This site runs ads and generates income from affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This Chicken Marsala is an easy, elegant weeknight dinner with tender chicken, rich Marsala sauce, and savory pancetta—your new go-to Chicken Marsala recipe.
Know Before You Scroll
What You’ll Need
Chicken cutlets, mushrooms, pancetta, Marsala wine, chicken stock, onion, garlic, flour, butter, olive oil, parsley.
Flavor Profile
Savory, lightly sweet, buttery, and deeply aromatic.
Difficulty Level
Easy.
Equipment Needed
Large skillet, tongs, wooden spoon, platter.
Top Tip
Don’t rush the mushrooms—deep browning makes the sauce incredible.
Time-Saving Tips
Use pre-sliced chicken cutlets to skip pounding.
Ingredient Swaps
Replace pancetta with thick-cut bacon for a smokier flavor.
My Take on Chicken Marsala
This Chicken Marsala has been part of my cooking life for as long as I can remember. I first shared it on the site back in 2021, and it quickly became a reader favorite — it’s been shared more than 21,000 times on Pinterest and has earned a steady stream of five-star reviews from home cooks who make it on repeat.
Even though I’ve been making it my whole life, I decided it was time to give the post a little love. The recipe itself hasn’t changed — it’s still the same reliable, comforting Chicken Marsala everyone knows — but we re-shot the photos and updated the article with clearer steps, smarter tips, and all the extra details readers have asked for over the years. It feels good to bring a classic back with everything I’ve learned along the way.
Chicken Marsala is popular Italian-American dish made with lightly breaded, pan-fried chicken cutlets in a rich Marsala wine and mushroom sauce. Although it’s commonly a restaurant dish, it’s really simple to make homemade. This one pan dish can be ready to eat in under an hour. The recipe makes a fantastic, rich sauce that is delicious over pasta, rice pilaf, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken Cutlets
Best Choice
Thin chicken breast cutlets pounded to one-quarter inch (see The Best Chicken for Marsala section for more information) for quick, even browning. Lightly coating them in all-purpose flour gives the chicken a delicate crust and helps thicken the sauce.
Substitutions
Turkey cutlets or thin pork chops; gluten-free flour blend for dredging.
Flavor Boosters
Best Choice
Medium-dice pancetta, yellow onion, fresh garlic, and flat leaf parsley for a balanced, savory base.
Substitutions
Thick-cut bacon for pancetta; shallots in place of onion.
Mushrooms
Best Choice
Brown mushrooms (cremini/baby bellas) for deeper flavor and better browning.
Substitutions
A mix of cremini, oyster, and shiitake for a more complex sauce; white mushrooms if that’s all you have.
Sauce
Best Choice
Sweet Marsala wine (not dry) paired with low-sodium chicken stock for classic balance.
Substitutions
Store bought chicken broth, sherry or brandy.
The Best Chicken for Marsala
Traditional Chicken Marsala is made with thin chicken breast escalopes (cutlets). You can buy them pre-sliced, but it’s much cheaper to buy and slice whole breasts and then pound them down. Pounding the chicken results in a much more tender cutlet.
How to Pound Chicken Breasts
Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to create thinner cutlets. Lay them under a piece of plastic wrap and gently pound them with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they’re an even thickness. This tenderizes the chicken and helps it cook evenly.
Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Then, using a meat mallet, pound them flat until they are about a quarter-inch thick. If you don’t have a mallet, a rolling
You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post, but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.
How To Make Chicken Marsala
1
Prep and Season the Chicken
Let the chicken sit at room temperature for twenty to thirty minutes, season it well with salt, and dredge it lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
2
Brown the chicken
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook until both sides are golden. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.
3
Cook the Pancetta
Lower the heat to medium. Crisp the pancetta and set it aside.
4
Cook the Vegetables
Add the onions to the same pan, cook until softened, then add the mushrooms. Let them release their liquid and brown deeply before stirring in the garlic, seasoning, and the tablespoon of flour.
5
Build the Sauce
Raise the heat to high. Pour in the sweet Marsala wine and let it bubble for a minute to reduce. Add the chicken stock and cook until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
6
Finish the Sauce
Stir in the butter and parsley until melted and glossy.
7
Combine and Season to Taste
Return the chicken and pancetta to the pan and simmer for a minute or two to warm through. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed before serving.
Other Chicken Recipes
Rate This Recipe
Recipe
Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs chicken breast cutlets (skinless & boneless, pounded to ¼-inch thick)
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus more as needed)
- 4 oz Pancetta (medium, chopped)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 8 oz brown mushrooms (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
For The Sauce
- 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sweet Marsala wine
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- flat-leaf parsley (chopped )
Instructions
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 20-30 minutes before you plan to cook and season well with salt. Leave to come to room temperature.
- Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet or frying pan. When the oil is hot, dredge both sides of the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, shake off the excess, and add to the pan.
- Fry until golden, flip and repeat on the other side. Do this in batches to keep from overcrowding the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the Pancetta to the same pan and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the Pancetta from the pan onto a plate lined with paper towels.
- Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute. Season with salt and pepper and coat in 1 tablespoon of flour.
- Raise the heat to high. Add the Marsala to the pan, bring to a boil and cook down for a minute to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and cook for another 3 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
- Stir in the butter and parsley. Return the chicken and Pancetta to the pan; simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to heat the chicken through.
- Taste for seasoning and season with salt as needed before serving.
Tips
Erren’s Top Tips
-
When pan-frying the chicken, don’t skimp on the oil. You need enough oil to get a golden-brown crust.
-
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you’re ready to cook. This helps the chicken to cook evenly.
-
Keep the heat at a steady, high temperature when pan-frying the chicken. This limits how much the flour absorbs the oil, which will cause a soggy finish.
-
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding causes the chicken to steam instead of fry. It’s better to fry in batches instead.
-
If the Pancetta releases a lot of fat, drain the pan of all but a tablespoon before moving on.
-
If you prefer a creamy sauce, add a half cup of heavy cream when you add the stock to the pan.
Variations & Add-Ins
Herb VersionAdd a few sprigs of thyme while the sauce simmers and remove them before serving. Mushroom Lovers’ Version
Use a mix of mushrooms—shiitake, cremini, and oyster—for deeper flavor. Gluten-Free
Use a gluten-free flour blend for dredging and thickening.
Storage & Freezing
Refrigerate:Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Freeze:
Chicken Marsala freezes well for up to two months. The sauce may thicken slightly when reheated—just add a splash of stock to loosen it. Reheat:
Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat to keep the chicken tender.
Save to favoritesYour saved recipes will be right here waiting for you every time you visit, so you can easily find and make the meals you love.FAQs
Can I use dry Marsala instead of sweet?
Yes, but the flavor will be less rounded and more savory. The classic version uses sweet Marsala.
What can I substitute for Marsala wine?
You can use Madeira or a mix of white wine and a teaspoon of brandy, but the flavor won’t be exactly the same.
Can I make Chicken Marsala ahead?
Yes. Make the sauce and chicken separately, then combine and reheat before serving.
How do I keep the chicken from drying out?
Use thin, even cutlets and simmer gently at the end—don’t boil the sauce once the chicken is in.
Leave a Reply