Name: Creamy Chicken Marsala
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) thin-sliced chicken cutlets; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 2 Tbsp olive oil; 1–3 Tbsp butter; 6–8 oz (170–225 g) brown mushrooms, thickly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 – 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine; 3/4 cup chicken broth; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 Tbsp chopped parsley

The copper kettle on the stove whistled three times on Sunday afternoon while I laid out the cutting board for this chicken marsala. My youngest daughter pulled a chair up to the island to watch me dredge the thin meat in flour before it hit the hot oil.

I still don’t measure the flour properly half the time, and I’m not going to start now. This is the meal I turn to when the weekend winds down and we want something rich enough to slow down for.

Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Serves: 4

How do you keep chicken marsala sauce from separating? Adding cold heavy cream straight into an acidic wine reduction can cause the dairy to break.

To prevent this, let the cream warm up slightly on the counter first, whisk it in gently over low heat, and avoid boiling the sauce once the cream is mixed in.

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Ingredients for Chicken Marsala

1 lb (450 g) thin-sliced chicken cutlets
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1–3 Tbsp butter
6–8 oz (170–225 g) brown mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 – 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Ingredient Notes

The meat prep sets the tone for how tender the finished dinner turns out on your plate. You want thin cutlets so they cook evenly through the center without drying out in the hot skillet.

Brown mushrooms give the sauce a deeper earthy flavor than plain white button varieties. Slice them thick so they hold up against the simmering wine and broth without turning mushy.

Dry Marsala wine provides the signature sweet aroma that defines this dish. Make sure to buy dry Marsala rather than sweet, because sweet Marsala turns the sauce into a dessert syrup.

Making Chicken Marsala, Step by Step

Dredge the chicken. Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish, then press the thin chicken cutlets into the mixture until lightly coated on both sides.
Sear the cutlets. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken cutlets in a single layer, and cook until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
Rest the meat. Transfer the seared chicken cutlets to a clean plate with a slotted spoon and let them rest while you build the sauce in the same pan.
Sauté the mushrooms. Add a tablespoon of butter to the hot skillet, toss in the thick-sliced brown mushrooms, and cook until they release their moisture and turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Cook the garlic. Stir the minced garlic into the mushrooms and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, making sure the bits on the bottom of the pan do not burn.
Deglaze the pan. Pour the dry Marsala wine into the skillet, scraping up all the browned bits with a wooden spoon, and let it simmer until the liquid reduces by half.
Build the sauce. Whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Finish the dish. Return the chicken cutlets and any accumulated juices back into the skillet, spooning the warm cream sauce over them until heated through, then sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Make-Ahead and Leftovers

Store leftover chicken marsala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of chicken broth, stirring often to keep the cream sauce smooth.

Avoid using high heat or the dairy will separate and break. Freezing is not recommended because heavy cream and wine reductions tend to grain up and change texture once thawed.

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