Chicken Marsala finished and ready to serve

Easy Chicken Marsala (No Cream)

Name: Easy Chicken Marsala (No Cream)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thick; 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced; 3/4 cup Marsala wine; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

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Chicken Marsala has somehow acquired the reputation of restaurant food even though the sauce is basically a very good argument for owning one skillet. Thin chicken breasts get a light flour dredge and a hard sear, leaving browned bits behind for cremini mushrooms, garlic, Marsala wine, and chicken broth. Reducing the wine before the broth goes in concentrates its nutty, slightly sweet flavor instead of leaving the sauce tasting sharp and boozy.

This version skips cream entirely, so the sauce stays glossy and savory rather than turning into mushroom Alfredo with a passport. Once the chicken goes back into the pan, a short simmer finishes it to 165°F and gives the flour coating just enough time to help the sauce thicken. A final tablespoon of butter rounds everything out and gives the pan sauce its restaurant-style sheen. Thirty minutes, one skillet, no culinary theater required—although scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon does make you look like you know something.

Prep20 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total45 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thick
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

Instructions

1Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour, shaking off the excess.
2Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 4 minutes per side until golden. Remove to a plate.
3In the same skillet, add mushrooms and cook 4 to 5 minutes until browned. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
4Pour in Marsala wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
5Add chicken broth, stir, and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through. Cook poultry until the thickest piece reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
6Swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter for richness. Top with parsley and serve.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

460Calories

54 gProtein

10 gCarbohydrates

19 gTotal Fat

6 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

2 gTotal Sugars

800 mgSodium

180 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Pound the chicken to even thickness so it cooks at the same rate everywhere. No thick middle, no thin edges drying out.
Use real Marsala wine, not cooking wine. Cooking Marsala is loaded with salt and tastes artificial.
The finishing butter is what makes restaurant Marsala taste so rich. Don't skip it.

Substitutions

Marsala wine → dry sherry or white wine Different flavor profile but the sauce technique is the same.

cremini mushrooms → baby bella, white button, or a mix of wild mushrooms Wild mushrooms make it more elegant.

chicken breasts → chicken cutlets or pork cutlets Pork Marsala is equally delicious.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate in sauce for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat.

Make Ahead

This dish is best made fresh — the sauce and chicken are at their peak right out of the pan.

Freezing

Yes. Cool the cooked Easy Chicken Marsala (No Cream) completely and freeze it in airtight portions with any pan juices or sauce that belong with the dish. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating so the meat is easier to warm without drying out.

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