Name: Easy Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided; 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 3/4 cup Marsala wine; 3/4 cup chicken broth; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

So I Accidentally Discovered Chicken Marsala (Sort Of)

Alright, confession time. The first time I cooked Chicken Marsala, I totally winged it—didn’t even know what “Marsala” really meant (turns out, it’s wine, not a fancy Italian chicken breed?). I was trying to impress my cousin, who claims to know the difference between béchamel and velouté, and just hoped for the best. I suppose that’s how a lot of my kitchen stories start: optimism, a splash of panic, and a mess of mushrooms everywhere. But anyway, this recipe became my “oh, you want something special, but my brain’s fried” dinner. Turns out, it’s not hard at all—and honestly, most of the gusto comes form the wine (and, let’s be real, a bit from my stubborn refusal to make anything that requires hours of waiting).

Why I Think You’ll Dig This (Besides Avoiding Takeout)

I trot this one out when dinner needs to be fake-fancy. My family goes back for seconds every time (even my pickiest nephew said, “Hey, the sauce isn’t weird!”). I make this when I want a break from red sauce, or when literally every other protein is frozen solid except for some chicken thighs hiding near the ice cream. Plus, it’s a one-pan wonder if you shuffle stuff around right, and the house will smell like you’ve got some secret chef skills.

Heads up—if you ever get annoyed by recipes that call for stuff you don’t have, you’ll like this one. I used to desperately Google things like “can you swap port for Marsala” (you can, it’s not the end of the world) and lived to tell the tale.

Stuff You Need (and Stuff You Can Swap)

2 large chicken breasts (or 4 thighs—sometimes I use those because, honestly, they’re juicier. My friend Liz swears by thighs.)
Salt & pepper (or Herbes de Provence if you’re feeling fancy)
1 cup cremini or white mushrooms, sliced (portabellas work, or canned in a pinch though they get a bit mushy)
3/4 cup Marsala wine (sweet or dry both work, but dry is more classic; I use what’s on sale at Tesco usually)
1/2 cup chicken broth (stock cubes are fine, I’m not judging)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour (occasionally I skip this and use cornstarch slurry; not quite the same but it’ll do)
2 tbsp unsalted butter (sometimes I mix in olive oil to keep butter from burning)
2 tbsp olive oil (if you run out, vegetable oil works too—Grandma used whatever she had handy)
1 small shallot or 1/4 onion, finely chopped (I usually end up using onion because that’s always lying around)
2 cloves garlic, minced (more if you love garlic, less if you want to keep vampires at bay)
Parsley or a little thyme for garnish (optional, but it looks pretty in photos)

Easy Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms Recipe

Here’s How I Pull This Together (Don’t Stress)

Pound the chicken thin-ish. Not strictly necessary, but I promise it cooks faster and more evenly. If you don’t have a mallet, use a rolling pin or…I dunno, a wine bottle (which you’ll open in a sec).
Season & dust: Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper (or those leftover dried herbs). Coat each piece in the flour; I use a plastic bag to shake ’em up sometimes because dishes are my nemesis.
Brown the chicken: Heat a splash of oil and a smidge of butter over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken 3-4 min a side—don’t fuss if some bits stick, that’s flavor. Set chicken aside. (This is where I usually sneak a taste and sometimes burn my tongue. Every time.)
Sauté the mushrooms: Same pan, toss in the rest of your butter, mushrooms, and onions/shallots. Give a generous pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms shrink and get golden, about 5-7 min (but who’s counting, just don’t let ’em char).
Garlic in: Stir in garlic for the last minute. It’ll get fragrant quick—don’t let it go brown and bitter unless you like living on the edge.
Deglaze! Pour in the Marsala. It’s going to steam and hiss and smell amazing. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom (that’s the good stuff). Let it cook for a two minutes, so the wine mellows out.
Broth & reduce: Add your chicken broth. Simmer a bit, till the sauce thickens slightly. Don’t worry—it always looks way too thin at first but it thickens up as it cools down.
Chicken returns: Nestle the chicken back in, plus any juices. Let it simmer 5 minutes. Flip the pieces once. If the sauce’s too thick, add a splash of water. Too thin, let it bubble a touch longer. Actually, I find it works better if you don’t fuss too much here and just call it done when the chicken is cooked through.
Garnish & serve: Scatter chopped parsley or a little thyme if you want. Or just slap it on a plate and dig in.

