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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
Made this tonight and it was excellent!!! I like the addition of balsamic vinegar
Hey Katie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed the dish! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I have made many of your recipes over the years, like I mean a lot! And I am never disappointed, always consistently 5 stars but last night we made this dish and it was up and beyond 5 stars! Everyone absolutely LOVED it! Will definitely be making this again, we had to fight over who gets the left overs lol.
Thanks for the great recipe,
Karena
Hey Karena,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I love chicken marsala and this is definitely the best I have made!
Hey Kristin,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Absolutely loved this with a few modifications. I’d just picked up a bunch of fresh chantarelles and only had kefir and sweet potatoes. Worked fabulously although your photos are much more eye appealing 😉 I’ll be posting my riff of your fantastic recipe on my blog shortly. Happy holidays Tieghan!
Thanks so much Lynn!! xTieghan
Made this tonight for my picky boyfriend who pretends to hate mushrooms. He loved it, as did I. We both deemed it a keeper recipe. I subbed the cream for coconut milk & it was perfect!
Hey Beth,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hello! I’m pregnant and trying to avoid alcohol. What Cider do you recommend as a replacement for the wine?
I’ve had this before and it’s amazing! Love your recipe!
Hey Lauren,
I would use apple cider. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So good! Thank you! Week made by finding Halfbakedharvest!
Hey Teresa,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was okay. I was a little let down that it didn’t really taste like marsala or balsamic. It was also a little runnier than I would have liked, but I could have cooked it longer to thicken it up. We have a chicken marsala recipe that is our go to but I wanted to try something different, and I love balsamic so this one sounded great. I think maybe all the chicken broth diluted the other flavors and didn’t seem necessary. I’ll make this again but either skip the broth or do significantly less.
Hey Maggie,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I am sorry it didn’t meet your expectations. Let me know if there is something I can help with! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Another perfect recipe. Crowd pleaser for all! I’ve never loved Marsala chicken. I suppose the addition of balsamic and cream did it for me! Genius!!
Hey Betsy,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So good, I just used leftover Malbec vs.Marsala wine, and it was creamy and overall deliscious.
Hey there,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed the dish! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan – any tips for making a bigger batch or cooking it in advance? I made it last week and loved it so much that I’ve decided to make it for my family on Christmas!
Hey Jackie,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, if you wanted to double the recipe I would do two batches unless you have a massive skillet! Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’m beyond proud to have recreated this recipe tonight! WOW!! It has filled me with so much confidence that I can actually cook!! Thank you so much for tapping into my inner chef!! THIS WAS JUST AMAZING!! Thank you for sharing your craft with us!
Hey Ashley,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Woww wowww! Absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much Holly!
Never again will I make my old chicken Marsala recipe! This is amazing – the balsamic adds an incredible depth of flavor. I was actually able to use some fresh thyme from my outdoor pot – and it’s mid-December in CT! Such a treat! Thank you for yet another winner!
Hey Brenda,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
We made this for a special occasion dinner last night and it turned out absolutely delicious! It was such a hit with our family that there weren’t any leftovers! The directions were very well written and easy to follow. Will definitely be making again!
Hey Janine,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Holidays! xTieghan