Chicken Marsala Recipe

Prepare chicken

If breasts are thick, slice each horizontally to make 4 cutlets about 1/2" thick. Pat dry with paper towels. Lightly pound between plastic wrap to even thickness if needed.

Season and dredge

In a shallow bowl whisk egg and milk. In a separate shallow dish combine flour, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Dip each cutlet first into the egg wash, letting excess drip off, then dredge in seasoned flour, pressing to adhere.

Cook chicken

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add chicken cutlets (work in batches if needed) and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and just cooked through (internal temp ~160-165°F). Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter to skillet if surface looks dry before proceeding.

Sauté mushrooms

Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced mushrooms to the hot skillet (do not overcrowd; add a pinch of salt). Sauté 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and release their juices. Push mushrooms to the side.

Cook shallot and garlic

Add the chopped shallot to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in 3 tbsp Marsala wine and 2 tbsp dry white wine (or extra chicken stock) to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the alcohol reduce for about 1-2 minutes until the liquid is slightly syrupy.

Build the sauce

Add 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Stir and reduce the liquid by about one-third, about 4-6 minutes.

Finish sauce

Lower heat to medium-low and stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream. Simmer 1-2 minutes to thicken slightly. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice (optional) and 2 tbsp chopped parsley.

Return chicken to pan

Nestle the cooked chicken cutlets back into the sauce and spoon sauce over them. Simmer gently 1-2 minutes to reheat and meld flavors; this also brings chicken to final safe temp ~165°F.

Serve

Transfer chicken and mushrooms to a serving platter or serve family-style from the pan. Spoon extra sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with additional chopped parsley. Serve immediately with pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.