Creamy Chicken Marsala with Pasta (Printable)

Tender pan-seared chicken in silky Marsala cream sauce with mushrooms, served over al dente pasta.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, approximately 1.5 pounds
02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/2 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 - 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
11 - 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
14 - Salt and 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 It:

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 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet.
03 - In a shallow dish, combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 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 foil.
05 - In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter and mushrooms. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes until mushrooms are browned. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
06 - Pour in Marsala wine, scraping up browned bits from the skillet. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
07 - Add chicken broth, cream, and thyme to the skillet. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Return chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, coating with sauce. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
09 - Serve chicken and sauce over cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce tastes like you simmered it for hours, but it comes together in under ten minutes once the chicken is done.
  • Pounding the chicken thin means it cooks evenly and stays tender, no dry edges or raw middles.
  • Marsala wine and cream create a naturally glossy sauce that coats pasta beautifully without any flour slurry tricks.
  • It feels fancy enough for company but forgiving enough for a weeknight once you know the rhythm.
02 -
  • Don't skip pounding the chicken, uneven thickness means some parts overcook while others stay underdone, and nobody wants rubbery edges.
  • Let the mushrooms sit undisturbed for a minute or two in the pan so they develop a caramelized crust instead of steaming in their own liquid.
  • Add the cream after you've reduced the wine and broth slightly, or it can thin out too much and never thicken properly.
  • If the sauce looks too thick, splash in a little pasta water or extra broth, if it's too thin, let it simmer another minute or two uncovered.
03 -
  • Use a stainless steel or cast iron skillet instead of nonstick so you get those flavorful browned bits that deglaze into the sauce.
  • Save a cup of pasta water before draining, it's a miracle fix if your sauce needs loosening or if you want to toss the pasta directly in the skillet with a splash to marry everything together.
  • Let the chicken rest on the plate for a couple minutes before returning it to the sauce, it stays juicier and any juices that pool become part of the sauce instead of diluting it.
  • Taste the sauce before you add the chicken back in, it's your last chance to adjust the seasoning without fishing around cooked meat.
Return