Creamy Chicken Marsala (Printable)

Pan-seared chicken breasts in a luxurious Marsala wine and mushroom cream sauce, served over al dente pasta for an elegant Italian dinner.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
11 - 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
14 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Pasta

15 - 12 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti
16 - Salt for pasta water

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
03 - In a shallow dish, combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
04 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
05 - In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter and mushrooms. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes until mushrooms are browned. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
06 - Pour in Marsala wine, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
07 - Add chicken broth, cream, and thyme. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
08 - Return chicken and juices to the pan, coating with sauce. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
09 - Serve chicken and sauce over cooked pasta. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is ridiculously silky and clings to every strand of pasta without feeling heavy.
  • You get restaurant quality flavor using one skillet and ingredients you can grab at any grocery store.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, sometimes tasting even better once the flavors have mingled overnight.
  • Pounding the chicken thin means it cooks fast and stays juicy instead of rubbery.
02 -
  • Don't skip pounding the chicken, uneven thickness means some parts will be overcooked and rubbery while others stay raw.
  • Use dry Marsala from the wine section, not cooking Marsala, which is loaded with salt and tastes like sad regret.
  • Let the mushrooms sit undisturbed for a minute or two before stirring so they can develop a proper golden crust.
  • If your sauce looks thin, let it simmer a bit longer, the cream and flour from the chicken will thicken it naturally.
03 -
  • Keep the heat at medium-high when searing the chicken so it browns without steaming, but turn it down if the butter starts to smoke.
  • Taste your sauce before adding salt, the chicken broth and Parmesan both bring saltiness, and it's easy to overdo it.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks greasy, whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter off the heat to bring it back together.
  • Leftover sauce freezes beautifully for up to two months and tastes incredible tossed with roasted vegetables or spooned over rice.
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