Easy Chicken Marsala
Chicken Marsala depends on the sauce as much as the chicken. Browning thin cutlets creates the fond that flavors the pan, then mushrooms and Marsala wine pick up those caramelized bits and turn them into a glossy, savory sauce with gentle sweetness.
Use thin, even cutlets so they cook quickly and stay tender. Reduce the wine before adding the finishing butter or cream so the sauce tastes concentrated rather than raw or watery.
Chicken Marsala Depends on Browning and Reduction
- Thin chicken cutlets brown quickly, leaving flavorful bits behind in the skillet.
- A light flour coating helps the chicken color and gives the finished pan sauce a little body.
- Browning the mushrooms before adding liquid concentrates their flavor rather than letting them steam.
- Reducing Marsala wine with broth creates the sweet-savory sauce that defines the dish.
Easy Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 4 thin chicken breast cutlets
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter divided
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup Marsala wine
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Season chicken and lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet and cook chicken 3–4 minutes per side; remove.
- Add remaining butter and mushrooms and cook until browned.
- Add garlic for 30 seconds, then pour in Marsala and broth.
- Simmer 6–8 minutes until reduced, return chicken and cook until 165°F / 74°C.
- Finish with parsley.
Notes
Give the Mushrooms Time to Brown
Mushrooms release water before they begin to take on color. Let that moisture cook away and keep the pan hot enough for the edges to brown; pale, steamed mushrooms will give the sauce much less depth.
Reduce the Marsala Before the Chicken Returns
Simmer the wine and broth for several minutes so the sauce concentrates before the cutlets go back in. That keeps the chicken from sitting in the pan so long that it dries out.
A Light Flour Coating Does Two Jobs
The flour helps the chicken brown and also contributes a little starch to the sauce. Shake off the excess so you get a thin coating rather than a heavy crust.
Reheating the Sauce Gently
Marsala sauce can reduce further during reheating. Warm leftovers over moderate heat and add a splash of broth if the sauce becomes tighter than you want.
