Chicken Marsala

This Chicken Marsala recipe is made with tender golden chicken, savory mushrooms, and a rich Marsala wine sauce for an easy restaurant-quality dinner at home.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken Marsala, Chicken Marsala Recipe, How Do I Make Chicken Marsala, How To Make Chicken Marsala

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 21

Total Time 36

Servings -8 servings

Calories 352kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
4 (6-8 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons, or more if needed avacodo or grapeseed oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 ounces pancetta, diced
shallot, finely chopped
8 ounces cremini mushroom sliced
4 large cloves agrlic, minced
1 3/4 cups dry marsala
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 3 pieces
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken: Adjust oven rack to the middle position; preheat to 200°F (93ºC). In a shallow dish, whisk together flour (1/2 cup), salt (1/2 teaspoon), pepper (1/4 teaspoon), Italian seasoning (1/2 teaspoon), and Parmesan (1/4 cup). Pound the thicker ends of the chicken to ¼-inch thickness, then pat dry.
Dredge and Sear: Dredge chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams. Cook chicken in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven.
Cook Pancetta, Shallots, and Mushrooms: Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet. Sauté pancetta (4 ounces) for 2 minutes until fat begins to render.
Add the shallots and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until softened and translucent.
Add mushrooms (8 ounces) (don’t salt yet) and cook 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and fond develops. Adjust the heat if needed to prevent burning or the fond darkening too much.
Add the garlic (4) and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds — be careful not to let it brown.
Pour in the Marsala wine (1 3/4 cups) and chicken broth (1/2 cup), scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces and thickens slightly, 7–8 minutes.
Finish the Dish: Stir in lemon juice (1--1 1/2 tablespoons) and any accumulated chicken juices. Lower the heat and whisk in cold butter (3 tablespoons), one piece at a time, until glossy and emulsified. Return chicken to the pan, spooning sauce over to coat.
Garnish and Serve: Remove from heat and stir in the parsley (2 tablespoons). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm with extra sauce spooned over the chicken.

Notes

Using sweet Marsala instead of dry. Sweet Marsala can make the sauce overly sugary and heavy. Dry Marsala creates the classic savory restaurant-style flavor.
Crowding the mushrooms. Too many mushrooms in the pan at once causes steaming instead of browning, which weakens the flavor of the sauce.
Overcooking the chicken. Thin chicken cutlets cook quickly. Pull them as soon as they’re cooked through so they stay juicy.
Not reducing the sauce enough. The sauce should lightly coat a spoon before serving. Thin watery sauce usually just needs a little more simmer time.
Using cold butter straight from the fridge. Very cold butter can separate more easily. Slightly softened butter melts more smoothly into the sauce.

Nutrition