Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian dish made with boneless chicken breasts and mushrooms in a Marsala wine sauce.
One of my favorite meals I used to order whenever I ate at a restaurant when I was younger was Chicken Marsala. That is until I realized how easy it was to make it at home. Well that and there are so many other tasty meals to choose from when I don't have to cook.
I've made pork marsala as well and using this wine really gives your recipe a distinct, caramelized rich flavor.
What is Marsala wine?
Marsala is a fortified wine made in Marsala, Italy; which is near Sicily. It's made with white grape varieties and is enhanced with brandy.
What can I use instead of Marsala?
Instead of marsala you could use a dry Madeira wine, port wine or red vermouth. Chardonnay or Cabernet wines can also be used as well as a mixture of equal parts brandy and water.
Where can I buy Marsala Wine?
For best quality, you can buy Marsala wine at your local liquor store. You can use the brands found on Amazon or in your local grocery store; however, the quality isn't as good but it's okay in a pinch and probably less expensive.
Ingredients Needed
For this recipe you'll need:
- boneless chicken breasts
- mushrooms
- all purpose flour
- butter
- Canola oil
- Marsala wine
- chicken broth
- parsley
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
I've also seen some people add heavy cream to their Marsala sauce, but my family prefers it without. To save time you can also purchase thin sliced chicken breasts.
If you have the regular sized ones, cut them horizontally into 2-4 slices to form thin cutlets depending on the thickness.
How do you make Chicken Marsala
Start by adding flour to a bowl or dish that is large enough to coat the chicken; then dredge the chicken in the flour. Heat the the oil and butter over medium high heat in a large skillet; then add the chicken and cook 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden.
Place the cooked chicken in a single layer (overlapping slightly) in a 3-quart oven safe baking dish and repeat until all of the chicken is cooked through.
Drain the excess grease in your pan and discard, but do not wipe clean leaving the bits on the bottom. Add the remaining butter and sliced mushrooms; then sauté until the mushrooms have softened.
Next, add the remaining flour to form a roux; then add the wine, parsley, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Stir until the sauce becomes slightly thickened; then pour the mixture over the cooked chicken and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes until it's hot and bubbly.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Can I freeze Chicken Marsala?
Yes, you can freeze before or after cooking. I've made this along with other chicken recipes like Chicken Francaise ahead of time for large parties; then froze it for up to 1 month. Though I've found that freezing it before cooking keeps all of the sauce from drying up.
Prepare the chicken as directed, pour the sauce over the chicken; then cool to room temperature. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and gently press down so that you get as much air out of it as possible before completely covering the dish with more plastic wrap or foil.
When you're ready to cook, remove from the freezer and keep refrigerated 1-2 days ahead of time; then cook as directed. It may take a little longer if the chicken is still partially frozen.
This recipe for Chicken Marsala serves 4 and goes wonderfully with steamed rice and your favorite vegetable. It's one of our favorite meals and great when feeding a crowd for parties or get togethers. ~Enjoy!
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Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marsala
- 8 thin sliced boneless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup Canola oil
For the Marsala Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 10 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¾ cup Marsala wine
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
For the Chicken Marsala
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add the flour to a bowl or dish that is large enough to coat the chicken; then dredge the chicken in the flour.
- Heat the the oil and butter over medium high heat in a large skillet; then add the chicken and cook 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden.
- Place the cooked chicken in a single layer (overlapping slightly) in a 3-quart oven safe baking dish and repeat until all of the chicken is cooked through.
- Drain the excess grease in your pan and discard, but do not wipe clean leaving the bits on the bottom.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken and bake for 20 minutes until it's hot and bubbly.
For the Marsala Sauce
- Add the butter and mushrooms; then sauté until the mushrooms have softened.
- Next, add the flour to form a roux; then add the wine, parsley, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Stir until the sauce becomes slightly thickened.
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