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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
This is sooooo much better than the Chicken Marsala recipe I’ve been using. This is my new fave!! So delicious!
Hi Janna,
Awesome! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Happy Holidays!❄️ xT
Made it twice and loved it just as much. I doubled the sauce/mushrooms the second time as we wanted more sauce. Turned out awesome. Just adjusted some of the cooking times to adjust for the extra liquid (cooked in a larger cast iron pan). Awesome dish that everyone loves!
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays!? xx
Any suggestions for making this for a dinner party of 14? Would love to impress with something indulgent like this. Just trying to figure out how to manage without overcooking the chicken?
Hi Frank,
When cooking for a large group, this isn’t really a recipe I would personally choose, but you could put the chicken in the oven on low to prevent over cooking while you work through batches on the stove top. Here are some recipes that would work well and that I like to serve when I have a large group:
https://fett-weg.today/cider-braised-short-ribs/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/spicy-pesto-pasta-alla-vodka/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/creamy-white-chicken-chili/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xTieghan
Cooked this tonight and it was SO simple and SO delicious. Feels like I cheated because it was so easy (and I’m new-ish to cooking). ?
Husband loved it too. I used almond flour instead for the chicken and served it all over left over mashed potatoes.
I let it reduce a little too long (because #new) but it was SO good.
Can’t wait to make this again soon!
Hey Nicole,
Awesome! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Happy Holidays! xx
Amazing and so tasty but it’s not 30mins yes, I would give yourself an hour!
Hi Michelle,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed. Sorry this took you longer than expected. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Why do you take half of the mushrooms out? Won’t that cause the mushrooms in the dish to be cooked unevenly ?
Hey Julia,
At that point, the mushrooms will be cooked through, I like to remove half for different textures and to top with the chicken. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
When buying marsala– do you use the marsala “cooking wine” you can get at the grocery store, or actual marsala wine that would be from a liquor store? Sounds delicious!
Hey Carly,
Either one will work for this recipe, I prefer marsala wine from the liquor store. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I took your recommendation and ended up making it. It was DELISH. And super easy. I will definitely be adding this to my dinner rotation 😀
Hi Carly,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Omg! Do not sleep on this recipe it’s 15/10. Everyone finished EVERY bite. It was fantastic!!! Probably my favorite chicken meal I’ve ever had
Hey Allison,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Hiya
Looks delicious but can I ask silly question I know is there an alternative to Marsala wine as in no alcohol please
Hi there,
You could use chicken broth in place of the wine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Tieghan, you have outdone yourself!! This is another amazing recipe! Rich and delicious, it will become a family staple. Thank you so much.
Hey Jill,
I love to hear that this recipe worked out for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xTieghan
Can you make any of this ahead of time for dinner party? Thank you
Hey Julie,
This dish isn’t one that I would typically recommend to make ahead just to avoid having the chicken dry out. I would probably make through step 3 and then finish when you are ready to serve:) I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
I was unsure how many tablespoons of olive oil to use since ingredients say 3 but directions say 4; I decided to follow the directions, and it turned out well, although less oil might have been better. In any case, I’ll definitely be making this delicious recipe again!
Hey Helen,
I love to hear that this recipe worked out for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil in the recipe is great:) xTieghan
Up north we were hit with some snow and cold temperatures, this was the meal that just made my husband and I feel so warm and fuzzy inside.
Hey Mackenzie,
I love to hear that this recipe worked out for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xTieghan
Holy Hannah this was so delicious!
Hey Alyssa,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!❄️ xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight with your mashed potatoes and it was delicious! Both my husband and I said 10/10!
Hey Megan,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!❄️ xTieghan