Chicken Marsala
Golden chicken cutlets and mushrooms simmer in a rich, creamy Marsala sauce for a family dinner that's especially good served over buttered pasta.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more as needed
Marsala Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 pounds mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 onion finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 3/4 cup Marsala cooking wine Note: I used Holland House Marsala Cooking Wine, which contains added salt. If you're using regular Marsala wine instead, you may need to add a little more salt to taste.
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
For Serving
- Buttered vermicelli pasta
- Simple green salad optional
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into thin cutlets. Place the chicken in a plastic bag or between sheets of parchment paper and gently pound to about 1/4 inch thick.
- Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Lightly dredge each piece of chicken in the flour and shake off the excess. Place the floured chicken on a rack over a sheet pan to keep it dry while you prep the rest.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium high to high heat. Working in batches, sear the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. The chicken does not need to be completely cooked yet. Transfer to a platter and continue with the remaining chicken, adding additional butter or olive oil as needed. If the butter begins to burn, carefully wipe the skillet clean and start fresh before continuing.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet, followed by the mushrooms. Cook over fairly high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are deeply browned. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened. Add the garlic and fresh thyme and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the Marsala and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes, then add the chicken stock and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or longer, until the sauce has reduced significantly and become rich and flavorful. Taste and add additional salt if needed.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer for about 10 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Serve the chicken with buttered vermicelli pasta and spoon plenty of mushrooms and Marsala sauce over both the chicken and pasta.
Video
Notes
- This is a large batch recipe and makes about 8 to 10 servings.
- The chicken only needs to develop a golden crust during the initial sear. It will finish cooking when it is returned to the sauce.
- If your skillet becomes too hot and the butter starts burning while cooking the chicken, wipe it clean and start again before cooking the next batch.
- Don't rush the Marsala sauce. Allowing the stock, wine, and cream plenty of time to simmer and reduce gives it a much richer flavor.
- A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette is a great side for this meal.
