Classic Chicken Marsala | An Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (2024)

My mother’s recipe for Classic Chicken Marsala has been a staple at special occasions and family gatherings for years! The best thing is that is tastes even better when it is made a day early, it is the perfect make-ahead holiday meal!

Classic Chicken Marsala | An Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (1)

My family is always switching up what we serve for Christmas dinner, but one of my favorites is this Classic Chicken Marsala.

The great thing about this recipe is that it tastes best when it is made a day or two ahead of time since the chicken gets even more tender as it sits in the marsala sauce.

Classic Chicken Marsala | An Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (2)

Plus, by preparingChristmas dinner ahead of time, you can spend less time in the kitchen and even more time with your family on Christmas day. It’s a win-win.

Classic Chicken Marsala | An Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (3)

This recipe is a very traditional recipe for Chicken Marsala based off of the recipe that my mother gave me (she’s Italian and she knows her stuff). I love how the flour breading on the chicken absorbs the marsala flavor. The mushrooms add extra richness and depth of flavor while the onions give just a hint of texture and sweetness.

This chicken can be servedwith rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, or pasta. I like to serve it on a bed of egg noodles with the sauce generously spooned over the top. I like to add so many mushrooms to the sauce that another vegetable is not necessary.

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This is a sure-to-please recipe that feeds a crowd, and it only takes basic kitchen skills to prepare. It is a meal that my family has enjoyed on many holidays, and I think your family will love it too.

Want to see some more recipes fitting for a holiday dinner? Here are a few options:

Classic Chicken Marsala | An Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (5)

Braciole is flank steak rolled up with cheese and herbs and cooked in tomato sauce. It’s one of the recipes that can feed a crowd without much extra effort.

Classic Chicken Marsala | An Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (6)

I made Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese and Sage for Christmas and it even impressed my mother in law.

Classic Chicken Marsala | An Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (7)

Honey Maple Glazed Ham is an easy recipe that will easily feed a crowd, it’s great to serve at holiday parties or as a main dish at a holiday meal.

Save and share this classic chicken marsala recipe on Pinterest:

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Chicken Marsala (a Christmas Dinner you can make ahead of time)

My mother's recipe for Classic Chicken Marsala has been a staple at special occasions and family gatherings for years! The best thing is that is tastes even better when it is made a day early, it is the perfect make-ahead holiday meal!

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 6 -8

Ingredients

  • 2poundsBoneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 1cupplus 1 tablespoon Flour
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1large Onion
  • 12ouncesof Sliced Mushrooms
  • 1bottle Marsala Wine
  • 3clovesGarlic
  • 4-5tablespoonsOlive Oil
  • 3Eggs
  • 2tablespoonsLemon Juice
  • 1 1/2teaspoonsTomato Paste

Instructions

  1. Heat your oven to 300 degrees.

  2. Dice the onion. Then heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the olive oil is hot, add the onions and sauté until it is soft and slightly golden. Next stir in the mushrooms and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for a minute. Then add in 1/2 cup Marsala Wine. Sauté until the wine has been absorbed, then pour into a bowl and set aside.

  3. Slice the chicken breasts in half from top to bottom and use a kitchen mallet to pound out the chicken breasts until they are thin and have increased in size by about 50%.

  4. Next prepare the flour and egg mixture to dredge the chicken. In a bowl, beat the eggs and lemon juice together. In a second bowl, season 1 cup of flour with salt and pepper. Heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a skillet over medium heat. Then coat the chicken in the seasoned flour, then the egg, and then in the flour again. Brown each side of the chicken in batches by placing it in the skillet, making sure you don't overcrowd the pan. Add more olive oil to the pan as necessary. Layer the browned chicken in a greased casserole dish, and continue cooking the chicken in batches.

  5. Once all of the chicken has browned, pour all of the remaining wine in the same skillet you used to cook the chicken. Whisk in the tomato paste and 1 tablespoon flour. Scrape any browned bits of chicken off the bottom of the skillet and stir until the sauce boils. Add the onions and mushrooms and then let boil for another 3 minutes.

  6. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the casserole dish, cover, and place in the oven to bake for 1 hour.

  7. You can either serve the chicken marsala right away, or wait 1-2 days and reheat the chicken in an oven set to 250 degrees. Cover the chicken marsala when reheating.

Classic Chicken Marsala | An Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should I use sweet or dry Marsala for Chicken Marsala? ›

Should you use sweet or dry Marsala in your Chicken Marsala recipe? It doesn't make a huge difference, and either option will produce delicious results, but I would go for dry because the sweet Marsala has a bit too much sugar for such a savory dish.

Which Marsala wine is best for Chicken Marsala? ›

Use dry marsala rather than sweet marsala which is more commonly used in desserts. Sub with port wine, sherry, or madeira. For non alcoholic version, better to make Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce! 4.

