Chicken Marsala is a creamy, delicious dish made with lightly coated, tender chicken breasts and cooked in a flavorful, creamy mushroom, garlic, and Marsala wine sauce. Easy to make, better than any restaurant, and budget-friendly too!!
Chicken Marsala makes a perfect meal for a weeknight dinner or even for a company. Enjoy this flavorful, Italian-inspired Chicken Marsala over pasta or some creamy mashed potatoes and green beans as a side. This recipe can be made Dairy-Free

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About Chicken Marsala
Crispy, pan-fried tender chicken breasts, lightly coated with flour and cooked in a flavorful, and creamy mushrooms, garlic, and Marsala wine sauce. The sauce is poured over the chicken and served along with mashed potatoes, or pasta.
Chicken Marsala is one of my family's favorite dishes. This Italian-inspired dish is super easy to make at home and tastes amazing, just like the one served in your favorite restaurant. If you have tried Chicken Marsala, you know how good it is.
What makes this dish so amazing, is the Marsala wine. Marsala wine is a fortified wine from Sicily, which is used to give a nice, rich, caramelized flavor to the sauce. Chicken and mushrooms are cooked along with wine and butter to create a rich, brown, creamy sauce.
Marsala wine can be found in most supermarkets in the wine section. It adds a nice depth of flavor to the dish. If you can't find Marsala wine, you may substitute it with some sherry or red wine.
How To Make Marsala Sauce
Marsala sauce is a key to this creamy, flavorful, Chicken Marsala. Marsala sauce is traditionally made with Marsala wine, mushrooms, garlic, and butter, for that creamy, luscious, authentic Italian flavor.
Typically, this sauce does not include any cream or dairy. However, we love the addition of a little cream. It helps balance the flavors of wine and mushroom, thus bringing everything together and it also makes this sauce extra thick and creamy.
You can use heavy cream, half and half, milk, or evaporated milk in this recipe. The richness in the dish comes from the choice of cream/milk, using heavy cream results in a more rich dish.
For a dairy-free option, checkout below – Substitute For Dairy-Free Chicken Marsala
Pic Shown: Chicken Marsala, served with some mashed potatoes and sauté green beans.

Ingredients
Marsala Wine
A star ingredient of this dish. It adds a nice depth of flavor to this dish. I prefer Marsala wine. However, any dry red or white wine works fine. Marsala, sherry, or red wine.
Chicken Breasts vs Chicken Thighs
2 large chicken breasts, cut horizontally in halves, and then cut each piece into 2 to make 8 pieces.
You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, both work just fine.
Depending upon the size of the chicken, you can make the pieces. I like to keep the chicken pieces small and thin, as they cook faster and absorb the flavors well.
Cremini, Button, or Portabella Mushrooms
Cremini, button, or portabella mushrooms work fine in this recipe, or combinations of mushrooms would equally do. I prefer cremini, as they add a lot of depth and color to this dish, but you could use any combination of your favorite mushrooms.
Herbs & Seasonings
Garlic - 3-4 cloves, minced add a nice flavor to this dish. I think mushrooms and garlic, complement each other. I prefer fresh garlic, but you could use garlic powder. Use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Herbs – herbs that go well with the earthy flavors of mushroom and some of my family favorites include thyme, rosemary, and parsley.
I use one or a combination of herbs to add more depth and flavor to this dish. You can use any herb of your choice.
Dairy or Dairy-Free
Dairy – Heavy cream, half and half, milk, or evaporated milk can be used in this recipe. Cream balances the flavors from wine and mushroom, and also makes this sauce extra thick and creamy.
For a dairy-free version, checkout below – Substitute For Dairy-Free Chicken Marsala
Other Ingredients
Olive Oil & Butter - used to sear chicken, sauté mushrooms, and garlic.
Cornstarch - Cornstarch slurry is used to thicken this dish. Add cornstarch slurry at the end. Make a slurry using 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Add the slurry gradually, a half tablespoon and stir it, continue until desired thickness is achieved.
Broth – low sodium vegetable, chicken, or mushroom broth adds a layer of flavor. Low sodium broth helps control sodium intake.
You can also use a bouillon, mix it with water as per package instructions and use it.
How To Make Chicken Marsala
You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this recipe. The recipe uses chicken breasts. Please adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the chicken pieces.
Prep The Chicken
- I prefer to keep chicken pieces thin, as these cook faster. Take 2 large chicken breasts, cut horizontally in halves, and then cut each piece into 2 to make 8 pieces.
- Optional - alternatively, you can pound the chicken, for thinner pieces. You can choose whichever method works for you best.
