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Chicken Marsala

I love taking classic recipes and adapting them to be budget-friendly, and this Chicken Marsala is a favorite with my family. It’s got tender chicken and mushrooms simmered in a rich, savory Marsala-style sauce that tastes like it came from your favorite Italian restaurant (but with a few smart budget swaps to keep the cost down!). The best part is that those simple changes don’t sacrifice taste, which is the most important thing. Your family will be begging for this easy chicken Marsala recipe on repeat because it’s just that good!

“Absolutely delicious! I served mine on a bed of mashed potatoes with the sautéed green bean recipe (also from BudgetBytes!), and it was perfect!”
Erin

A Restaurant-Worthy Chicken Dinner for Less

Chicken Marsala has roots in Italian scaloppine, which are thin cutlets quickly pan-fried and finished with a pan sauce. With Italian roots in my own family (my Grandpa Pellegrini was a first-generation Italian immigrant in the U.S!), I wanted this version to keep the rich, cozy feel of the original while staying weeknight-friendly and affordable. I make mine with thinly sliced and pounded chicken breasts so they cook quickly, then finish them in a wine-based sauce enriched with butter and mushrooms. It’s built with the same quick skillet method as our chicken Piccata, but instead of lemon and capers, the mushrooms add umami, and the Marsala cooking wine brings deep, slightly sweet flavor.

I kept this recipe simple and cost-effective by using cooking wine, and while some people turn their noses up at it, I think it works perfectly here and tastes just as good as the real thing. You still get tender chicken, glossy sauce, and plenty of rich flavor, but for less money and in about 35 minutes!

Cut and pound the chicken. Chicken breasts are huge nowadays, so I slice 2 breasts in half and pound them thin to stretch them into 4 comfortable servings! This also tenderizes the meat and helps each piece cook quickly and evenly. Thin boneless pork chops would also work well here (no need to slice them in half!)
Coating the chicken in flour and seasonings does two important things. It flavors the chicken and helps it brown in the skillet. It also creates those stuck-on browned bits at the bottom of the pan (aka flavor bombs), which get scraped up into the sauce later. That pan sauce is the best part of chicken Marsala, so searing in the skillet is worth it!
Adjust the sauce to your liking. You can let it simmer a little longer for a thicker sauce. If it gets too thick, I’d add a splash of extra chicken broth and another tablespoon or two of butter to loosen it back up. Taste and adjust the seasoning at the end as needed.
Make it creamy. You can stir in ¼ cup room-temperature heavy cream (off the heat) once the sauce has reduced and the chicken is cooked through. I recommend heavy cream over milk because it gives the sauce a silky finish without watering it down.
Want to skip the wine? The process of reducing the sauce will evaporate the alcohol in the wine, but if you’re serving this to kids, you may want to use an alternative. Studies from the FDA show that wine simmered for 15 minutes may still contain up to 40% of its alcohol content. My alcohol-free Marsala alternative is to mix ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup white grape juice!

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Chicken Marsala

This budget-friendly Chicken Marsala recipe is so rich and flavorful, you won't believe it didn't come from your favorite Italian restaurant!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Total Cost $9.14 recipe / $2.28 serving

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 407kcal

Author Jess Rice

Equipment

Rolling Pin
Heavy duty freezer bag
Mixing bowl
Large 12" skillet

Ingredients

Chicken

2 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, $2.98
½ tsp salt divided, $0.02
1 tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.05
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning $0.30
½ cup all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp reserved, $0.04*
3 Tbsp vegetable oil divided, $0.12

Marsala Sauce

1 tsp salt $0.03
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms sliced, (roughly 2 cups) $2.17**
½ white onion sliced thinly, $0.58
½ cup Marsala cooking wine $2.33***
1 cup chicken broth $0.13****
2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley minced, $0.12
2 Tbsp salted butter $0.27

Instructions

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Place one chicken breast at a time in a heavy-duty freezer bag (unsealed) and use a tenderizing mallet (or a rolling pin…whatever is safe and sturdy that you have on hand) to hammer each one 1/4" thin, starting in the thicker middle part of the breasts and working your way to the ends. Repeat this process until all breast pieces are 1/4" thick and equally flat.
Combine ½ tsp salt, black pepper, dried Italian herb seasoning, and all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl, reserving 1 Tbsp of flour. Lightly coat the chicken breasts in the seasoning mixture and shake off excess flour. Transfer to a clean plate.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breasts and cook on each side for 3-4 minutes. Try to not crowd your pan! You can do this in 2 batches if you need to. Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a clean plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Turn the heat down to medium. Add 1 tsp sea salt, sliced mushrooms, and onions. Spread them out on the pan, flipping as needed so each mushroom piece browns, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom of your pan with a wooden spoon as you go; the browned bits on the bottom become a tasty part of your sauce!
Add the Marsala wine and broth to the pan, scraping the browned bits off the bottom again. Simmer until the liquid reduces by 1/3, about 4 minutes on medium-high heat.
Now, make a slurry with your reserved 1 Tbsp of flour; whisk the flour with a small amount of water or liquid from your cooking pan until there are no lumps. Then, whisk in the flour “slurry”, minced parsley, and butter until it has completely melted. Finally, add the chicken cutlets back, flipping them halfway, cooking for another 4 minutes total. Let the sauce thicken while the chicken finishes cooking in the sauce.
Garnish with additional minced parsley (optional) and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Enjoy over any pasta you have on hand!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Video

Notes

*For a gluten-free chicken Marsala, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour as an equal swap for coating the chicken and thickening the sauce. I like King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour because it browns well and behaves the most like all-purpose flour (in my experience!). You can also thicken the sauce with ½ Tbsp certified gluten-free cornstarch if preferred.

