Go Back

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American classic with golden pan-fried chicken cutlets and a silky dark Marsala wine mushroom sauce. The sauce turns glossy and restaurant-style by swirling in cold butter and simmering with heavy cream for a deep, intensely flavored finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts Halved horizontally into 8 thin cutlets.
  • 0.5 tsp salt To taste.
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper To taste.
For dredging and frying
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter Use 2 tablespoons for pan-frying; divided.
Mushroom Marsala sauce
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms Sliced.
  • 3 shallots Minced.
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 0.75 cup dry marsala wine
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp butter Use remaining 2 tablespoons, cold, for glossing the sauce.
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 0.5 fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep the chicken
  1. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then pat lightly so the surface clings to flour.
  2. Dredge the cutlets in all-purpose flour, then shake off excess so they brown instead of steam.
Pan-fry the cutlets
  1. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Pan-fry the cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side until golden, then transfer to a plate.
Cook the mushrooms and build the sauce
  1. Cook the mushrooms and minced shallots in the same skillet over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes until golden.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it stays fragrant and doesn’t brown.
  3. Pour in the dry Marsala wine and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
  4. Add chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Finish and serve
  1. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter until the sauce looks glossy, then stir in fresh thyme leaves.
  2. Return the cutlets to the pan and spoon the sauce over top, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Notes

Pro tip: use cold butter for the final glossing step—swirl it in off heat or after simmering so the sauce turns thick, silky, and shiny instead of greasy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can break after thawing. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream with half-and-half for a thinner but still flavorful sauce.