Enjoying this delicious Chicken Marsala doesn’t require a restaurant trip, only 25 minutes of your time! Tender and juicy chicken breasts smothered in Marsala wine sauce, made even richer and more complex by chestnut mushrooms.
This classic recipe goes so well with another Italian classic Tuscan Panzanella Salad. Then finish off the meal with a delicious Amaretti Tiramisu.
Lots and lots could be said in favour of recipes that are on trend. They are beautiful, fresh, vibrant and full of avocado! What could be said in defence of classic recipes? They have stood the test of time.
That’s right, my friends, they are the recipes that we come back to over and over again because they work! They taste good, they are quick and easy and the entire family LOVES them.
This Chicken Marsala is one of them, so no wonder I am super excited to share it with you.
I love this recipe so much because it combines the simplest of things, the oldest as the world cooking techniques and the most sublime taste.
The taste that is not acquired by forcing yourself to eat it because “it’s in vogue or good for you” but loved deeply and immediately. At first bite. That is classic. Tried and true.
What is Chicken Marsala?
Tender chicken breasts swimming in a slightly sweet and deliciously savoury Marsala sauce with a distinct earthy flavour of chestnut mushrooms are easy to love.
Flavour making tips
If you want to take your tastebuds even further, I would recommend using any mushrooms other than button mushrooms for a deeper, richer taste.
I am a huge fan of wild mushrooms that I love picking when they are in season. However, if you are a novice in the mushroom picking area, try buying them at farmers markets.
Chanterelles and porcini mushrooms are my absolute favourites!
How do I make it?
First of all, dredging chicken in flour creates a layer of protection that seals in the moisture while adding a velvety smooth texture to the sauce.
Secondly, the combination of sweet Marsala wine with a touch of acidity and earthy mushrooms contribute to the complexity of the flavour. The end result is incredible! If you are not able to source Marsala, sherry could be used in place of it.
My kids gobbled it without complaints and my daughter never did use her standard ” I am not hungry” as a way to avoid food she doesn’t like. Win!
What can I serve with it?
Pasta, rice or mashed potatoes all work exceptionally well with this chicken recipe.
If you wish to serve a multi course Italian meal, I would recommend to start it with the classic appetiser recipe Bruschetta.
Finish your fabulous dinner with Salted Caramel Affogato, a delicious espresso and ice cream concoction.
Tag me @vikalinka on Instagram when you are sharing your delicious plates! Are you following me on Instagram? If not, let’s be friends!
More chicken breast recipes:
- Creamy Chicken Stroganoff
- Prosciutto Wrapped Creamy Pesto Chicken Breasts
- Moroccan Chicken Tagine
- Easy Chicken Paprikash
This recipe was originally published in 04/2017. Updated and republished in 02/2020
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup/ 60 g flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 small shallots chopped
- 1 cup/100g chestnut mushrooms sliced
- 1 tbsp flour
- ½ cup/125 ml marsala wine
- 1 cup/250 ml chicken stock
- flat leaf parsley
Instructions
- Cover the chicken breasts with a cling wrap and pound them with a meat mallet until they are no thicker than ½ inch. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides and dredge in flour.
- Fry in olive oil until golden over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes. Do not over cook as the chicken breasts will be quite thin and will cook fast. Remove to a separate plate and set aside.
- To the same pan add chopped shallots and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, then add sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes, then add 1 tbsp of flour, stir and cook for a minute longer, then add marsala wine and turn the heat up to medium, add chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and return the chicken to the pan, let it heat through in the sauce, simmer for a few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken to a desired consistency.
- Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and a side dish of your choice.
Video
Rita says
Hi this recipe looks amazing. I’m planning on making it but i would like extra sauce to serve it over pasta. I’m afraid to double the ingredients since I don’t want it to turn out watery. Do you think I can just increase the sauce ingredients by half? I might just have to simmer it longer. Your thoughts. Thank you.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
You absolutely can, Rita! If you want the sauce to be thicker, I would also slightly increase the amount of flour by a adding a heaped tablespoon.
Rita says
Just made it and it was absolutely delicious!
The sauce in your picture looks so much darker than the one I made. Another picture posted was also darker. Can you let me know the Marsala brand that you use?
Thanks so much.
Btw, I made it with Pasta With garlic and oil. Yummy together.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
I am so glad you loved it, Rita. The colour of your sauce depends on the browning of the chicken stage and the colour of your mushrooms. You know those brown bits at the bottom of the pan when you brown the chicken, when you deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine, they get incorporated into the sauce and contribute to the flavour and the colour. Cremini or portobello mushrooms will also make the sauce look darker while white button mushrooms will result in a lighter coloured sauce. The Marsala wine I used was Pellegrino.
Lynn says
I made this exactly as the recipes called for and it was AMAZING! My parents had dinner with me and we all loved it. I served it over linguine noodles. Perfection!
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Love hearing this, Lynn!! 🙂
Jay says
This came out perfect! Followed the instructions exactly, used wild mushrooms bought from the specialty grocer and they really added that depth of flavor! We loved it so much that there were no leftovers. 🙂
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
I adore wild mushrooms. There is just no comparison in taste to button mushrooms. They they add so much flavour and texture. So glad you enjoyed your meal, Jay!
Cmax says
Better than what I’ve had in restaurants, tender chicken in a velvety sauce. Served with angel hair. Made a cornstarch slurry to thicken the gravy. Thanks!
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Excellent news! Thank you for your lovely review!
Marshann Donahue says
Delicious! I love your recipes. Thank you.
Wendy says
Delicious! Thanks
Megan says
I have been craving a homemade Chicken Marsala for a while now. I came across your recipe and knew it would be perfect! Needless to say, it did not disappoint. I followed the recipe exactly except I added 2 cups of mushrooms instead of one because I love them. Can’t wait to make it again! Can’t thank you enough!!!
vikalinka says
I am absolutely thrilled you enjoyed so much, Megan!Thank you for letting me know!
Linda says
Delicious. Everyone loved it. Used sweet Marsala wine. Served it with linguini made with garlic, freshly grated Parmesan and white wine. Super easy and extremely delicious.
vikalinka says
So glad to hear it, Linda! This chicken is amazing with linguine!
Tom says
Very delicious…fast and easy to make makes a great sauce that goes well with garlic mashed potatoes
vikalinka says
I would love some of this chicken with garlic mashed potatoes right now! So pleased you enjoyed it, Tom!
Denise says
Do you recommend dry or sweet marsala for this recipe? Thanks!
vikalinka says
Hi Denise, this recipe was made with sweet Marsala but I also like it with dry. I think the more traditional version is made with the sweet Marsala though.
Denise says
Thank you! Got the wine .. will be trying this soon!
Jim says
I’ve made this several times. This is very tasty and easy to make. One sub I make is thighs instead of breasts because we like the more tender meat.
vikalinka says
That’s a very good substitution, Jim I prefer dark meat myself!
Jacque says
I would like to make this soon and am wondering what pairs well with it. If pasta, any particular type? It sounds delicious! Thanks!
vikalinka says
It pairs well with pasta or rice, Jacque. I am pretty sure you can choose your favourite type of pasta here, it won’t affect the taste.
Laura says
Having it with asparagus tonight, cooked in butter and garlic. Sometimes just some spaghetti noodles are just right.
vikalinka says
Sounds perfect, Laura!
vera bentley says
i read about the meat mallet you were gifted from your mum & remembered, i was gifted a meat mallet especially made for my babushka by her husband, who was a wonderful handmaker of metal impliments & his friend who was a good carpenter. the top of the metal hammer is grid shaped on 1 side & the other is verticle lines & the wood handle fits so perfectly in your hand. i even think some of my babushkas cooking skills come thru when i use it – well thats what i hope for anyway!
vikalinka says
Such a special gift, Vera! I love mine!
Martha Galvis says
This is a good recipe!!
Judi says
How do I download your cookbook?
Love your easy and yummy recipes!!
vikalinka says
No cookbook just yet, Judy but thank you for cooking from vikalinka.com!
Marlena says
My fiance has been requesting Chicken Marsala for a long time. I found a crock pot recipe that I was going to make, but then started looking at Pinterest and found this recipe. I made this instead of the crock pot recipe because I was afraid the crock pot would dry out the chicken. I’m so glad I made this recipe! Chicken was tender, gravy was good and family enjoyed it! And it was easy!! Will definitely make again and again.
Kat says
I love everything about this chicken marsala! It’s such an easy meal that tastes like restaurant quality. I sometimes make it at home with only veggies and we go crazy for it.
Dee says
What an amazing chicken marsala recipe! I love how quickly it comes together. This is one of the best recipes for busy weeknights. Great recipe Juia!
NataD says
Gosh, chicken marsala is exactly what we love here. I love how juicy the chicken comes out. Boys love to dip their pasta into he marsala sauce. SO good!
Drew says
Wow! This is wonderful! I cannot stop making it!!! I use dry Marsala wine and it works out just fine. So tasty! Perfect mid winter meal with mashed potatoes… mmm
vikalinka says
Wow, so happy you love this recipe, Drew!
Adriana says
Great recipe that serves a secondary purpose of using up a bottle of Marsala that doesn’t seem to be a popular item these days. Didn’t pound chicken as my chicken filleting skills are good enough. Sautéed chicken in olive oil and some butter which resulted in a rich gravy-like sauce. Used regular white mushrooms which came out great. Don’t omit step adding flour to mushrooms since this is reason gravy turns out nice and silky. Slipped a little on Marsala but end result was not too sweet. An easy recipe worth making for me but true test will be what the “others” think.
vikalinka says
I completely agree about Marsala! I’ve had an open bottle in my kitchen cupboard for over a year! Thanks for your review, Adriana!
Vicki Travis says
I have made this dish several times. They turned out good but your recipe sounds like it is the one I have been looking for. Thank you, I will let you know. I am having spinal surgery Friday, won’t have time but I can’t wait.
vikalinka says
Good luck with the surgery, Vicky!
Megan Pearce says
Amazing and sooooo easy!
Michelle Jelen says
Unbelievably easy and delicious ! My husband said it was “restaurant quality”. I’m definitely going to make this again! Thank you
vikalinka says
You are very welcome, Michelle. Thank you for such amazing feedback.
Janice says
Made this tonight for dinner and it was a hit.
Very easy to make. The next time I make this dish, I think I would add another 1/2 cup of Marsala wine. BTW, I used dry Marsala wine. I also added 1tabkespion if h y cream. Overall, great recipe.
Thanks for sharing!
vikalinka says
Thanks for your feedback, Janice. I am so pleased you enjoyed my recipe!
Shirley says
I want to make this a day ahead for about 35 people. Do you have any suggestions on how to make it ahead and reheat etc? It sounds like an amazing recipe!
vikalinka says
Hi Shirley, I haven’t made this for so many people but good news is this type of a dish becomes even more flavourful the following day, however when you reheat something saucy you lose quite a bit of the sauce, so I would make sure I made extra.
Shirley says
have you ever made it ahead for a smaller group? I was wondering would you suggest cooking the chicken and then the sauce but instead of returning to the pan leave it separate to store and then combine the next day to heat in the oven? or add the chicken back in and store in the sauce overnight and reheat in the oven? what do you recommend?
vikalinka says
I would suggest following the recipe instructions, otherwise it won’t be as flavourful, just double the sauce and yes, reheat in the oven until the chicken internal temperature registered at 160F.
Shirley says
I would appreciated your thoughts on freezing this recipe for a week away?
Thank you!
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Hi Shirley, you can absolutely freeze this chicken marsala.
Felicity C says
Hello- I am making this tonight. We do like more of a gravy sauce to pour over the pasta. Do you think I should double everything regarding the sauce (double the Marsala wine, chicken stock, and olive oil etc) Thank you! I can’t wait to try it.
vikalinka says
Hi Felicity, yes I would recommend doubling everything but the olive oil.
De Ann Ott says
Can you use chicken thighs for this recipe?
vikalinka says
I am sure you could but you will need to modify the recipe. Are you thinking bone-in chicken thighs or boneless? The boneless ones would be easier to adapt the recipe for.
Mandy says
This was so easy and elegant, as good or better than any other recipe I have used. I served it with riced cauliflower for a low carb delishious dinner!
vikalinka says
Thanks for your feedback, Mandy!! I am planning on trying it with cauliflower rice myself.
Kristen says
I made this last night and it was SO yummy. I used three medium shallots because I just love the flavor and 2 cups of stock instead of one because my husband wanted some “gravy” to put on his potatoes too. Even with the minor changes this recipe is superb!
vikalinka says
Thanks for your feedback, Kristen! I am so thrilled you loved it!
Cn says
I bought dry Marsala wine? Would that taste okay still since you used sweet Marsala wine?
vikalinka says
I can’t answer that question I am afraid. I’ve never bought or tasted dry Marsala wine.
Gail Denton says
I made it with dry Marsala and it was outstanding!
vikalinka says
Great! Thanks for letting us know, Gail!
Kristan H. says
I made this last night and it was delicious! I’m a very amateur cook and even I found this easy to make. I used baby bellas because I couldn’t find brown mushrooms and they tasted great with the sauce. I let it simmer longer until the sauce was the perfect thickness to put over mashed potatoes. SO YUMMY! Thanks!
vikalinka says
That is such an encouraging comment, Kristan! Thanks for letting me know!
Christine says
When you dredge it in the flower do you put it in egg first?
vikalinka says
Hi Christine, I do not as the recipe indicates.
Jillian says
I made this tonite and the gravy was very light!! What did I do wrong??
vikalinka says
Hi Jillian, could you give me a bit more details on your process and what you mean by “light”?
Erika says
When you say you can make ahead. Do you put it in the oven on low heat or refrigerator?
vikalinka says
I guess that depends how far ahead you are making it, Erika. The low oven can work for an hour or so, otherwise I would refrigerate it and reheat it later. Just bear in mind you will lose some of the sauce every time you reheat something, so I would just add a splash of stock before reheating it! Best Julia
MARY E PATELOS says
This is by far the best recipe I’ve used. I didn’t have the shallots so I substituted red onions. And baby Portobello shrooms. I like Florio Fine Marsala Dry, and like I said, the best ever!
vikalinka says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Mary! Definitely made my day! Best, Julia
Nathalie says
Hi can you send the name of the Marsala wine you use or brand or post picture? Thank you
vikalinka says
I used Cantine De Vita Marsala Dolce but it doesn’t matter which brand you use as long as it’s decent quality, Nathalie.
Tina says
Can you make this dish ahead of time.
vikalinka says
Yes you can Tina.
Melanie Ashley-Cole says
Do you have a suggestion if one does not do wine? Also, I had to google chestnut mushrooms to find out what they were. And in my Seattle area grocery store the are called ‘brown mushrooms.’
Thanks.
vikalinka says
My suggestion is perhaps to use another recipe since the taste in this one heavily relies on the Marsala wine. Here is another lovely Italian recipe you might like.https://vikalinka.com/2017/09/12/one-pot-italian-rosemary-chicken-and-white-beans/ or https://vikalinka.com/2015/02/20/better-chicken-and-chickpea-paprikash/. I hope this helps! Best Julia.
linda says
did you use sweet or dry
vikalinka says
Hi Linda, in the text above…”The combination of sweet Marsala wine with a touch of acidity and earthy mushrooms contribute to the complexity of the flavour.”
