Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian-American dish that combines thinly sliced chicken scallopine with earthy mushrooms in a thick Marsala wine sauce and finished with fresh parsley and crispy prosciutto.
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Reliable but never boring
Walk into any Italian-American restaurant, and you’re sure to find a few reliable dishes: chicken francese, chicken parmigiana, shrimp fra diavolo, and the iconic Chicken Marsala.
This incredible dish combines chicken scallopine bathed in a velvety marsala wine sauce with mushrooms and is always a favorite, especially for mushroom lovers.
While totally optional, I do add prosciutto to my chicken marsala because it complements the flavors so well and adds a little something special.
I like to serve this over some rice pilaf with a side of garlic sauteed spinach and crusty bread.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Chicken. I’m using chicken cutlets, but to save money, you can buy whole breasts and slice them yourself, then pound them to equal thickness. If you want to try this with another protein, consider using veal or making my beef marsala recipe – it’s equally amazing!
- Mushrooms. I’m using cremini (baby bella) mushrooms. Feel free to use white button mushrooms or any other mushrooms you’d like.
- Marsala. I’m using a dry marsala wine. You can get away with using a sweet marsala if that’s all you have on hand.
- Stock. I’m using homemade chicken stock, but you can also use store-bought low-sodium or no-sodium chicken stock. Beef stock or a demi glace can also be used and will give the dish a richer flavor and darker sauce.
- Prosciutto. I start the dish off by sauteeing prosciutto to add some flavor and depth to the dish, then top the chicken marsala at the end with the crisped prosciutto. Feel free to omit the prosciutto if preferred.
- Flour. I use all-purpose flour for dredging the chicken.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make chicken marsala
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Pat the cutlets dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shake off the excess, and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- In a large pan over medium heat, cook the prosciutto in olive oil for a few minutes or until it browns and begins to shrivel, then transfer to a plate for use later on.
- Turn the heat to a touch less than medium-high, add 3 tablespoons of butter, and once it bubbles, add the chicken and cook until golden on both sides (5-6 minutes). Work in batches to prevent overcrowding. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with tented foil.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook until they release their water.
- Once they brown, lower the heat to medium and add the remaining butter and shallots, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the marsala wine and stock to the pan and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits.
- Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce reduces by half and add the cream and cook for 1 minute longer. If the sauce isn’t thick enough, add a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 ounce of water and bring to a boil until your desired thickness is reached.
- Turn the heat down and add the chicken and half the prosciutto back to the pan and cook until the chicken is warmed through. Taste test and make final adjustments to salt and pepper, then add the parsley and top with the remaining crispy prosciutto.
Top tips
The Sauce. The chicken marsala sauce is delicious and is great over rice, but if you want even more sauce to toss with a 1/2 pound of pasta, you can increase the amount of stock to 1/2 cup. If you want even more than that, increase the amounts proportionately of the other ingredients as well.
If you like your sauce on the thicker side, you can thicken it by making a slurry of cornstarch and water, add to the pan, and bringing it to a boil until your desired thickness is achieved.
More Italian chicken recipes
If you love restaurant-style Italian chicken dishes, give these other recipes a try!
If you’ve enjoyed this Classic Chicken Marsala recipe, give it a 5-star rating.
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Chicken Marsala – Better Than a Restaurant
Ingredients
- 4 thin slices prosciutto chopped
- 2 pounds chicken cutlets
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup flour
- 6 tablespoons butter cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium shallot minced
- 1 cup dry Marsala wine
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch optional
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Instructions
- Pat the chicken cutlets dry then season with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the chicken cutlets into flour and shake off excess. Set the floured chicken on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat with the olive oil and add the prosciutto. Cook the prosciutto for a few minutes or until it browns and begins to shrivel. Remove the prosciutto to a plate.
- Turn the heat up to a touch less than medium-high and add 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Once it starts bubbling add the chicken. Cook the chicken until golden on both sides (about 5-6 minutes total), working in batches to not overcrowd the pan. Set the cooked chicken on a plate and tent with foil.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook until they release their water. Once they start to brown, turn the heat to medium, and add the remaining butter and the shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shallots are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the Marsala wine and chicken stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge the flavor bits. Cook for around 5 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by about half. Add the cream and cook for another minute. Note: If the sauce isn't thick enough for your liking add a slurry of 1 tablepoon cornstarch with 1 ounce of water. Bring to a boil and thicken to your liking.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the chicken and half the prosciutto back to the pan. Cook until the chicken is hot.
- Taste test and make final adjustments to salt and pepper levels. Mix in the parsley and top with the remaining crispy prosciutto. Enjoy!
Notes
- Chicken. Small, thinly-sliced chicken cutlet pieces, aka scallopine, work best.
- Sauce. Use a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce if required. 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 ounce of water will be more than adequate. If you want more sauce, add another 1/2 cup of stock.
- Leftovers. Chicken Marsala can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I look for recipes that have few ingredients. This recipe has simple ingredients and rather easy to make and tastes really good. Nice to eat on a cold winter’s night.
We’re happy you enjoyed this one, Jerry!