Some Little Notes (AKA My Kitchen Scraps of Wisdom)

Don’t stress if you forget to flour the chicken. I’ve skipped this, and it still tastes great—just slightly thinner sauce.
I usually use whatever mushrooms are on clearance (shiitake works, button gets rubbery quicker though).
If the Marsala tastes too winey, just let it simmer longer. Or, on second thought, add a splash of cream—it’ll mellow things out.
Once I tried pre-sliced supermarket chicken—too thin, dried out fast. Stick to slicing your own if you can.

Variations That Worked (and One That Didn’t!)

Creamy Marsala: Stir in a dollop of sour cream or a splash of double cream at the end for extra richness.
Vegetarian win: Swapped mushrooms for thickly sliced aubergine—took longer, but, oddly, not bad at all.
Failed experiment: Tried subbing Marsala totally with orange juice once. Yeah, not my proudest moment—save that for another dish.

Equipment – and How I Stumble Through Without It

Big skillet or frying pan: Nonstick or stainless, doesn’t matter so much. I’ve even used a Dutch oven when my good pans were in the wash (hey, whatever works).
Tongs: If you don’t have them, two forks get it done—just don’t fling hot chicken on the floor. I may or may not have done this…

If You Want to Store Leftovers (Unlikely in My House)

Fridge: in a lidded container, this keeps for up to two days. But honestly, leftovers are rare around here; it always seems to “disappear” by lunch the next day. Freezer: wrap well, it’ll freeze for about two months, but the sauce gets a bit weird so reheat gently in a pan with a splash of broth or water.

Serving It Up – What I Like (But You Do You)

We almost always have Chicken Marsala with buttery mashed potatoes (grand tradition), or sometimes egg noodles when they’re on hand. It’s also smashing with crusty bread to mop up the sauce. If you want it lighter—some folks serve it with garlicky green beans or a simple salad. For a real mood booster, I say eat it straight out of the pan with a good glass of the Marsala (no judgement).

What Not To Do (Trust Me, I’ve Done It)

Don’t rush browning the chicken, even if you’re starving. I tried once. Ended up with pale, chewy meat—blech.
Always taste the sauce before serving. One time I forgot, and it was so salty, I think I drank my weight in water after.
If you use canned mushrooms, drain them and dry them a bit in a towel. Otherwise your sauce gets watery and, well, not the best.

FAQ – Stuff I Actually Get Asked (And Occasionally Fudge an Answer)

Can I make this without Marsala wine?: Yeah, you can! Dry sherry or even a white wine with a splash of brandy will work in a pinch. It’s not 100% the same but, to be honest, most folks won’t notice. Just avoid something sweet like dessert wine (learned that the sticky way).
Can I prep this ahead?: Sure thing. Brown the chicken and sauté the mushrooms, stop there, and dump it all together when you’re ready to make the sauce. But, fair warning: chicken tastes best fresh, so try not to cook it all the way through at first.
Is this gluten-free?: Nope, but you can make it so with cornstarch or that gluten-free flour from Bob’s Red Mill (I use their GF stuff sometimes).
Where do I buy Marsala wine?: Most big supermarkets have it near the sherry and port. My local off-licence (Tesco’s own brand works) does the trick.
Can I double this?: Yup, just use the biggest pan you’ve got. Otherwise, batch it in stages so the chicken browns and not just steams—you’ll thank me later.
Is this Italian?: Kinda? It’s as Italian as my British gran’s “spag bol,” but it’s totally delish.

And if you’re genuinely curious about mushroom types, this Serious Eats mushroom guide is more helpful than me trying to pronounce “chanterelle.”

Easy Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms Recipe Anyone Can Make