So, you're in the mood for a Chicken Marsala dish that's easy and delish!! I will share this fabulous recipe and variations so you can customize it to fit your needs. Including Chicken Marsala without wine, Marsala wine substitutes, and how to make Chicken Marsala without cream.
You may also love my gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce, baked chicken and rice dish, orravioli and marinara.
Quick Look: Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe
- ⏱ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 20 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: 4
- ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe: It's a creamy classic recipe for a reason. And that it comes together and in one pot, bonus!
- 🍪 Main Ingredients: chicken, chicken stock, Marsala, cream, mushrooms, and garlic.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy
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👩🍳 Why You'll Love This Chicken Marsala Recipe
✅ It's a one-pot meal thats perfect for weeknight meals yet fancy enough for Entertaining.
✅ It only uses a few ingredients
✅ It's great own it's own or served over fettuccini.
✅ It's quick to put together in under 30 minutes!
And if all this sounds good, you'll love my Creamy Parmesan Chicken, Pork Marbella, and my one-pot Penne Pasta Bake
👩🍳 Key Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts , large boneless skinless chicken breasts: I cut these in half horizontally so they cook quicker, or substitute 6 boneless chicken thighs for the marsala.
- Mushrooms Slice them to a medium thickness (roughly ½ inch), so they soften but do not turn too mushy.
- Onion: White, yellow or Shallots for a milder flavor.
- Chicken broth or stock: Homemade or add a little Better Than Bouillon to canned stock for more flavor.
- Marsala wine or substitutions in notes
- Heavy Cream or whipping cream, or for a chicken marsala recipe without cream, see the substitutes below.
👩🍳 Substitutions
- Chicken Breasts: Substitute the for boneless skinless thighs for Chicken Marsala thighs.
- Mushrooms: Substitute the Cremini (Baby Bella) Mushrooms for white button for a mild mushroom flavor, Shiitake for a more intense meaty flavor, or a combination of different types for a more complex flavor.
- Onion: Use white, yellow or even Shallots for a milder flavor.
- Marsala wine substitute s include Dry Sherry (Best Swap) Closest flavor match. Madeira another fortified wine - excellent depth. Dry White Wine + Splash of Brandy, or for Chicken marsala without wine use Beef or Chicken Broth For alcohol-free: Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to mimic depth.
- Heavy Cream or whipping cream, or for a chicken marsala recipe without cream, see the substitutes below.
Chicken Marsala FAQ
How to make Chicken Marsala recipe without cream?
1️⃣ Half-and-Half: Use an equal amount.✔ Slightly lighter✔ Still creamy
➜ Simmer a little longer to thicken.
2️⃣ Whole Milk + Butter: For 1 cup cream →¾ cup whole milk¼ cup melted butter➜ Whisk together before adding.
3️⃣ Greek Yogurt (Best High-Protein Option)
Use ½-¾ cup Stir in at the end on low heat ✔ Tangy but rich
4️⃣ Cream Cheese: 2-3 tablespoons whisked into sauce ✔ Thick and luxurious ✔ Works beautifully in mushroom sauces
5️⃣ Coconut Cream (Dairy-Free) ✔ Slight sweetness, ✔ Best in mushroom-heavy versions.
I love Fettuccine chicken Marsala. Just add the Chicken Marsala one top of buttered fettuccine noodles. Crusty bread and a green salad are also great side dishes.
Use dry marsala rather than sweet marsala, which is more commonly used in desserts.
The mushrooms are traditional, but they are not required for the sauce to work. The real flavor comes from the Marsala wine reduction, pan drippings, and cream.
🌿 Optional Mushroom-Free Add-Ins
If you still want texture: Spinach (stir in at the end) or artichoke hearts (very good with Marsala)
Expert Tips:
It's easy to keep Marsala wine on hand. Because this wine is fortified, it has a higher alcohol content than non-fortified wines. This translates to a longer shelf life, making it ideal for storage and cooking.
Fettuccini Chicken Marsala
My favorite way to serve Chicken Marsala is over fettuccine. First, spoon a generous portion of the cooked pasta onto a plate or shallow bowl. (If you're feeling saucy, toss the fettuccini with butter and garlic salt first. Then place the sautéed chicken cutlet on top of the fettuccine, then ladle the mushroom-Marsala sauce over everything. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or grated Parmesan for added flavor and presentation.
Other Creamy Dishes you may love
If you make this Chicken Marsala Recipe, I'd love to know! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @Lauren_Lane_Culinarian - I always reshare your creations.
Easy Chicken Marsala (no Marsala wine option)
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts Cut in half horizontally, or 6 boneless skinless thighs.
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 8-oz package of pre-sliced bella or button mushrooms
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ⅔ cup chicken broth
- ⅔ cup dry Marsala wine or substitutions in notes
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley and or thyme. more for serving if desired
Instructions
- Place the flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Coat while pressing chicken in the flour. Set aside.
- Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the floured chicken in the pan and cook, turning after one side is lightly browned and barely cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the onions, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt; cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Add the broth, Marsala, heavy cream, parsley or thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper; scrape any brown bits from the pan into the liquid.
- Bring the liquid to a low bubble, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced and just slightly thickened, About 10 minutes. If you want your sauce thicker, keep simmering until desired thickness. (see note)
- Add the chicken back to the pan and any juices accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken is warmed through. Sprinkle with additional thyme or parsley if using. Taste, add more salt if needed, and serve.
Notes
- This recipe makes a lot of sauce because, quite frankly, I like a lot of sauce, especially if I'm serving the chicken over mashed potatoes or fettuccini.
- But if you'd like to start off with a thicker sauce, simply reduce the cream, stock in the Marsala to half a cup each.
- It might be worth getting a bottle of Marsala to keep on hand. Because this wine is fortified, is has a longer shelf life, making it ideal for storage and cooking. After opening, Marsala wine will usually maintain its best quality for about 4 months or longer.
- For Marsala without cream, substitute: Cream Cheese: 2-3 tablespoons whisked into the sauce or Coconut Cream (Dairy-Free) for the cream.
- Marsala wine substitutes include: Dry Sherry (Best Swap), the closest flavor match. Madeira, another fortified wine - excellent depth. Dry White Wine + Splash of Brandy, or for Chicken Marsala without wine, use Beef or Chicken Broth. For alcohol-free: Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to mimic depth.
Lauren Lane says
One of my favorites! So so good! I hope you try it