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This Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Chicken Marsala makes for the best any night of the week dinner that feels extra special. Lightly breaded chicken seared until golden with nutty browned butter. The chicken is finished in a simple marsala wine pan sauce with caramelized balsamic mushrooms. It’s delicious, especially when served over creamy, herby mashed potatoes or pasta. Every bite is layered with delicious, hearty flavors and caramelized mushrooms. The perfect way to spend a relaxing night in the kitchen with family and friends.
Mondays should be all about thirty-minute skillet dinners like this, especially during these short December days. This is one of those recipes that looks and tastes like it took time to prepare, but really it’s the simplest.
This recipe started out completely different, but I’m so happy with where I landed. This is delicious guys.
When I started working on this recipe, there wasn’t any kind of marsala sauce involved. I was working on creating a creamy balsamic chicken, and while the idea sounded good, the outcome was a very dark and odd-looking dish with very little visual appeal.
Since I’m all about presentation and food that looks as delicious as it tastes, I decided to forget about the recipe, it didn’t feel that special to me. And I, of course, want everything I share with you guys to be overly delicious and pretty.
So I left it alone for a couple of days. But then, someone in my family mentioned chicken marsala. This got me thinking, what if I combined the balsamic chicken and the chicken marsala into one dish.
I could caramelize the mushrooms in balsamic vinegar, then toss the chicken in a creamy marsala wine sauce. It sounded even more delicious than my original idea, so I gave it try, and now here we are.
A balsamic and marsala chicken hybrid! It’s crazy what few tweaks in a recipe can really do to make something DELICIOUS.
I am excited about this one. I love when recipes form and develop over time, they always end up being my favorites.
The simple details.
If you love a good chicken marsala, you’ll love this slight twist even more. It’s all about those caramelized balsamic mushrooms.
Start with the chicken. If you’ve made chicken parmesan this is very similar. Just dredge the chicken through a mix of flour, then pan-sear it in a hot skillet. This allows the chicken to form a nice golden crust on the outside. Using thin chicken cutlets is key. The thin chicken cooks evenly and browns nicely in a short amount of time.
Tip: if your grocery store does not carry chicken cutlets, as a swap, try asking your butcher to pound out chicken breasts for you. This is super easy to do at home, but truthfully…it’s just not that much fun. The butcher can quickly pound out the chicken and save you the trouble…and the mess.
Also, you can easily make this chicken gluten-free by replacing the flour with almond flour. Or use your favorite gluten-free flour blend (I like cup4cup).
Pan-sear the chicken, then add in the butter. The butter browns around the chicken creating an even more delicious flavor.
Now the mushrooms, the best part! You want to thinly slice the shrooms, then let them crisp in a little olive oil. Once they’ve cooked down, just add a splash of balsamic vinegar and let the sauce caramelize over the mushrooms. It’s so simple but so delicious.
Once caramelized toss in a bit of butter, shallots, garlic, and lots of thyme. Again, allow that butter to brown, creating an even more delicious flavor.
At this point, just add in the wine, simmer until reduced, then stir in the cream. Allow everything to simmer and thicken into a delicious creamy sauce.
What to serve this creamy balsamic mushroom chicken marsala with…
Well, you guys know me, I love my carbs. I served this saucy, creamy chicken over my slow cooker mashed potatoes. Twas’ delicious.
Other sides that would be great? Definitely any kind of pasta, steamed rice, or if you are looking for something on the lighter side, spaghetti squash is always a delicious, healthy option.
You can’t go wrong either way. The sauce makes just about anything you serve alongside it great. One thing that is a must? Crusty bread for moping up the extra sauce. You just have to do it.
My mom taught me well.
