Chicken Smothered with Marsala & Mushrooms (Chicken Marsala)

Our favorite Chicken Marsala recipe is essentially Chicken Smothered with Marsala & Mushrooms! And, it is Delicious! It’s a recipe for chicken cutlets that’s cooked with Marsala wine, garlic, mushrooms, and chicken broth for a mouthwatering meal. Packed with flavor, this Chicken Marsala recipe is very satisfying and a one-skillet meal that helps get dinner to the table in a snap!

Chicken Smothered with Marsala & Mushrooms

If you know me, then you’ll know that I adore easy one-skillet meals like this one.  I am usually, and almost always – pressed for time, and need to make dinner in a hurry. And our family’s recipe for chicken smothered with marsala and mushrooms is perfect and helps me get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. We love that!

This is an easy all-in-one skillet meal, and it is DIVINE!

Best of all, this recipe is elegant enough to serve guests. Plus, you can easily prep and make this chicken dish earlier in the day, and reheat it before you serve.

If you love easy and “one-skillet meals,” then try our mom’s best chicken piccata, easy skillet tortellini dinner, and chicken tenders smothered in lemon and parsley, just to name a few. And for more Marsala recipes, then don’t miss our Classic Pork Chop Marsala, it too, is amazing!

What is Chicken Marsala?

Chicken Marsala is a popular classic Italian-American dish that is served in most Italian restaurants. It is a dish made with tender pieces of chicken, simmered with a sweet Sicilian wine called Marsala, and it’s from the city of Marsala, which is located on the western coast of Sicily, Italy. The wine gives this chicken dish a rich, savory flavor to the mushroom sauce as well as the chicken. If you have never had this chicken dish before, we highly recommend you try this one.

  

Cook’s Notes & Recipe Tips:

• Marsala Wine is an Italian wine with a long shelf life.  We recommend looking for good-quality Marsala wine and skipping the ones labeled “cooking wine.”  It makes a huge difference in flavor.  You can find Marsala wine at any liquor store, even Total Wine sell it, and one of the best brands is called Florio Marsala wine.

“I have used this wine to make chicken Marsala 3 times and my company raves about the flavor. As they say, don’t cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink and this wine is great either way.” by Jonvg (TW)

• It’s best to rinse and drain your mushrooms before using them.  They will always come with some soil or sand on them.  
• Keep in mind that mushrooms will release a lot of liquid and moisture into the skillet while you are cooking them.  And that’s ok.  You will need to continue to simmer them until most of the excess liquid has been absorbed.  Then add the Marsala wine to the mushrooms. 
• Also, I added 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, giving this dish a little more heat.  But you can reduce that amount to about a pinch or two.  And that will be fine.
• Need Additional Sauce or Gravy?  Sure!  Just add 1/2 cup or more of broth into the mixture and simmer for a minute or so before serving.  If the sauce is too watery, you can stir in some flour or cornstarch to thicken it, if needed.
• Desire To Make it Creamy? You may add a little cream and even fresh thyme, and you’ll get rave reviews, no doubt. 
• Keep in mind that you can make this dish with chicken thighs or chicken breasts, but you will need more time to fully cook the chicken.

What to Look For When Buying Chicken Cutlets?

It’s best to buy thinly sliced chicken cutlets. They help get this dish done in minutes.  Plus, there’s no need to pound them either. Thinly sliced chicken cutlets cook up quickly.

Only 3 Easy-To-Follow Steps To Making this Dinner

1. First, we need to prep the mushrooms and set them aside.  Then cut the chicken cutlets into smaller pieces.

2. Next, in one large skillet, we saute the mushrooms until brown and tender and remove them aside. Then we saute the chicken until golden on both sides. 

3. Finally, the two are joined together and finished off with some marsala wine, chicken broth, and lots of fresh parsley.  Simmered for a few minutes more, and dinner is ready in 15 minutes!

Ingredients You Will Need:

For our Chicken Marsala recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil 
• butter 
• garlic cloves 
• crushed red pepper flakes
• white mushrooms or any mushrooms sliced
• salt and black pepper
• fresh parsley 
• skinless thin chicken cutlets (about 5 to 6 cutlets)
• all-purpose flour  (or GF )
• Marsala wine 
• chicken, or vegetable broth

How To Make Chicken Smothered with Marsala & Mushrooms? (aka Classic Chicken Marsala)

If this is your first time making Chicken Marsala, no worries, it is relatively easy. First, gather all your ingredients. And, don’t forget our full printable recipe card is located at the bottom. But first, let’s go over the steps so you can understand what’s involved before you start.

1.  First, rinse the mushrooms, drain them, and set them aside.  Next, prepare the chicken.  Rinse each chicken cutlet and cut each one in half or into thirds, depending on its size.  Then set aside.

2.  In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Heat over medium heat until the butter is melted.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes.  Sauté garlic for about 1 minute. 

3.  Add the mushrooms and salt and sauté the mushrooms for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are golden.   

4.  Add 2 tablespoons of Marsala wine, and simmer for 1 minute.  Sprinkle and stir some chopped parsley on top, and turn off the heat.  Transfer mushrooms to a dish or bowl and set them aside.

4.  Place some flour into a shallow plate.  Set aside.

5.  In the same large skillet, heat additional olive oil and butter over medium heat.  Take each chicken cutlet and place it into the flour, one at a time, and gently coat both sides with flour.  Shake off excess.  Transfer each one to the heated skillet.

6.  Sauté the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is fully cooked.  Add salt and pepper to taste and some fresh parsley.

7.  Transfer the mushroom mixture back into the skillet and over the chicken.  Add in the remaining marsala wine, and simmer on low heat for about 1 minute.  Take a wooden spoon and gently stir while scraping the bottom of the pan, to deglaze the dish.

8. Finally, add the chicken broth and cover it with a lid. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Top with some fresh parsley.  Remove and transfer to a serving platter.  Garnish with more fresh parsley on top. Serve immediately.  Time: about 15 minutes.  Serves 4

What To Serve with Chicken Marsala?

There are so many options to serve as a side with chicken marsala. You can easily serve it with only a green salad and some crusty bread as a side to complement the meal. Or you can try any of these ideas… they are all delicious:

• best creamy mashed potatoes
• asparagus au gratin – lightened!
• oven-fried sweet potatoes
• creamy mashed cauliflower (low-carb)
• sauteed green beans with onions

A Favorite Meal

Chicken Smothered with Marsala, Mushrooms, and Parsley will make a delicious meal. 

It’s a very light dish, not heavy, and very flavorful! The chicken is insanely moist, and the rich, savory sauce, along with tender mushrooms, adds another level of flavor to this dish.  This easy Chicken Marsala dish is so… amazing, that you will want to keep it on rotation. Oh, and don’t forget a great bottle of wine to serve with it for dinner! ...then it’s perfect!

ENJOY!

Don’t forget!  If you try our Chicken Smothered with Marsala & Mushrooms recipe, let us know and leave a comment below and don’t forget the stars! We appreciate every comment and look forward to hearing from you.

Try These Next! 

• Sauteed Chicken Cutlets with Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, Feta and Basil
• Chicken with Dijon Wine Cream Sauce
• Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
• Mom’s Best Chicken Piccata
• Chicken Cutlets with Garlicky Asparagus
• Chicken Rollatini with Ham Cheese and Spinach

 

Happy Cooking!  🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

xo anna and liz