This recipe for Chicken Marsala is easy to make with simple, budget-friendly ingredients. It’s a one pot dinner that the whole family will love, and it’s ready in no time flat! Rich, creamy, savory sauce is loaded with golden brown mushrooms and tender white meat chicken. Serve this classic chicken dinner over your favorite pasta, and enjoy!

A white plate is topped with chicken marsala and cooked pasta.


Chicken Marsala

When I see Chicken Marsala on the menu at a restaurant, that’s what I’ll be ordering! Pasta dinners are always a good choice, especially when that pasta is topped with a thick, savory sauce, chock-full of tender mushrooms and juicy, flavorful chicken. The sautéed onions also add quite a nice touch! As much as I enjoy going out to eat, though, this homemade Chicken Marsala is far better than anything I’ve ordered off of a menu.

The sign of a good Chicken Marsala is the use of Marsala wine. While you could opt for chicken broth instead, let’s be honest… It’s not an authentic Chicken Marsala without the Marsala! This recipe calls for just half a cup of the dry fortified wine, and it’s used to deglaze the pan. This step is so important, because it makes sure all of those flavorful brown bits at the bottom of the pan are in the sauce, making it incredibly flavorful!

While this is a total comfort meal that can be used to warm you up in the dead of winter, it’s also a dinner that can be enjoyed year-round. After all, why should hearty chicken and pasta dinners be exclusively eaten only once a year? It would be a crime to limit this insanely good (and easy to make) homemade Chicken Marsala to just one dreary time of year, so you can bet I’ll be making it all summer long.

The ingredients for chicken marsala are placed on a countertop.

How to Make Chicken Marsala

  1. Whisk the seasonings. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the oil. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Dredge the chicken. Dredge the chicken in the flour, coating on both sides and shaking off the excess.
  4. Cook the chicken. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. Work in batches, if necessary. Transfer the chicken to a plate or platter and keep warm.
  5. Sauté the veggies. Add the butter to the pan and melt. Stir in the onions and cook until beginning to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened or golden brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  6. Deglaze the pan. Add the marsala wine and deglaze the pan scraping the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  7. Create the sauce. Stir in the chicken stock and half and half. Bring the mixture to a boil then turn the heat to low. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  8. Return the chicken. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until cooked through.
Chicken marsala is being plated with no pasta on a white plate.

Tips for the Best Chicken Marsala

  • Slice the chicken in half horizontally. Slicing them in half does two things – it speeds up the cooking time, and it helps keep the chicken tender. This is because you’ll be less likely to overcook it, therefor drying it out.
  • Don’t be afraid to add lots of mushrooms, because they’ll cook down and you’ll wonder where all the mushrooms went! By then, it’ll be too late to add more because they’ll cook unevenly.
  • Use Marsala wine! And if you can’t get your hands on a bottle, you can substitute it with Madeira or dry sherry.
A fork is placed on a plate next to a serving of pasta and chicken marsala.

Chicken AND pasta? Yes, please!

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A white plate is topped with chicken marsala and cooked pasta.

Get the Recipe: Easy Chicken Marsala Skillet

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
One Pot Chicken Marsala is quick, easy and perfect for weeknight dinners!
5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 3 boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 cups diced onion
  • 8 ounces sliced button mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry marsala wine
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Equipment

  • 1 skillet

Instructions 

  • In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Dredge the chicken in the flour, coating on both sides and shaking off the excess.
  • Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. Work in batches, if necessary.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate or platter and keep warm.
  • Add the butter to the pan and melt.
  • Stir in the onions and cook until beginning to soften.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook until softened or golden brown.
  • Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the marsala wine and deglaze the pan scraping the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  • Stirn in the chicken stock and half and half. Bring the mixture to a boil then turn the heat to low.
  • Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until cooked through.
Serving: 0g, Calories: 334kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 305mg, Potassium: 450mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 380IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 1.4mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian