Chicken Marsala
Chicken Marsala is one of those meals I find myself craving every few months. I grew up eating it at home, and after making it for years myself, it's become one of my favorite comfort meals to cook. The recipe isn't complicated, but it's rewarding. Properly browning the mushrooms, building a rich Marsala wine sauce, and cooking the chicken just until it's juicy are the small details that make this classic so satisfying.
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
45 minutes
Servings
2
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Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb / 450 g), sliced into thin cutlets
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup (40 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup (180 ml) dry Marsala wine
- ½ cup (120 ml) chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Season the cutlets with salt and pepper and dredge them lightly in flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining butter and the mushrooms. Cook without crowding until they are deeply browned.
- Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Pour in the Marsala and scrape up the browned bits. Reduce by about half.
- Add the chicken stock and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 3–5 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the pan and turn it in the sauce until warmed through.
- Finish with parsley and serve.
Chef’s Notes
The mushrooms need real color before the wine goes in, or the sauce tastes thin. Use dry Marsala, not the sweet cooking wine from the bottom shelf. Don't overcook the chicken—thin cutlets finish fast.
Equipment Used
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- Shallow dish for flour