Does alcohol cook out of Chicken Marsala? ›

The sauce is made with Marsala wine which is a dry and sweet wine which has a 15-20% alcohol content but don't worry, all of the alcohol will cook out of the sauce. The wine creates a nutty and rich caramelized sauce for the chicken.

Does Chicken Marsala use red or white wine? ›

Chicken Marsala is a traditional Italian dish that is made with chicken, white wine, and sweet marsala wine. Chicken Marsala is served with tomato sauce and creamy white sauce. The marsala wine used in this dish is a dry marsala.

Can I use red wine instead of Marsala for Chicken Marsala? ›

You could even try a potent dry red tossed in with a bit of sugar and an orange peel as a comparable substitute. “As long as the wine has a little bit of sugar and falls in the 15% to 20% alcohol range, it's going to work in the dish,” Ziata says.

Can I use white wine instead of marsala wine for Chicken Marsala? ›

Marsala Substitutes for every quarter cup needed: Substitute the following: ¼ cup of dry white wine. 1 teaspoon of brandy.

What can I use instead of Marsala in Chicken Marsala? ›

The best substitute for marsala wine is madeira, another kind of fortified wine with a similar flavour profile. Other alternatives include other fortified wines such as commandaria, sherry, vermouth, and port.

What is traditionally served with chicken marsala? ›

  • Rice. Rice is a classic, gluten-free side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken Marsala. ...
  • Risotto. For a classic Italian side dish, consider risotto, a creamier alternative to plain rice. ...
  • Egg Noodles. ...
  • Angel Hair Pasta. ...
  • Zucchini Noodles. ...
  • Polenta. ...
  • Mashed Potatoes. ...
  • Boursin Hasselback Potatoes.
Mar 17, 2023

What's the difference between Marsala and masala? ›

Unlike Chicken Marsala, which is named after the wine used in the recipe, Chicken Tikka Masala is a dish that consists of chunks of marinated chicken enveloped in a creamy, heavily-spiced, tomato-based curry sauce. It owes its name to that heavily-spiced sauce, as masala is an Indian term for a mixture of spices.

What is the difference between masala and Marsala sauce? ›

Marsala is sweet dessert wine, it is not typically used for drinking like a Chianti or Montepulciano, but cooking and marinades. Masala is a spice blend using in Indian cooking. It contains all brown spices: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and cumin.

Can I use balsamic vinegar instead of Marsala wine? ›

Combine a cup of white grape juice with balsamic vinegar to mimic the acidity and depth of Marsala. Mix fruit juices such as cherry or cranberry with a splash of sherry vinegar for a robust flavor.

Is Chicken Marsala Indian or Italian? ›

Chicken marsala (Italian: pollo al marsala or scaloppine al marsala) is an Italian-American dish of chicken escalopes in a Marsala wine sauce. It is a variation of traditional Italian scaloppina dishes, of which there are many varieties throughout Italy.

How do I thicken Chicken Marsala? ›

Flour plus fat (butter) = roux. A roux is used as a thickening agent in sauces. Sooo, with the butter from the pan and the butter the mushrooms have absorbed, plus the chicken cutlets coated in flour… This all means when the cutlets get added back to the sauce – that flour and butter combo is what thickens the sauce.

What is traditionally served with chicken Marsala? ›

  • Rice. Rice is a classic, gluten-free side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken Marsala. ...
  • Risotto. For a classic Italian side dish, consider risotto, a creamier alternative to plain rice. ...
  • Egg Noodles. ...
  • Angel Hair Pasta. ...
  • Zucchini Noodles. ...
  • Polenta. ...
  • Mashed Potatoes. ...
  • Boursin Hasselback Potatoes.
Mar 17, 2023

What makes a Marsala? ›

Marsala is made from a blend of wines - usually from three local grape varieties (Grillo, Cataratto and Inzolia). The blend is fortified with neutral grape brandy then sweetened, either with boiled down must (mosto cotto) or with grape juice whose fermentation has been stopped with spirit (mistela).

What alcohol is in Marsala? ›

Marsala is fortified with brandy or neutral grape spirit usually made with regional grapes. A cooked grape must called 'Mosto Cotto' gives Marsala its color and its caramel flavor. A sweetened fortified wine called 'Mistella' is often blended, made from Grillo grapes.

What's the difference between chicken piccata and chicken Marsala? ›

While both chicken piccata and chicken Marsala are cooked in the same way, there are a few key differences between the two dishes. Chicken piccata isn't creamy. It's cooked with white wine, chicken broth, capers, and lemon juice. It's tangy and bright instead of rich and creamy.

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