken and garnish with chopped parsley. I recommend serving with mashed potatoes, but spaghetti or buttered noodles work equally well also.