Description
Hearty Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms delights palates with classic Italian-American flavor profiles. Tender chicken medallions bathed in rich, wine-infused sauce invite culinary exploration for passionate home cooks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, pounded to 0.5 in/1.27 cm thickness)
- ½ cup (120 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsps (30 g) unsalted butter
- 8 oz (226 g) cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup (120 ml) dry Marsala wine
- ½ cup (120 ml) chicken broth
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (optional, for a creamier sauce)
- 2 tbsps fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Flour Preparation: Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Thoroughly coat chicken breasts with seasoned flour, ensuring an even, light dusting and shaking off excess.
- Chicken Searing: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken breasts until golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C, then transfer to a warm plate.
- Mushroom Sautéing: Reduce skillet heat to medium, melt butter, and add mushrooms. Sauté until moisture evaporates and mushrooms caramelize, then quickly stir in minced garlic to release its aromatic essence.
- Sauce Creation: Deglaze skillet with Marsala wine, scraping browned bits from the bottom. Simmer and reduce, then add chicken broth and fresh thyme. Optional: Incorporate heavy cream for a velvety texture, continuing to simmer and develop flavors.
- Final Assembly: Return seared chicken to the skillet, coating each piece with the rich mushroom-wine sauce. Warm thoroughly, ensuring complete coverage. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately while piping hot.
Notes
- Flour Coating Technique: Ensure an ultra-light, even coating by gently pressing flour onto chicken breasts and shaking off excess to prevent heavy, clumpy breading.
- Temperature Control: Maintain medium-high heat for perfect golden-brown searing without burning chicken or creating bitter flavor compounds.
- Mushroom Caramelization Secret: Cook mushrooms without overcrowding the pan to achieve deep, rich caramelization and concentrate their natural umami flavor.
- Sauce Consistency Hack: Simmer sauce slowly to develop complex flavors and allow natural reduction, creating a silky, restaurant-quality texture without thickeners.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg