Creamy Chicken Marsala with Pasta (Print)

Tender chicken simmered in Marsala wine and mushroom cream sauce, served over al dente pasta for an elegant Italian-American dinner.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
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

# Directions:

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.
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 bottom. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
07 - Add chicken broth, cream, and thyme. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Return chicken and juices to the pan, coating thoroughly with sauce. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
09 - Serve chicken and sauce over cooked pasta. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce is so silky and rich, it clings to every strand of pasta like it was meant to be there.
  • It feels fancy enough for company but forgiving enough for a weeknight when you need something comforting.
  • One skillet does most of the work, and the fond from the chicken makes the sauce taste like you simmered it for hours.
02 -
  • If you skip pounding the chicken, the thick parts will stay raw while the thin parts dry out, and no sauce can save that.
  • Use dry Marsala, not sweet, I learned this the hard way when my sauce tasted like syrupy candy the first time.
  • Don't walk away after adding the garlic, it burns in seconds and turns bitter fast.
03 -
  • Let the mushrooms sit undisturbed for a minute or two before stirring so they develop a deep golden crust instead of steaming.
  • Always taste the sauce before adding the chicken back in, it's your last chance to fix the seasoning without fishing around cooked meat.
  • Use the pasta water if your sauce gets too thick, a few splashes will loosen it up and help it coat the noodles perfectly.
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