Creamy Chicken Marsala (Printable)

Pan-seared chicken breasts in a luxurious Marsala wine and cream sauce with mushrooms, served over al dente pasta.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 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 or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
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

# How-To 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 chicken to a plate and tent loosely 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. 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 juices to the pan, coating 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 Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta and tastes like you simmered it for hours, not minutes.
  • Chicken stays tender because you pound it thin and don't overcook it.
  • It looks impressive enough for company but forgiving enough for a weeknight.
  • You get to use a whole bottle of Marsala and pretend you're in a cooking show.
02 -
  • If your Marsala reduces too fast, the sauce turns sticky and bitter, so keep the heat at a steady simmer, not a rolling boil.
  • Crowding the chicken in the pan makes it steam instead of sear, so cook in batches if your skillet isn't big enough.
  • Tasting the sauce before you return the chicken is the only way to fix the seasoning while you still can.
03 -
  • Reserve a cup of pasta water before you drain and use it to loosen the sauce if it gets too thick when you toss everything together.
  • Let the chicken rest on the plate while you make the sauce, the juices redistribute and you can pour them back in for extra flavor.
  • Don't skip scraping the pan when you add the Marsala, those browned bits are pure umami and the backbone of the sauce.
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