Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian dish of thin chicken cutlets browned in butter, then finished in a wine and mushroom sauce. The chicken stays tender because it cooks quickly in a hot pan, and the Marsala wine and mushroom broth create a rich, glossy sauce that clings to every piece.

Ingredients for Chicken Marsala

Chicken breasts are pounded thin so they cook through in minutes without drying out. All-purpose flour creates a light, crispy crust that browns beautifully. Butter browns the chicken and enriches the sauce. Mushrooms add earthiness and body to the pan liquid. Marsala wine gives the sauce its signature sweet, slightly caramel flavor. Chicken broth balances the wine and stretches the sauce. Salt and black pepper season both the chicken and the sauce.

Why This Chicken Marsala Works

Pounding the chicken breasts to an even 1/4-inch thickness means they cook in the same time all over. This prevents the thin edges from overcooking while the thicker center stays raw.

Browning the chicken hard in a hot buttered pan creates a golden crust that seals in moisture and adds flavor. As you remove the cooked chicken, the browned bits stuck to the pan become the foundation of the sauce when you add the wine.

The Marsala and broth simmer with the mushrooms just long enough for the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. The chicken goes back in at the very end, so it stays tender and doesn’t overcook.

Mistakes To Avoid

Skipping the pounding step means the chicken will have thick and thin spots that cook unevenly. The thin edges become rubbery and tough while the center is still undercooked.

Crowding the pan drops the temperature and steams the chicken instead of browning it. You end up with pale, flabby chicken and no flavorful browned bits for the sauce.

Cooking the chicken all the way through in the pan and then leaving it in the sauce causes it to overcook and turn dry and stringy. Always remove it before making the sauce, then add it back at the end.

Using sweet dessert Marsala instead of dry Marsala makes the sauce cloying and unbalanced. Check the label to confirm you have dry Marsala, sometimes labeled “secco” on Italian bottles.

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Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Place one chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound it to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat with the remaining breasts.
2. Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Coat each chicken breast on both sides and tap off any excess.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it foams and smells nutty, about 2 minutes.
4. Add two chicken breasts to the pan and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Check with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (it should read 165°F or 74°C). Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the other two breasts.
5. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Pour in the Marsala wine and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to lift up all the browned bits. Let it simmer for 1 minute.
7. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Simmer uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
8. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and turn to coat with sauce. Simmer for 1 minute to heat through, then serve immediately.