- In a shallow bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Lightly coat the chicken with flour and shake off any excess. Keep the chicken pieces aside.
- Slice the mushrooms, and mince the garlic.
Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
- Turn ON Sauté Mode (more). When it displays "HOT", add oil and butter. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side or until brown. Do not overcrowd the pot, work in batches. Remove the chicken and keep it aside. Finish with the remaining chicken pieces.
- Note: You don't need to cook the chicken all the way through, it will get cooked once we pressure cook it. Only need to sear it, to get a nice crust, that tastes and looks great!
- Add a tablespoon of butter, sliced mushrooms, garlic, thyme, sauté for 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms cook down a little, and the raw smell of garlic is no more.
- Next add Marsala wine, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Now add broth, and seared chicken back to the pot.
- Turn OFF Sauté mode. Close the Instant pot, vent on sealing position, and set it on Pressure cook (high) for 4 minutes.
- Note: Please use timing as a guideline. Adjust the cooking time depending upon the size of the chicken pieces.
- Let it naturally release pressure, for around 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid, remove the chicken pieces and keep it aside.
- Note: It is important to take out the chicken pieces once they have been pressure-cooked, before reducing the sauce. Leaving the chicken pieces in while reducing the sauce, will overcook the chicken.
- Turn ON Sauté mode (more), and reduce the sauce by half or until it starts to thicken.
- Add cream, cornstarch slurry, and chicken back to the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens, around 2-3 minutes. Turn OFF sauté mode. Garnish with some chopped parsley and serve.
Pic Shown: Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
Stovetop Chicken Marsala Recipe
- Heat oil and butter, in a large skillet, or pan, over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the chicken is almost cooked. Do not overcrowd the pan, work in batches. Remove the chicken and keep it aside. Finish with the remaining chicken pieces.
- Add a tablespoon of butter, sliced mushrooms, garlic, thyme, sauté for 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms cook down, and the raw smell of garlic is no more.
- Next add Marsala wine, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Now add broth, and reduce the sauce by half or until it starts to thicken.
- Finally add cream, cornstarch slurry, and chicken back to the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens, around 2-3 minutes. Turn OFF the heat. Garnish with some chopped parsley and serve.
Pic Shown: Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
Tips For The Best Chicken Marsala
You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, both would work just fine.
I prefer to keep chicken pieces thin, as these cook faster. Alternatively, you can pound the chicken, for thinner pieces. You can choose whichever method works for you best.
Depending upon the size of the chicken pieces, adjust the cooking time in the Instant Pot.
Herbs are optional. However, we love the flavor of Thyme, it adds a nice flavor to this dish.
I use a combination of oil and butter to sear the chicken. It gives a nice, nutty flavor, and brown color to the chicken.
Make sure to scrape off any chicken bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. They add a ton of flavor to the sauce. I scrape the pot while sautéing mushrooms, as mushrooms release a lot of moisture.
Substitute For Dairy-Free Chicken Marsala
Sharing some of the dairy-free substitutes that can be used to achieve the desired creaminess without any cream or dairy. Here are some dairy-free substitutes:
Coconut Cream - you can use coconut cream or coconut milk.
Nuts – To make this dairy-free I use nuts such as almonds or cashews.
Soak ¼ cup of cashews for a couple of hours or until soft (to speed up the process soak cashews in hot water, works just fine). Blend the cashews to a fine paste, using the water the cashews are soaked in, and add it to the dish.
Bring it to a gentle boil and you have delicious, creamiest, dairy-free, Marsala Chicken! If using almonds, remove the skin of the almonds before blending.
Alternatively, you can also use almond meal, readily available in most grocery stores. Make a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons of almond meal and water. Add it to the dish, instead of cream.
Serving Suggestions
My family loves Chicken Marsala with some creamy mashed potatoes, and sauté green beans in some garlic butter sauce.
Chicken Marsala pairs well with some pasta, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb diet. Pour some creamy, flavorful sauce over the chicken. Bon-Appetit!!
Pic Shown: Chicken Marsala, served with some mashed potatoes and some green beans.

More Chicken Recipes
Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Chicken Marsala
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut horizontally in halves, and then cut each piece into 2 to make 8 pieces
- ¼ cup flour
- 8 ounces fresh white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ cup Dry Marsala wine
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- ¼ cup broth (chicken, veggies, or mushroom)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 2 sprigs Thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
For Cornstarch Slurry
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
Prep For The Chicken
- I prefer to keep chicken pieces thin, as these cook faster. Take 2 large chicken breasts, cut horizontally in halves, and then cut each piece into 2 to make 8 pieces.
- OPTIONAL – alternatively, you can pound the chicken, for thinner pieces. You can choose whichever method works for you best.
