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overhead chicken marsala in skillet
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4.82 from 11 votes

Chicken Marsala Recipe

Fancy food doesn't get much easier than this chicken marsala, this is a serious dish that is a real crowd-pleaser.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 people
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • Fine Mesh Sieve
  • Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dry Marsala wine
  • 4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
  • 3 ounces Shitake mushrooms sliced
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed (6-8 ounces each)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 13 teaspoons vegetable oil divided (¼ cup + 1 teaspoon)
  • 3 ounces pancetta cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 pound cremini or button mushrooms trimmed & sliced thin
  • 1 shallot minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ¼ cups dry sherry wine
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into sixths (⅜ stick)
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan set over high heat, bring 2 cups of Marsala wine, gelatin, and shitake mushrooms to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half, about 7-9 minutes.
    2 cups dry Marsala wine, 4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin, 3 ounces Shitake mushrooms
    mushrooms in marsala sauce with a wooden spoon and text that reads "simmer until reduced".
  • While the sauce reduces, cut each chicken breast into 3 pieces: first halve the breast crosswise and then halve the fatter, remaining piece lengthwise. There should be 3 cutlets of similar size. Place cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and pound each to ½-inch even thickness. Place all the cutlets in a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Set aside 15-20 minutes.
    4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    Seasoned raw chicken cutlets on a plate.
  • Pour the Marsala sauce through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Press on the remaining solids to extract as much liquid as possible and discard the solids. Pour the liquid back into the saucepan, add broth, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
    2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    a wooden spoon pressing mushroom sauce through a mesh sieve.
  • Immediately reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until reduced to 1½ cups; set aside.
  • Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Place the flour in a shallow dish and dredge cutlets (one at a time) in the flour – be sure to shake off any excess flour. Place cutlets on the prepared wire rack.
    ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    Floured chicken cutlets on a wire rack.
  • In a 12-inch skillet, set over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil just until smoking. Carefully, place 6 cutlets in the skillet and cook, without moving the cutlets, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the cutlets and cook until golden brown on the second side, another 2-3 minutes.
    13 teaspoons vegetable oil
    Chicken cutlets cooking in a pan.
  • Set the cutlets back on the wire rack and repeat the process with 2 additional tablespoons of oil and the remaining 6 cutlets.
  • Set the now empty skillet to medium-low heat and add pancetta. Cook until the pancetta is brown and crispy, about 4 minutes, scraping the pan often to loosen any tasty bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
    3 ounces pancetta
    diced pancetta cooking in a skillet.
  • Add the cremini mushrooms and cook, stirring and scraping the bits off the bottom, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and begin to brown. Cook until the liquid evaporates, about 7-9 minutes.
    1 pound cremini or button mushrooms
    mushrooms and pancetta sauteeing in a pan.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mushroom/pancetta mixture to a small bowl; set aside.
  • Set the skillet over medium-low heat and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and the shallot. Cook for about 1 minute to soften the shallot. Add the tomato paste and garlic, stir, and cook for about 30 seconds to bloom the garlic.
    1 shallot, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 clove garlic
    shallots in tomato paste in a skillet with a wooden spoon.
  • Add the reduced Marsala mixture, dry sherry, lemon juice, and oregano. Bring to a simmer and add the chicken. Simmer for 3 additional minutes, flipping after 1½ minutes. Set the cutlets on a serving platter.
    ¼ cups dry sherry wine, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
    chicken cutlets in sauce with tongs.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the butter. Add the parsley and cremini mushroom/pancetta mixture. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
    marsala sauce in a pan with a wooden spoon.
  • Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve over a bed of noodles or rice or mashed potatoes.
    overhead view of chicken marsala over rice on a white plate.

Video

Notes

  • Cut the chicken breast into similar-sized pieces and flatten them out to ensure they cook evenly and all the way through. Pounding them also helps to tenderize them.
  • This recipe is best served as soon as it's made, but you can make the marsala sauce and mushroom pancetta mix ahead of time.
Storage: Store chicken marsala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 616kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 728mg | Potassium: 1112mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 277IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 3mg