Chicken Marsala recipe made with chicken thighs instead of traditional chicken breast. This easy and flavorful chicken dish comes together in about 30-minutes!

easy chicken marsala recipe
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Vegetarian Option: Try our Mushroom Marsala recipe for an easy vegetarian meal!

Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe

Now you can enjoy this dish of golden brown chicken in a rich mushroom and Marsala wine sauce any day of the week. It’s really easy to make in one pan in about 30 minutes, just like our easy chicken cacciatore recipe.

This chicken marsala recipe has plenty of sauce to serve over egg noodles or any other starchy side to soak up the sauce.

What Makes this Chicken Marsala an Easy Recipe?

This chicken marsala recipe is so easy because it is made with sliced chicken thighs instead of traditional whole chicken breast.

By using chicken thighs, the extra step of having to pound the breast is avoided. Not to mention, chicken thighs cook faster than the breast and are so much more tender.

Video: How to Make Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe

Want to see how easy it is to make this chicken marsala recipe? Watch the video below!

easy chicken marsala

Easy Chicken Marsala Ingredients

To make this easy chicken marsala recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

  • chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
  • all-purpose flour
  • butter
  • olive oil
  • mushrooms
  • shallots
  • garlic
  • fresh thyme
  • Marsala wine
  • chicken broth
  • half and half
  • fresh parsley
ingredients for chicken marsala

Best Marsala Wine to Use

There are two types of Marsala wine — dry Marsala and sweet Marsala. For this recipe, you’ll need dry Marsala wine, which is typically used for savory dishes.

The best substitute for Marsala wine is Madeira wine.

How to Make Chicken Marsala with Chicken Thighs

1. In a bowl, toss together the sliced chicken thighs with flour, salt, and pepper.

chicken thighs tossed with flour

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces and cook until browned all over. Remove to a plate.

browned chicken in a skillet

3. Heat remaining butter and olive. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly golden in color.

4. Stir in shallots, garlic, and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly.

cooked mushrooms in a skillet

5. Add Marsala wine while stirring and scraping to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.

mushrooms in marsala sauce

6. Add chicken broth and chicken pieces. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes or until the liquid has slightly reduced and chicken cooked through.

7. Stir in half and half. Season the salt with salt and pepper. Simmer until further reduced and thickened. Stir in parsley and serve.

how to make chicken marsala

Chicken Marsala Easy Recipe Variations

Mushrooms: Add different types of mushrooms such as shiitake, or oyster mushrooms for added flavor and texture.

Herbs: Experiment with different herbs such as rosemary, sage, or tarragon along with or instead of thyme.

Vegetables: Incorporate vegetables into the dish for added nutrition. Sautéed spinach, roasted cherry tomatoes, or asparagus spears make excellent additions. Serve the chicken marsala over a bed of sautéed or roasted vegetables instead of pasta or rice for a low-carb option.

Cheese: Add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese over the chicken just before serving for an extra layer of flavor.

What to Serve with this Chicken Marsala Easy Recipe

This easy chicken marsala recipe makes enough sauce to pour over a starchy side to soak up all of the sauce. Here are a few suggestions:

Serve alongside an easy vegetable side for a complete meal, such as Avocado Caesar Salad with Cucumbers, Parmesan Arugula Kale Salad, or Asparagus with Parmesan and Prosciutto.

chicken marsala

How to Store Chicken Thigh Marsala

Refrigerate: Store leftover chicken marsala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Freezing (Optional): Chicken marsala can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of chicken broth or Marsala wine.

More Italian-American Recipes

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Shrimp Pasta Primavera

Baked Cod with Panko

Baked Chicken Parmesan

If you try our Chicken Thigh Marsala, please leave a star rating and a comment letting us know how you liked the recipe.

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easy chicken marsala

Easy Chicken Marsala Recipe (with Chicken Thighs)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Simmer
  • Cuisine: Italian
Print Recipe

Description

Chicken Marsala recipe made with chicken thighs instead of traditional chicken breast. This easy and flavorful chicken dish comes together in about 30-minutes!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into strips
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp. butter
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 8 oz. bella/cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, toss the chicken thigh strips with flour, salt, and pepper until coated all over. Make sure to pat dry the chicken thighs with a few sheets of paper towels before tossing with the flour so they brown nicely.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a 12-inch or bigger skillet. For best results, use a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet. Add chicken and cook until golden on the outside, about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway. Avoid crowding the pan and cook the chicken in batches. Remove to a plate.
  3. Heat remaining butter and olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook until the water has evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, about 7-10 minutes. When mushrooms begin to brown, season them with salt and pepper.
  4. Stir in shallots, garlic, and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add marsala wine and bring to a boil while stirring and scraping to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer the wine for about 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
  5. Add chicken broth and chicken. Simmer for about 2 minutes or until the liquid is slightly reduced and chicken is cooked through.
  6. Add half and half. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes longer until further reduced and thickened. Don’t reduce the sauce too much or you won’t have any sauce left. Stir in parsley and serve.

Notes

  • Marsala wine: Marsala wine has a deep, sweet flavor, and is very unique to this dish. I recommend dry Marsala wine. Madeira wine is a good substitute but keep in mind that the taste will slightly be different. 
  • Chicken: For best results, I do not recommend substituting chicken thighs with chicken breast.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 290
  • Sugar: 2.3 g
  • Sodium: 199.8 mg
  • Fat: 17.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7.4 g
  • Protein: 22.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 114.3 mg