Creamy Chicken Marsala with Pasta (Printable)

Tender pan-seared chicken in silky Marsala wine and mushroom cream sauce, served over al dente pasta for an elegant Italian-inspired dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, approximately 1.5 pounds
02 - 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 0.75 cup dry Marsala wine
11 - 0.75 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
13 - 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
14 - Salt and ground black pepper to taste

→ Pasta

15 - 12 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti
16 - Salt for pasta water

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 0.5-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
03 - In a shallow dish, combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 0.5 teaspoon pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
04 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
05 - In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter and mushrooms. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes until mushrooms are browned. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
06 - Pour in Marsala wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
07 - Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and thyme. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Return chicken and accumulated juices to the pan, coating thoroughly with sauce. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
09 - Divide cooked pasta among serving plates. Top with chicken and Marsala cream sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce tastes like you simmered it for hours, but it comes together in under ten minutes once the chicken is seared.
  • It uses everyday ingredients you can grab at any grocery store, yet feels fancy enough for company.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even richer the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip pounding the chicken to an even thickness, or you'll end up with dry edges and undercooked centers no matter how carefully you watch the pan.
  • Let the mushrooms sit undisturbed for the first minute or two so they develop a deep brown color instead of just releasing water and steaming.
  • Use dry Marsala wine, not sweet, or the sauce will taste more like dessert than dinner.
03 -
  • Let the skillet get properly hot before adding the chicken, or the flour coating will stick and tear instead of forming a golden crust.
  • Save a cup of pasta water before draining, then toss a splash with the drained pasta so it stays silky and the sauce clings better.
  • Tent the seared chicken loosely with foil instead of covering it tightly, so it stays warm without steaming and losing its crispy coating.
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