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Creamy Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian dish that is ready in under 30 minutes! Marsala wine is made into a creamy sauce paired with mushrooms for the ultimate savory bite. It’s simple and easy to whip up and sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
I am such a fan of mushrooms with just about everything. They are the perfect companion to pasta, soup, sauces, and pretty much everything else. If you love mushrooms too, then you will love this Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken, this delicious Skillet Creamy Chicken Mushroom Florentine, and this simple but oh-so flavorful Creamy Garlic Parmesan Mushroom Chicken.
Marsala Chicken
Do you ever make something and think, DANG! I just made that?! This Creamy Chicken Marsala became an instant favorite with the very first bite. The creamy sauce is made with sweet marsala wine and wow, the flavor is incredible. (Don’t worry because alcohol does burn off during the cooking process and is safe for the kids to eat). All you have to add to it is some heavy cream, garlic, mustard, and voila!
Everything about this meal is SO GOOD. It’s perfect served with roasted root vegetables and a simple Caesar salad. You could also serve it over pasta al limone or your favorite noodles for a filling chicken pasta. My family always requests mashed potatoes, so I know for a fact it’s great with those too! This marsala sauce is perfect over rice too. However you decide to serve it, you are going to love this quick and easy chicken dish!
Ingredients
The key ingredient in this creamy chicken marsala is of course, the Marsala wine! You can find Marsala wine fairly easily and it’s perfect to have in your pantry for more recipes, like this creamy garlic pork marsala. You can find the measurements below in the recipe card.
- Chicken Breast: I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe. You could also use chicken thighs or chicken cutlets instead.
- Salt and Black Pepper: To season the chicken.
- Olive Oil: I prefer to cook with olive oil, but you can use your favorite cooking oil. You could use butter instead.
- Mushrooms: Thinly sliced as evenly as possible so they all cook at the same rate.
- Marsala Wine: The key ingredient! It adds all the body and flavor to the sauce.
- Chicken Broth: To help make the sauce.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: This is what makes this sauce so thick and creamy!
- Ground Mustard: I prefer to use ground mustard, but you could also use a liquid mustard. Or you could leave it out altogether if your family doesn’t like mustard flavor.
- Garlic Powder: To add to the depth of the sauce.
- Parsley: Fresh, for garnish. You could also add fresh thyme as well.
Creamy Chicken Marsala Recipe
This creamy chicken marsala recipe is pretty much as easy as it gets! Don’t be intimidated by cooking with wine, I kept this recipe so simple that anyone could do it. If you prefer to cook without wine, I share my substitutions below in the tip box.
- Cook Chicken: In a large skillet over medium heat add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the chicken and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown and cooked throughout. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Make Sauce: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the mushrooms for 1-2 minutes. Add marsala wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. This allows the alcohol to burn out. Add the chicken broth, heavy whipping cream, ground mustard, and garlic powder.
- Thicken Sauce and Serve: Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Place the cooked chicken back in the sauce and continue to simmer for about 1-2 minutes.
Tips for Making Creamy Chicken Marsala
This creamy chicken marsala recipe is super easy, but I always like to include a few personal tips that I’ve learned over the years from cooking a lot. Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this recipe.
- Cutting the Breast in Half: I like to slice my chicken breasts in half or buy them thinly sliced so that they cook quickly and easily. Place one chicken breast half on a cutting board, flat/smooth side down. Put the palm of your non-cutting hand on the top of the breast, and, using a very sharp knife, slowly cut horizontally through the breast, starting with cutting into the long, thick side.
- Choosing a Marsala Wine: Marsala is an Italian fortified wine with smoky, deep flavor. When making savory dishes like chicken or veal Marsala, dry Marsala is the classic choice; when making desserts, sweet Marsalis generally used. Marsala wine is a fortified wine from Sicily with a deep flavor and is used in this sauce to create a caramelized rich flavor. When making savory dishes like Chicken Marsala, dry Marsala is the best option.
- Wine Alternative: If you are not interested in using dry marsala wine in this recipe, or don’t want to buy a bottle just for this, I’ve got you covered! Here are some substitutions you could use instead: 1/4 cup of white grape juice, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar.
Storing Leftovers
I love having creamy chicken marsala in the fridge as leftovers because the sauce gets more flavorful over time. It’s seriously so good the next day, and makes a perfect lunch. Here is how to store leftovers.
- In the Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Creamy Chicken Recipes
I think chicken is absolutely perfect paired with a creamy sauce! I’ve got so many recipes on my blog, I just had to share a few of my favorites with you. You are going to want to try them all!
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Creamy Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced or cut in half
- salt and pepper to season
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup Marsala wine or substitute
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- fresh parsley for garnish, chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the chicken and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly brown and cooked throughout. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the mushrooms for 1-2 minutes. Add marsala wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. This allows the alcohol to burn out. Add the chicken broth, heavy whipping cream, ground mustard, and garlic powder.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Place the cooked chicken back in the sauce and continue to simmer for about 1-2 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Trying this tonight!
Alyssa, My husband had this at a very nice restaurant in our town and loved it. I made it for him tonight with your recipe and he liked it more..thank you..marie
I want to make this but my family won’t eat anything with mushrooms. Can they be substituted or can I add a can of cream of mushroom soup for flavor and maybe throw in something else? What would you recommend?
This recipe looked so good but I was concerned about the whipping cream; I’ve made several marsala recipes and never seen this as an ingredient. As it turned out, I had good reason for concern. I followed the recipe exactly and the sauce was completely white, not brown like the photos. It tasted okay but looked very unappetizing. Unfortunately, I chose to make this for the first time when I had company.
Delicious! I AM NOT A COOK! And it was delicious anyway! LOL!!! My family loved it and came back for secomds. Served with a side of steamed broccoli. I plan to add this recipe to my repertoire! Thanks for sharing!
Cathey
Can you bake the chicken first instead of frying it in oil? If so, how long and at what temp would you recommend?
Usually chicken is baked at about 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes or until no longer pink and 165 degrees in center.
Ty Alyssa!!
Thanks!
Can’t wait to try this tonight! Your photography is amazing. Are you shooting in natural or artificial light and what lens do you use? This is something I am constantly struggling with! Love your site too.
I always shoot with natural light. And I use 100mm macro. 🙂
I am dairy free? Do you think full fat coconut milk could be substituted for heavy cream?
Hello 🙂
Is it possible to brown the chicken on both sides (for flavour)…transfer to backing dish, and after sauce is made, to pour over top and transfer to oven for 20-25 minutes?
Thanks
Joanne
sorry lol ….I meant to say Baking Dish…
This was easy to prepare and my family enjoyed the meal. I did think it was a little heavy on the garlic powder for my taste so I added another 1/4 cup Marsala wine to help dilute the garlic and also heighten Marsala taste.
I just made this recipe and it did not turn out like the picture. I followed the recipe exactly. My sauce did not thicken up and was the color of albedo sauce. I was left with a watery ‘marsala’ sauce. The recipe needs something to thicken up the sauce.
Experienced cooks know what to do in simple situations like needing to thicken up a sauce – for heaven’s sake put a TBSP of water in a cup, sprinkle a little corn starch or flour in and stir with a fork – then add to sauce. Most cooks never follow a recipe exactly, but add flavorings and ideas from their own experiences and family’s preferences.
That looks so yummy good
Quite good and simple – I’d say better than most restaurants as they do not give the sauce time to thicken – of course if you serve this with a well paired side like garlic mashed potatoes and you’re having a little trouble getting the sauce to thicken like you want add 1/2 tsp at a time of potato buds/flakes takes 3 to 5 minutes for you to know if you need another 1/2 tsp – this doesn’t changed the flavor. thanks
Hey Alyssa, thanks for a wonderful recipe. I followed the recipe with the following exceptions – sour cream instead of heavy cream (didn’t have any) and added some fresh spinach. Other than that, the flavor was exceptional and I will be making this again. My son’s and their friends devoured it. I loved the dry mustard touch. Thanks again.
Ohhhh yum. I made the sauce according to this recipe but add some sauteed onions and a TON of mushrooms. As my protein, I used tofu. I can’t speak for the entire recipe as written, but I can say that the sauce turned out great. I used a cheap $6.99 Marsala called Cribari and though I was afraid that it may tarnish the recipe, it tantalized my taste buds beyond belief. Thank you for the help with a delicious dinner. This is definitely one that I will try again!
I made this recipe and it was delicious 🙂 I accidentally used cilantro instead of parsley but I picked it out and added parmesan cheese and that seem to fix it. I’m going to make it again tonight and I made sure to get parsley. Thank you