- In a shallow bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Lightly coat the chicken with flour and shake off any excess. Keep the chicken pieces aside.
- Slice the mushrooms, and mince the garlic.
Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
- Turn ON Sauté Mode (more). When it displays “HOT”, add oil and butter. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side or until brown. Do not overcrowd the pot, work in batches. Remove the chicken and keep it aside. Finish with the remaining chicken pieces.Note: You don’t need to cook the chicken all the way through, it will get cooked once we pressure cook it. Only need to sear it, to get a nice crust, that tastes and looks great!
- Add a tablespoon of butter, sliced mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms cook down a little, and the raw smell of garlic is no more.
- Next, add Marsala wine, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Now add broth, and seared chicken back to the pot.
- Turn OFF Sauté mode. Close the Instant pot, vent on sealing position, and set it on Pressure cook (high) for 4 minutes.Note: Please use timing as a guideline. Adjust the cooking time depending upon the size of the chicken pieces.
- Allow natural pressure release, for around 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid, remove the chicken pieces and keep it aside.Note: It is important to take out the chicken pieces once they have been pressure-cooked, before reducing the sauce. Leaving the chicken pieces in while reducing the sauce, will overcook the chicken.
- Turn ON Sauté mode (more), and reduce the sauce by half or until it starts to thicken.
- Add cream, cornstarch slurry, and chicken back to the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens, around 2-3 minutes. Turn OFF sauté mode. Garnish with some chopped parsley and serve.
Stovetop Chicken Marsala
- Heat oil and butter, in a large skillet, or pan, over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the chicken is almost cooked. Do not overcrowd the pan, work in batches. Remove the chicken and keep it aside. Finish with the remaining chicken pieces.
- Add a tablespoon of butter, sliced mushrooms, garlic, thyme, sauté for 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms cook down, and the raw smell of garlic is no more.
- Next, add Marsala wine, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Now add broth, and reduce the sauce by half or until it starts to thicken.
- Finally add cream, cornstarch slurry, and chicken back to the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens, around 2-3 minutes. Turn OFF the heat. Garnish with some chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- Tips For The Best Chicken Marsala
- How To Make Chicken Marsala Dairy-free
- Serving Suggestions For Chicken Marsala
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
KEYWORD
chicken marsala, chicken marsala olive garden, chicken marsala without cream, instant pot chicken masala
kiran says
what can I replace for Marcela wine? I don't have in home and I am planning to feed to kids also.
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Kiran, You can substitute 3/4 cup of white grape juice plus a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar instead of Marsala wine. Thanks!
Teresa says
This was absolutely delicious and so very easy to make, with readily available ingredients! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It is definitely a keeper!
Jyoti Behrani says
Awesome! I am so glad you liked my recipe 🙂 Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Miesha says
Would it freeze well?
Jyoti Behrani says
Sorry, I have not tried to freeze Chicken Marsala. Thanks!
S. Coome says
I made this for my neighbors, and they praised it as they were serving themselves their second helping. This recipe is definitely a keeper!!
Jyoti Behrani says
Awesome! I am so glad you all liked my recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Rachel says
Hi, I tried this recipe for the first time, and it's amazing!!! My hubby said this is even better than what we eat at the restaurant. Thanks for such a fabulous and easy recipe! ?
Jyoti Behrani says
I'm so glad you liked my recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing your feedback!?
Tina says
I saw this recipe on Instant pot group and tried it last night. This is one of the best recipes I have tried. The chicken was so tender and the sauce was so flavorful. I would definitely recommend your recipe ??
Jyoti Behrani says
I am so glad you liked my recipe. Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Debbi Higgins says
I love this recipe! I made it last week, according to directions. I made it again today, and the only change I made was to DOUBLE THE SAUCE! Why? Because the sauce is so delicious, and I wanted extra in case I wanted some extra pasta!! The ONLY complaint I have at all is that I had to scroll forever to get to the ingredient list, without wading through all the variations.
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi, I am glad you liked my recipe. Sorry for any inconvenience. Please use "Jump to recipe" button at the top of the blog post, recipe is at the bottom of the page. Thanks!
Debbi Higgins says
10 Stars!!
Frannie says
This was delicious! I'm a huge fan of chicken marsala and was surprised how easy it was. Next time I plan to double that amazing sauce!
Jyoti Behrani says
Awesome! I am so glad you liked my recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Kat says
Would sherry cooking wine work? I don’t have marasala or grape juice at this time?thank you
Jyoti Behrani says
Yes, You can use sherry cooking wine instead of marsala, works fine. Thanks!