Creamy Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms (Printable)

Pan-seared chicken in a luxurious Marsala wine and mushroom cream sauce, served over pasta for an elegant Italian-American dinner.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, approximately 1.5 lbs
02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
11 - 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Pasta

15 - 12 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti
16 - Salt for pasta water

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# Preparation steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
03 - In a shallow dish, combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
04 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
05 - In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter and mushrooms. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes until mushrooms are browned. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
06 - Pour in Marsala wine, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
07 - Add chicken broth, cream, and thyme. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
08 - Return chicken and accumulated juices to the pan, coating thoroughly with sauce. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
09 - Serve chicken and sauce over cooked pasta. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The sauce is silky and restaurant-quality but comes together in one skillet with minimal fuss.
  • Pounding the chicken to even thickness means no more dry edges and raw centers.
  • Marsala wine adds a sweet, complex depth you cannot get from regular white wine.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Do not skip pounding the chicken, uneven thickness means uneven cooking and nobody wants rubbery edges.
  • Let the mushrooms sit undisturbed in the pan for the first minute or two, moving them too soon releases moisture and prevents browning.
  • Use dry Marsala wine, not sweet, or the sauce will taste more like dessert than dinner.
  • If the sauce looks too thin, let it simmer a bit longer, if too thick, add a splash of broth or pasta water.
03 -
  • Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining, it is pure gold for loosening the sauce and helping it cling to the noodles.
  • If your skillet is not large enough to fit all the chicken without crowding, cook it in two batches so each piece gets a proper sear.
  • A splash of balsamic vinegar stirred in at the end adds a subtle tang that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • For a gluten-free version, swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend and use gluten-free pasta, everything else stays the same.
Go back