Geeman says
Trying it tomorrow I got the marsala wine but had to get the chestnut mushrooms slices in the jar is that ok everything on the recipe I have
vikalinka says
It should be fine although fresh mushrooms are always my first choice as they much more flavourful, Geeman.
Kaitlin says
Can you use like a cooking Wine that says Marsala?
vikalinka says
I am not a fan of cooking wines, Kaitlin. I find them of very low quality, which will affect the taste of your sauce. I just buy regular wines and use them in cooking, this way you get to drink the leftovers too. 🙂
Mia says
I made this tonight and paired it with some buttery lemon fettuccini. It was amazing.
vikalinka says
So great, Mia! Sounds yum!
Margeaux says
I made this for girls night and they could not stop complimenting how great it was. I wouldn’t change a thing the recipe was easy to follow and simple. Thank you!
vikalinka says
Aw music to my ears, Margeaux! It’s not always easy to impress at a girls night! Well done you!
Sunshinedi says
Delicious and flavorful! My family loved it. I will definitely make this again.
vikalinka says
So great to hear!! 🙂
Tammy says
Delicious! I added rosmary like one of the comments suggest. Becuase…I just love rosemary. I could not find the chestnut mushrooms so used portabello. It was still good! Thanks for sharing.
vikalinka says
Sounds amazing, Tammy.You are very welcome!Chestnut mushrooms are very similar to portobello mushrooms in flavour, so it’s a fair substitute.
Jen says
Delicious and so easy! Thank you for a great recipe.
vikalinka says
So happy you loved it, Jen! You are very welcome!
Michelle says
I struggle with what kind of masala wine to buy… some say use sweet and some say to use dry? Which is your preference?
vikalinka says
Hi Michelle, for this recipe I used sweet Marsala and that is why the chicken is not swimming in sauce. I wouldn’t want it to be too sweet, it’s not the Italian way. 😉
Kim says
What if I don’t have marsala wine. Can I substitute a different red wine ? What is your favorite side dish with this?
vikalinka says
Hi Kim, you can substitute it but it won’t be chicken marsala. It will still taste good but it will be a different recipe. Marsala is not actually a red wine as such. It’s a fortified sweet wine that is more similar to sherry than red wines. My favourite side for Chicken Marsala is potatoes. Italians don’t eat pasta with Chicken Marsala, it’s a second course to them while pasta is first. I hope this helps! Best, Julia
Christel Thomas says
What is a chestnut mushroom?
vikalinka says
Chestnut mushrooms are similar to cremini mushrooms, Christal. They are from the same family as white button mushrooms but have a more complex flavour and better texture in my opinion.
Mary says
I haven’t made this…yet.I will probably add the Rosemary and double the recipient for the sauce so as there is plenty for the pasta I will serve with it
Kathy says
Made it and made some changes. It was great.
vikalinka says
Happy to hear it, Kathy! It’s a staple in our house. 🙂
Barb says
Made this for my husband’s birthday party and everyone loved it! Elegant, delicious and very easy to make!
vikalinka says
Aw that is so lovely to hear, Barb! I love having easy recipes for dinner parties, so you too can enjoy it instead of running around the whole time. Happy birthday to your husband! 🙂
Tamara says
Wow, I made this tonight and it was AMAZING!!!
vikalinka says
Oh I am so happy to hear that, Tamara!
Terri says
Never heard of chestnut mushrooms!
vikalinka says
Hi Terri, you are welcome to use any mushrooms you like.
Patricia Carbone says
Agree! Simple to make…and quick!
vikalinka says
Awesome, Patricia!
Mare says
To make it the BEST chicken Marsala you really need to add rosemary to it.
vikalinka says
Sounds like a great idea, Mare.