Chicken Marsala

4.89 from 17 votes

Golden chicken cutlets simmer in a silky Marsala sauce loaded with caramelized mushrooms, sweet wine notes, crisp pancetta, and a buttery finish for a rich, cozy dinner.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Chicken Marsala, Chicken Marsala recipe, Marsala Chicken

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 586

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

1½ lbs chicken breast cutlets skinless & boneless, pounded to ¼-inch thick
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour for dredging
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more as needed
4 oz Pancetta medium, chopped
1 onion chopped
8 oz brown mushrooms sliced
3 cloves garlic minced

For The Sauce

1 tablespoon All-purpose flour
¾ cup sweet Marsala wine
¾ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
flat-leaf parsley chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove the chicken from the fridge 20-30 minutes before you plan to cook and season well with salt. Leave to come to room temperature.
Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet or frying pan. When the oil is hot, dredge both sides of the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, shake off the excess, and add to the pan.
Fry until golden, flip and repeat on the other side. Do this in batches to keep from overcrowding the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.
Lower the heat to medium and add the Pancetta to the same pan and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the Pancetta from the pan onto a plate lined with paper towels.
Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated.
Add the garlic and cook another minute. Season with salt and pepper and coat in 1 tablespoon of flour.
Raise the heat to high. Add the Marsala to the pan, bring to a boil and cook down for a minute to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and cook for another 3 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
Stir in the butter and parsley. Return the chicken and Pancetta to the pan; simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to heat the chicken through.
Taste for seasoning and season with salt as needed before serving.

Notes

Erren’s Top Tips

Let the chicken come to room temperature so it browns instead of steaming.

Shake off extra flour before browning to avoid a gummy coating.

Don’t stir the mushrooms too soon—give them time to sear and develop color.

Sweet Marsala is the key to classic flavor; dry Marsala changes the dish completely.

If your sauce thickens too quickly, splash in a bit more chicken stock.

If it tastes flat at the end, it usually needs more salt.

Variations & Add-Ins

Creamy Marsala
Stir in a splash of cream at the end to make the sauce velvety and rich.

Herb Version
Add a few sprigs of thyme while the sauce simmers and remove them before serving.

Mushroom Lovers’ Version
Use a mix of mushrooms—shiitake, cremini, and oyster—for deeper flavor.

Gluten-Free
Use a gluten-free flour blend for dredging and thickening.

Storage & Freezing

Refrigerate:
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

Freeze:
Chicken Marsala freezes well for up to two months. The sauce may thicken slightly when reheated—just add a splash of stock to loosen it.

Reheat:
Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat to keep the chicken tender.

Nutrition