Looking for other simple dinners? Here are my favorites:
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo
Herby Buttered Balsamic Mushroom Ravioli
Lastly, if you make this Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Chicken Marsala, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Chicken Marsala
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 731 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 4 chicken cutlets, or 2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cups shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup dry marsala wine
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour and garlic powder in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken through the flour mix, pressing to adhere.2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and sear on both sides until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Add 1 tablespoon butter and allow the butter to brown around the chicken, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. To the skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the mushrooms. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes or until golden. Add 2 tablespoons butter, the shallots, garlic, thyme, and a pinch each of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook 4-5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the balsamic vinegar. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until the mushrooms have caramelized. Spoon half the mushrooms out of the skillet and onto the plate with the chicken. 4. Pour in the wine and broth. Cook 10-15 minutes until reduced slightly, then pour in the cream. Add the chicken to the skillet and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through and thickened slightly. Spoon the reserved mushrooms over the chicken. 5. Serve the chicken and sauce over mashed potatoes, pasta, or steamed rice. Top with fresh thyme or parsley.
This post was originally published on December 7, 2020
Oh! My! Goodness! This was so delicious! Prepared it for myself and my husband tonight. It is definitely going on my rotation of meals! Thank you so much for posting!
Hey Lisa,
I really appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed.? xTieghan
My foodie husband dubbed this the best chicken dish he’s ever had– even after I subbed the cream for 1/2 and 1/2. We served it over some leftover couscous we had in the freezer. It was absolutely delicious!!!
Hey Jenn,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Great recipe!! Made it for my mom and she loved it!
Hey Allison,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, it makes me so glad that it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend!! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I doubled the recipe so we can have leftovers tomorrow. Yum, yum, yum!
Hey Silvana,
I am so glad that you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday? xTieghan
Loved this recipe and it was not difficult. My husband is not a fan of chicken and he raved about dinner. Will definitely make this again. Delicious!
Hey Ann,
I am so glad that you liked this recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday? xTieghan
Literally so delicious! Perfect of a comfort food night. Will be making again and again and again!
Hey Nichole,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Happy Sunday! xTieghan
If you were feeding someone who hates mushrooms, is there another veggie you could saute with the balsamic that would absorb the flavour in a similar way?
Thanks!
Hey Jacquline,
I think zucchini would also work well here, or even cauliflower. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
This was fantastic! I had a carton of baby bellas I needed to use & this was perfect. I had all the ingredients except the Marsala, so I substituted cooking sherry & added a couple tablespoons of pomegranate molasses. This gives me an excuse to get some Marsala. I added parsley at the end. I served over egg noodles.
Hey Sharon,
Awesome, I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Hi! I made this tonight and it was so delicious. One question though – my sauce started curdling once I added the half & half (used instead of heavy cream). Is that because it’s half & half? I had it on medium heat.
Still tasted great! Thanks!
Hey Elizabeth,
Sorry to hear this, was the half and half room temp? If it was super cold that could have been your issue. I hope this helps for next time. xTieghan
I chose this recipe over the others because it uses less cream, and it has the balsamic. It was very good. I made a couple small changes. I never flour the chicken because I think it is unnecessary. I brown it in the oil and or butter alone. I also left all the mushroom mixture in the pan. I assumed the ones not incorporated in the sauce and added later was just for esthetics, and its Wednesday so nothing fancy tonight. I added one teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in some of the broth to thicken slightly because it would be too thin without the flour. Consistency was perfect and flavors were good. Pretty much your basic chicken marsala.
Hey Annie,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
We liked this. Served it with mashed potatoes. Why weren’t the red pepper flakes below the thyme in the ingredient list since that is when it is added?
Hey Kristin,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed!! I don’t always put the ingredients in the order in which they are used. xTieghan
I love one-pan meals and this one was very satisfying. Simple prep, love the ingredients, wonderful aromas filled the first floor. Milestone event, my husband said he loved the sauce and used a slice of bread to soak up what remained in the bowl. I put fresh baby spinach at the bottom of bowls, poured the sauce over to slightly wilt/cook the spinach, then topped with the chicken. Delicious all around; perfect as recipe lays out.
Hey there,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
This looks amaze! I don’t have any mushrooms on hand. Do you think I can just omit them or sub asparagus! Thanks!
Hey Katie,
I think using another veggie would also work well here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this recipe and my family LOVED it!!! My husband is not a chicken eater at all and he loved it! Easy to make and served with mashed potatoes. This recipe is a keeper!
Hey Ann,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a try, I am delighted that the recipe was enjoyed! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Absolutely fabulous!
Thanks Ashley!