Made it for Christmas Eve tonight. It was delicious. It took much longer than I planned – 90 minutes from start to eating so I would only make this on an occasion. So tender and flavorful.
Easy to make and very good to eat.
Great recipe. Comes out exactly as shown. My wife and I enjoy the videos. I am learning to cook a wider variety of foods since she was badly injured last year. Jim is our default teacher!
So happy you enjoyed!
EXCELLANT recipe. So flavorful. I added the cornstarch like my sauces a little thicker
Looks delicious! I will be trying this recipe!
This is the second recipe I’ve made from your website, and it’s a home run. Better than any chicken Marsala I’ve had in restaurants. I will make a couple of adjustments(very minor) the next time I cook it to our tastes. Thanks for all the hard work, videos included, I know it isn’t easy.
you did not say anything about the heavy cream that you added.
Hi Valerie, the heavy cream was added in the video but is not part of the written recipe here on the site. This is an older video and Jim will often make adjustments to the written recipe on the website to make improvements. The cream was only for thickening which he finds the cornstarch slurry does a better job (see step 5 of the recipe card for that). It’s always best to go by the recipe here on the site as opposed to the video since the recipes can be tweaked while the videos cannot.
OMG! I made this Chicken Marsala for dinner. I used thighs I had and skinned, boned and cut in to strips. I dusted with seasoned flower with some corn starch.
I added a couple of diced scallions at the almost cooked mushroom stage. Otherwise followed the recipe.
Best CM in 40 years!
As usual James and Tara produce a great resource.
Thank you.
GH
Hi Gary, we’re so happy you enjoyed and thanks for the comment!
Thank you James for your site. Great instruction and produced well. Wow Love this recipe! Only thing is your video “ My favorite way to make chicken marsala” is different in ways. Addition of garlic. Process different. Is it suppose to be the same recipe? Also the spaghetti sucked up all the sauce. Should this be wetter?
Hi Chuck, thanks for the comment. The video you’re referring to is for Jim’s Chicken Marsala Pasta recipe which is here: https://www.sipandfeast.com/chicken-marsala-pasta/ If you used the regular marsala recipe (the one you’re commenting on) and added pasta it’s possible there wasn’t enough liquid since this recipe doesn’t include the pasta.
James – I have a question. With all of the Extra Virgin Oils on the market, How do you know which ones you should buy for topping off salads or some of your special dishes? Is it usually the most expensive ones or is there another way to tell?
Also, every recipe I have copied from you has been absolutely delicious!!
Hi Barbara, thanks for the comment and glad you’re enjoying the recipes! I suggest listening to the podcast Jim and I recorded where he discusses all things olive oil. Here’s the link: https://www.sipandfeast.com/podcast-episode-004/
Hi James. I just discovered your website and my mouth is watering! I plan to try a number of your recipes. They sound so yummy! With this recipe are you cutting the cutlets thin? If so, say 1/4 to 3/8 inches? Or can they be pounded out? Which do you recommend?
Hi Susan, you can fillet the cutlets thin and then pound them out to about to roughly 3/8 to 1/2 an inch.I hope that helps!
Hi, I discovered your recipes last year and am really enjoying them. I cannot eat mushrooms, can you suggest a substitution so I can try this recipe?
Hi Jean, you an omit the mushrooms here if you can’t have them.
Good lord, yet another winner.
I have spend nearly half my life trying to learn how to make “good” Italian food. Jim, and his fantastic recipes (and youtube channel) have taught me more in the last year than I have learned in the last 30. I spent nearly a decade traveling to Italy, 40 plus trips, and have always loved the food. I tried and tried to replicate it but never could until I found Jim (i.e. Sipandfeast).
He makes the process one that you feel comfortable with. There is no stress and you understand that mistakes are ok. But if you follow his process you will nail it every time.
This recipe is no different. It is a winner!
Cheers to Sipandfeast!
Reed
Hi Reed, Jim and I are so happy to hear you’re loving the recipes and we really appreciate your comment!
Delicious! It was so good that I was told I can make it every day. All your recipes that I’ve tried are very good. Thank you, Marie Patrizi
Hi Marie, we’re so happy you’re enjoying Jim’s recipes and truly appreciate your comment!
Is speck smoked prosciutto? Thanks for your great recipes!
Speck is a type of smoked prosciutto. Glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Excellent dish!
Thanks, Brian!
Hi Jim! Just wondering why you didn’t use any garlic in this recipe! I am still trying to gain confidence with my cooking. I love all your teaching videos!!! Thanks! Kathy
Hi Kathleen, I didn’t use garlic for this recipe but if you want to use garlic, shallot, or onion you definitely can. In fact, for my chicken Marsala pasta recipe, I did use garlic. I appreciate your comment and am so happy you’re enjoying the videos!
Can you use sweet masala as opposed to dry.
Hi Lind. You most definitely can, though dry is preferred. In the YouTube video, I used sweet and it was still great.
Hey Jim can I substitute the chicken with shrimp and should I add bread crumb or follow like the chicken (for your Marsala recipe)
Thank you Laurie
Hi Laurie. You can do it with or without breadcrumbs. You can follow this recipe exactly if choosing the no-breadcrumb method.