This Easy Chicken Marsala is one of the easiest dinners ever! It’s creamy, succulent, ultra-flavorful, and easy to pull off. Whether you make it in your Instant Pot or on the stovetop, this recipe brings juicy, flavorful chicken and a creamy, rich sauce to your table in just about 30 minutes. It’s quick, comforting, and totally doable even on the busiest nights.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
Today, we’re keeping things simple and seriously delicious. This Easy Chicken Marsala is everything you need when you want big flavor without the fuss. It’s creamy, savory, full of mouthwatering goodness, and guaranteed to make you feel like a kitchen rockstar. Get ready… a flavor party is about to happen!
What I Love About This Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
You’ll need:
- Chicken Breasts: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they cook quickly and turn out juicy and tender. If you prefer, you can also use chicken thighs for a little extra flavor and richness.
- All-Purpose Flour: A light dusting of flour helps the chicken get that beautiful golden crust and also thickens the sauce just a little. If you need a gluten-free option, feel free to swap it with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Good seasoning is key! I recommend seasoning both sides of the chicken well to bring out the best flavors. Freshly ground black pepper gives a little extra pop compared to pre-ground.
- Garlic Powder: This adds a subtle garlic flavor to the chicken itself before it even hits the pan. If you’re out of garlic powder, you can skip it and rely on the fresh garlic we’re adding later, or sprinkle a little onion powder instead.
- Butter: A little butter makes everything better! It adds richness and depth to the sauce. You can use plant-based butter if you need a dairy-free option.
- Olive Oil: Helps sear the chicken to golden perfection without burning the butter. Any neutral oil you have on hand, like avocado oil or vegetable oil, will work if needed.
- Mushrooms: They soak up all the yummy Marsala sauce and add so much savory goodness! I usually use cremini mushrooms, but white button mushrooms work great too. If you’re not a mushroom fan, you can leave them out or swap in some baby spinach at the end for a different twist.
- Shallot: Shallots are milder and a little sweeter than regular onions, and they melt right into the sauce. No shallots? No problem—use a small yellow onion instead.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds that irresistible, mouthwatering aroma and flavor. You can use pre-minced garlic in a pinch, but fresh really makes a difference here.
- Marsala Wine: The star of the show! Marsala gives the sauce its classic, rich, slightly sweet flavor. If you don’t have Marsala wine, you can substitute it with a mix of dry sherry and a splash of sweet vermouth, or even use more chicken stock with a tiny dash of balsamic vinegar for a non-alcoholic version.
- Chicken Stock: This adds savory depth to the sauce and helps balance the wine. If you don’t have chicken stock, vegetable stock will work too.
- Heavy Cream: Just a splash makes the sauce luxuriously creamy. You can swap in half-and-half for a lighter option, or use a dairy-free heavy cream alternative if needed.
- Parsley (for garnish): A sprinkle of fresh parsley brightens everything up and makes the dish look extra pretty. You can skip it if you don’t have it, or use a little fresh thyme or basil instead.
Food Allergy Swaps
- This recipe is naturally egg, nut, peanut, and sesame-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs. However, always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
- Butter: Substitute butter with dairy-free butter substitutes. Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are my favorite butter substitutes for baking.
- Heavy Cream: You can use a non-dairy cream, such as Silk , Country Crock Plant Cream, or Califia Farms.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend.
How to Make Chicken Marsala Step-by-Step
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Season The Chicken
Season all-purpose flour with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dredge both sides of the chicken breasts in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.
- Brown The Chicken
Brown the chicken on both sides, remove it, and set it aside.
- Saute The Veggies and Add The Liquids
Sauté mushrooms, shallots, and garlic until tender. Add Marsala wine and chicken stock; mix to combine.
- Cook
This step will slightly change depending on whether you are using the Instant Pot or the stovetop. Basically, you have to reduce the sauce, add the chicken, and finish thickening the sauce. See the recipe card for detailed instructions for your chosen cooking method.
Helpful Tip
How to Brown Meat In The Instant Pot: The trick to brown meat in the Instant Pot is to do it in small batches and not turn until it has formed a crust on the bottom, or it will stick.
Expert Tips To Make Marsala Chicken
Cutting your chicken breasts horizontally in half is best if they are too large.
Dry Marsala is the best option for savory dishes like chicken marsala, while Sweet Marsala wine is best for desserts, such as Tiramisu.
Cover the chicken with foil while you thicken the sauce to keep it warm.
Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Serving Ideas
This Chicken Marsala recipe makes enough creamy sauce to serve over pasta. Mashed potatoes or fluffy rice are also good options. To keep it low-carb, serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! Let the chicken cool completely. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to two months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat covered with foil in an oven preheated to 350º F until warmed through for best results.
To make Marsala chicken, you need Marsala wine; otherwise, you are making just creamy chicken with mushrooms.
To make Marsala chicken you need dry Marsala wine. Sweet Marsala wine is best for desserts, such as Tiramisu.
Absolutely! Follow the instructions in the recipe card below.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love!
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- One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Eggless Homemade Chicken Nuggets
- Easy Mustard Glazed Chicken
- Easy Sticky Bourbon Chicken
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Recipe Card
Easy Chicken Marsala
Important
• For best results, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients.
