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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.
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.
I made this recipe tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I did it with the shiitake mushrooms followed the recipe exactly I made as a side dish, roasted vegetables, and then I also made a polenta with goat cheese and Parmesan. What a meal five stars.
Hi Lorrie,
That’s fantastic to hear! Thanks for trying this dish and your comment, love that it was enjoyed! xT
Made this tonight! 10/10! I loved the sauce so much I think I’ll double next time I make it.
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe! 🙂 xT
How could you make ahead in preparation for dinner party. Can I make and put in dish and keep warm….I’m excited to make this – would really appreciate help!I don’t want the chicken to dry out…
Hi! Yes, you could definitely make ahead and leave the oven on low to keep warm! xT
This is my new favorite thing to cook and it gets RAVES from all my guests every single time!! I’ve done it with coconut cream for my dairy free guests and it’s superb as well!
Hey Rosalyn,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and your feedback!🌼🥑 xx
I have made this at least four or five times, and by far this is my favorite Chicken Marsala recipe. The balsamic gives it that extra special “something”, and my husband thinks it’s the best dish I’ve ever made. Thank you!!
Hi Sharon,
Love to hear that you and your husband have been enjoying this recipe! Thanks for making it so often! Have a great week! xT
Does this scale up easily? Double the chicken, double the sauce?
Hi there! Yes, that should be just fine! 🙂 xT
I just made this recipe for the second time and WOW it is soo good and packed with flavor. My boyfriend absolutely loved it and said I should host a dinner party with this as the main dish. The balsamic gives the mushrooms a great flavor.
Thank you!!
Hey there,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xx
This is one of our all time favorite recipes!!! We’ve now made it several times, and it never disappoints. So many delicious flavors come together FLAWLESSLY in this meal!! We can’t wait to make it for years to come!! 🙌🏼
Hi Maddie,
Happy Memorial Day weekend!🇺🇸 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for making it! xx
Can this be frozen after cooked? Thank you!
Hi Lisa,
Sure, that would be totally fine for you to do! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Can you substitute the flour with cornstarch? If so, would you just dredge the chicken into the cornstarch like you would with the flour?
Hi Chelsea,
So sorry, I have never tested that, but you could certainly give it a try! Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
I was worried about this at first because I didn’t know what Marsala was 😅 when I got to the shops I was skeptical. I couldn’t find those mushrooms so had to use brown mushrooms and I added a small handful of shiitake. As I was making half a vegetarian batch, I used mushroom stock instead. I served over sweet potato/potato mash with broccolini that I put to simmer in at the end. My family loved it even my sister the vegetarian without the chicken 😅
Hi there,
Happy Monday!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great week! xT
This was so good, with a side of mashed potatoes.
Hey Adriana,
Happy Friday!!😎 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and your comment! xx
Just made this wonderful dish today as I had all of the ingredients except for the shallots and wanted a meal that could be put together in less than an hour. I was worried that the sauce wouldn’t thicken, but sure enough, it turned out just fine once the chicken and mushrooms were added back into the skillet and it simmered for 10 minutes. Served with mashed potatoes, green beans and a red leaf lettuce salad. Thanks for another home run!
Hey Renee,
Happy Wednesday!! Thank you so much for making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad it was delish! xT
This recipe is phenomenal. This is the 3rd time I’ve made it and my family has ohhhh’d and ahhhh’d every time.
So flavorful. ❤️
Hey Jaimie,
Happy Wednesday!! Thank you so much for making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad it was delish! xT
Amazing!!!!
Thanks so much Cheryl!!
I’ve made this several times now and have found a couple things: 1) a good Marsala wine around $10-15 a bottle makes a significant difference over using a cheap grocery “cooking marsala”. It adds a layer or two of complexity that is noticeable 2) expensive gourmet mushrooms are not as tasty in this as cremini. The expensive chefs choice gourmet mushroom or farmers market oysters & trumpets were good but got lost in the sauce. The cremin/baby bellas seem to go better.
This has become a go-to recipe at least every couple months. Serving over orzo has also become our favorite.
Hey Michael,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your comment, so glad it was a hit! Have a great weekend:)
This has become one of my family’s favorite meals!
Hi Laura,
Happy Wednesday!🌈 I appreciate you making this recipe so often and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it is always a winner!