This Creamy Chicken Marsala is inspired by Ina Garten also known as Barefoot Contessa Chicken Marsala Recipe. It is a delicious and flavorful Italian-American dish. This classic chicken recipe includes tender, perfectly pan-seared chicken, and savory browned mushrooms, and it’s all covered with rich seasoned marsala wine, garlic, and herb sauce.
Ina Garten makes effortless meals that are delicious and flavorful. Her recipes are straightforward and anyone can follow her simple recipes. If you love chicken with an earthy flavor of mushrooms and a sweet caramel-like taste Marsala wine with dry herbs for more flavors.
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ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken Breast or Thigh. Chicken breast is leaner and has less fat but the chicken thigh usually has more fat and less protein. They are more tender and flavorful in my opinion. Chicken Marsala recipes usually use chicken breast.
- Mushrooms - Add earthy flavor and texture. Cremeni mushrooms are widely available and often used for chicken marsala dishes.
- Marsala wine - The most commonly used type in cooking is dry or semi-dry Marsala. Use chicken broth as a non-alcoholic substitute.
- Butter and Cooking oil - Olive oil or avocado oil are great neutral cooking oil to use.
- Dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder - Enhance the flavors.
- Chicken broth - To make a delicious sauce that adds depth of flavor. I am using my homemade broth but you can use store-bought for convenience.
How to cook creamy chicken marsala
Step 1. Season your chicken with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Dredge each piece in flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Optional: Cut each breast into two similarly sized pieces so you have a total of four cutlets. For a tender chicken, use a flat meat mallet (preferred) or meat tenderizer, and pound them to a ¼-inch thickness.
Step 2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cooking oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Once it is hot enough, slowly add chicken to the skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook the other side until the internal temperature reaches 160 to 165ºF (71 to 74ºC), about 5 minutes, depending on how large your chicken cuts are. You can use a meat thermometer to make sure. Set it aside.
Step 3. Heat the remaining butter over medium heat. Scrape the bottom of the pan. Add your sliced mushrooms and cook until caramelized or turn tender. Season with salt, pepper, dried thyme, and rosemary.
Step 4. Over high heat, pour the Marsala wine and chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce is reduced by about half, slightly thickened, and darkened in color about 10 to 15 minutes.
Optional: If you like a thicker Marsala sauce, dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 4 tablespoons of cold water and pour it into the pan. Stir until the sauce thickens.
Step 5. Add the chicken back to the skillet, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is completely thickened. Sprinkle some cilantro for garnish. Serve and enjoy.
Storage and reheating tips
Refrigerator - Allow leftovers to cool completely. Transfer into an air-tight glass container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The chicken will taste even better after absorbing the flavors from the sauce for a day or two
Freezer - Store the cooked dish in an air-tight glass container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight until it reaches room temperature, then reheat when ready to eat.
Reheat - To reheat this creamy chicken marsala, add it to a saucepan and cook over medium heat. Stir frequently until warmed through. Serve on a plate and enjoy!
Why You Will Love This Dish
- The chicken is tender, juicy, and full of flavors from the creamy sauce.
- One-pan dish that you can make in 30 minutes.
- This crowd-pleaser chicken dish is easy to transport for a party or potluck.
- It's excellent for meal prepping. Make a large batch to bring to your lunch box or eat during workweek dinners. Leftovers have more flavors, thanks to the flavorful sauce.
- If you like more similar dishes, check out my Mushroom Soup, Sauteed Garlic Mushrooms and Leeks and Creamy Turkey Mushroom Soup.
Helpful Tips
- For a more creamier dish, you can add heavy whipping cream. Be sure to use fresh heavy whipping cream to avoid curdle. Stir the sauce while slowly adding the cream.
- Cook it low and slow. Patience is a key to cooking this delicious chicken recipe.
Questions and Answers
Marsala wine is a fortified wine from Sicily, Italy, that comes in different varieties, including sweet, dry, and semi-dry. It's a key ingredient in Chicken Marsala and provides a rich, flavorful sauce.
Chicken Marsala is traditionally made with boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken cutlets. You can use chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat.
Sure. If you don't have Marsala wine, you can use a dry sherry or a combination of white wine and brandy as a substitute. If alcohol is a concern, most of the alcohol is cooked out in the pan so you just get the added flavor and the sauce ends up with an insignificant amount of alcohol. If you are looking for alcohol-free, you could just use more broth and boil that down. However, the flavor will be slightly different.
Common side dishes to serve with Chicken Marsala include creamy mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, or simple green salad. Try to make it with Air-fryer Roasted Asparagus and Air-fryer Roasted Zucchini.
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Ina Garten Chicken Marsala Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 pieces chicken breast halves
- ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon thyme powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 pieces cremini mushrooms
- ½ cup marsala wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro (garnish)
Instructions
- Season your chicken with salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cooking oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Once it is hot enough, slowly add chicken to the skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook the other side until the internal temperature reaches 160 to 165ºF (71 to 74ºC), about 5 minutes, depending on how large your chicken cuts are. You can use a meat thermometer to make sure. Set it aside.
- Heat the remaining butter over medium heat. Scrape the bottom of the pan. Add your sliced mushrooms and cook until caramelized or turn tender. Season with salt, pepper, and dried rosemary.
- Over high heat, pour the Marsala wine and chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce is reduced by about half, slightly thickened, and darkened in color about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is completely thickened. Sprinkle some cilantro for garnish. Serve and enjoy.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce is completely thickened. Sprinkle some cinlatro for garnish. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- Cut each breast into two similarly sized pieces so you have a total of four cutlets. For a tender chicken, use a flat meat mallet (preferred) or meat tenderizer, and pound them to a ¼-inch thickness.
- If you like a thicker Marsala sauce, dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 4 tablespoons of cold water and pour it into the pan. Stir until the sauce thickens.
- For a more creamier dish, you can add heavy whipping cream. Be sure to use fresh heavy whipping cream to avoid curdle. Stir the sauce while slowly adding the cream.
- Allow leftovers to cool completely. Transfer into an air-tight glass container and refrigerate for up to 5 days
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