Ingredients
- 4 – 5 skinless boneless, chicken breasts
- ½ cup (70 g) all-purpose flour, for dredgin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) butter
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
- 8 oz (250 g) mushrooms, stemmed and halve
- 1 shallot, thinly slice
- 3 garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) Marsala wine
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) chicken stock
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- Parsley to garnish
Instructions
PRESSURE COOKER INSTRUCTIONS:
- Put the chicken breasts on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound them with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. You can also cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally or buy them thinly sliced.
- Put the flour on a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Dredge both sides of the chicken breasts in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.
- Turn the Instant Pot ON, select "saute" mode, and adjust the heat to more. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. When melted, Add the 2 – 3 chicken breasts into the pot and fry on each side until golden, turning once. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep it warm. Repeat with the rest of the chicken breasts.
- Add the remaining oil and butter to the pot. When melted, add mushroom, shallots, and garlic. Cook for 5 – 7 minutes, or until the mushrooms are lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add Marsala wine and chicken stock to the pot. Mix to combine. Cook for about 3 – 5 minutes to reduce the wine – scrape any brown bits from the pot into the liquid. Press "cancel".
- Lay chicken on top of the mushrooms. Secure the lid to the instant pot. Close pressure release valve. Select "poultry" and adjust the cooking time to 10 minutes.
- When the time is over, let the pressure release on its own for 5 minutes. Then, carefully turn the valve to “Venting,” to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Then remove the lid. Press “cancel”
- Transfer chicken to a serving plate and cover with foil to keep it hot, if desired.
- Select “saute” adjust to normal. Add heavy cream; mix to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Place chicken back in the sauce and continue to simmer for about 1-2 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS:
- Put the chicken breasts on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound them with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. You can also slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally or buy them thinly sliced.
- Add the flour to a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Dredge both sides of the chicken breasts in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When melted, brown the chicken, turning once, until it is golden and just barely cooked through, about 5 – 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining oil and butter to the skillet. When melted, add mushrooms, shallots, and garlic. Cook for 5 – 7 minutes, or until the mushrooms are lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add Marsala wine to the skillet and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes to reduce the wine – scrape any brown bits from the skillet into the liquid. Add the chicken stock and heavy cream; mix to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by about half, slightly thickened, and darkened in color, 10 – 15 minutes
- Add the chicken back to the skillet, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce thickens a bit more, 2 – 3 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
- This recipe is naturally egg, nut, peanut, and sesame-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs. However, always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
- Butter: Substitute butter with dairy-free butter substitutes. Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are my favorite butter substitutes for baking.
- Heavy Cream: You can use a non-dairy cream, such as Silk , Country Crock Plant Cream, or Califia Farms.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend.
- If your chicken breasts are large, it’s best first to cut them in half horizontally before you pound them.
- When making savory dishes like Chicken Marsala, dry Marsala is the best option. Sweet Marsala wine is good for dessert, such as Tiramisu.
- Cover the chicken with foil while you thicken the sauce to keep it warm.
I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Recipe reviews on the website are extremely valuable to other readers online. So, please don’t forget to give it a 5-star rating below.Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
This recipe was originally published in February 2018. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information were added to the post in April 2025 to make it as helpful as possible!
Great meal. It is one of our favorites. I have used the instant pot and stove top and both are great.
Hello Carol! Thank you so much for your lovely comment! I’m thrilled to hear this recipe is one of your favorites and that it works well both in the Instant Pot and on the stove top. Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with love, joy, and more delicious meals! x- Oriana
Great recipe! I did add some thyme and paprika for a little more depth. Took it to a work potluck and had no leftovers 🙁 Thank you for sharing!
Hello Kate! That’s awesome to hear! 🌟 Adding thyme and paprika sounds like a delicious twist—I bet it added some fantastic flavor! 😋 It’s always a good sign when there are no leftovers at a potluck, right? 😄 Your coworkers must have loved it! Thank you for trying out the recipe and sharing your success—it means a lot!
Hi! I love this recipe…it came out so good in the instant pot! How would I adjust the recipe to do this in the crockpot?
Hello Richelle! This is a family fave =) It sounds like you nailed it! I have done it in the slow cooker yet but I would suggest following the same step and then cooking in the slow cooker on LOW for 4-5 hours, or HIGH for 2-3 hours. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
This was delicious! My husband and kids ate it all. I used chicken tenderloins and used my food processor to chop everything for me which made the process quicker. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for a great recipe.
Hello Shanna! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
This was a super tasty meal that my family really enjoyed but my only complaint it that it is posted as a 30-40 minute meal. The frying of the chicken alone so that is browned (I used 4 chicken breasts cut it half for a total of 4 breasts) took 20 minutes by itself. After prepping and chopping, frying the meat and cooking everything in the instant pot it took me close to 2 hours to fully prepare the meal. I am not a notice cook but 30 minutes isn’t accurate. This isn’t a fast weekday meal but we did really enjoy the end results.
Sorry, I did not mean a grand total of 4
chicken breast but a total of 8 breasts that I could fry fo breasts at a time in the Instant Pot.
Hello Alex! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for your feedback.
Thanks for sharing!
Hello YtheWait! Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)