Easy Chicken Marsala

Get ready to master the ultimate restaurant-quality chicken dish right in your own kitchen! This Chicken Marsala is pure magic – tender chicken cutlets in a rich, velvety mushroom wine sauce that’ll make you feel like a culinary genius.

The secret lies in that gorgeous Marsala wine sauce – it’s luxuriously creamy with deep caramelized mushrooms and just the right balance of flavors. Trust me, once you nail this recipe, it’ll become your go-to impressive dinner that only looks complicated.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Flour for dredging
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced fairly thin
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup Marsala wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Steps

1. Cut chicken breasts lengthwise into 4 thin cutlets (about 1/4-inch thick). Season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess – you want just a light coating.
2. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add chicken and sear 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown with a crispy crust. Remove to a plate (it’s okay if not fully cooked).
3. Add remaining butter and mushrooms to the same pan (don’t clean it – those brown bits are flavor gold!). Cook 3-5 minutes until mushrooms release their moisture and turn deep golden brown. They should sizzle!
4. Add garlic and Marsala wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let bubble and reduce for 2-3 minutes until wine is slightly syrupy. The alcohol smell should mostly cook off.
5. Pour in cream and return chicken to pan. Simmer 4-5 minutes until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature. Add extra salt/pepper to taste and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Smart Swaps

• Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream to reduce calories
• Substitute portobello mushrooms for cremini if needed
• Try chicken stock + 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar if avoiding wine

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Replace flour with almond flour (reduces carbs by 8g per serving)
• Use unsweetened almond milk + 1 tablespoon butter instead of cream
• Serve over cauliflower rice instead of pasta
• Keep portions to 4oz chicken per serving

Pro Tips

• Let chicken come to room temperature before cooking for even browning
• Don’t overcrowd the pan when searing chicken
• Use real Marsala wine, not cooking wine, for best flavor
• Pat mushrooms dry before cooking for better browning