**Any mushroom will work here, but I highly suggest using baby bella mushrooms because they have a rich flavor and add earthiness to the dish!

***I use Marsala cooking wine to keep this Chicken marsala budget-friendly. For a more authentic flavor, use straight dry Marsala wine (the kind you’d drink), not sweet. See my “Best Wine for Chicken Marsala” note below for more details.

****Chicken broth forms the savory base of the sauce. I use Better than Bouillon because it’s super budget-friendly and easy to keep in the fridge. Vegetable bouillon or broth is also fine.

Nutrition

how to make Chicken Marsala step-by-step photos

Prep the chicken: Cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 thinner cutlets. Place one piece at a time inside an unsealed heavy-duty freezer bag and pound with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or another sturdy kitchen tool until each piece is about ¼-inch thick. Start at the thicker center and work outward until all breast pieces are ¼-inch thick and equally.

Season and dredge the chicken: In a shallow bowl, combine ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 Tbsp dried Italian herb seasoning, and ½ cup all-purpose flour, reserving 1 Tbsp of the flour for later. Coat each chicken cutlet in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess, then transfer the chicken to a clean plate.

Sear the chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken cutlets and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Don’t overcrowd the skillet; cook in 2 batches if needed, adding a little more oil between batches as necessary. Overcrowding can cause the chicken to steam instead of sear, so give each piece enough room to brown.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.

Make the sauce: Reduce the heat to medium, then add 8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms, ½ thinly sliced white onion, and the remaining 1 tsp salt to the skillet. Spread everything out so the mushrooms can brown, stirring and flipping as needed, for about 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom of your pan with a wooden spoon as you go; the browned bits on the bottom become a tasty part of your sauce!

Add ½ cup Marsala cooking wine and 1 cup chicken broth to the skillet, scraping the bottom of the pan again to release any remaining browned bits. Let the mixture simmer over medium-high heat until the liquid reduces by one-third, about 4 minutes.

Whisk the reserved 1 Tbsp flour with a small splash of hot water or liquid from the skillet until smooth and lump-free. Stir this slurry into the sauce, then add 2 Tbsp minced fresh Italian parsley and 2 Tbsp salted butter, whisking until the butter is fully melted. Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes total, flipping halfway through, until the sauce thickens and the chicken finishes cooking in the pan sauce.

overhead view of chicken marsala in a white dish with bowtie pasta.

Serve: Garnish with additional minced parsley (optional, if you’ve got it) and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Pour over your favorite pasta and enjoy!

a fork holding a piece of chicken marsala above a shallow dish.

Best Wine for Chicken Marsala

Traditional Chicken Marsala is made with real Marsala wine, and dry Marsala (not sweet) is the best choice if you want the most authentic flavor. It has those sweet, rich, lightly smoky notes that make the sauce taste deep and savory without turning sugary.

For this budget-conscious recipe, I use Marsala cooking wine because it’s more affordable, shelf-stable, and easy to keep on hand without worrying about wasting the rest of the bottle. Just keep in mind that designated “cooking wines” are not meant for drinking. They contain salt and preservatives to extend their shelf life, so taste the sauce at the end before adding extra salt.

I served my chicken Marsala with cooked bowtie pasta, also known as Farfalle. Any kind of noodle will work, but my family also loves olive oil mashed potatoes or oven roasted potatoes for a different take. White rice would also work well and would catch all that delicious sauce! Then I’d add a veggie side like sauteed green beans or air fryer asparagus for a well-rounded meal.

Storage & Reheating

Let any leftovers cool to room temperature, then transfer the chicken and sauce to an airtight container. Even though you make the sauce with Marsala cooking wine, you need to refrigerate leftovers just like any other cooked chicken recipe. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The sauce will thicken as it chills, and the wine flavor may taste a little more concentrated after sitting.

When reheating, add a splash of chicken broth or water if needed to loosen the sauce, then warm it gently in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through. You can also freeze chicken marsala for up to 3 months, though the mushrooms may soften a little after thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Try These Easy Italian Dinner Recipes Next!

This Italian Wedding Soup feels extra satisfying without being complicated, and it’s ready in about an hour!
Pasta Puttanesca is a quick, budget-friendly Italian pasta with tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic, and anchovies (my family loves this one!)
Our rich Bolognese Sauce is a rich, slow-simmered meat sauce that clings beautifully to hearty pasta.

Our Chicken Marsala recipe was originally published 3/13/24. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 5/13/26.

The post Chicken Marsala appeared first on Budget Bytes.

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Tuscan Salmon Skillet

My family loves seafood, and I think salmon is their #1 favorite fish. This creamy Tuscan Salmon Skillet is absolutely delicious and super easy to make. The salmon cooks quickly in one skillet, then gets tucked into a luscious Parmesan cream sauce with tomatoes, spinach, garlic, onion, and classic Italian herbs. Each fillet always turns out moist and flaky whenever I cook it this way. This Tuscan salmon recipe feels a little fancy, but it’s ready in about 30 minutes and easy enough for a weeknight dinner!

Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe

I kept things simple here so this creamy Tuscan salmon feels reliable from start to finish. There’s not a ton of vegetable prep, and everything happens in one skillet, which makes this recipe easy to pull off even when you’re pressed for time. The price of salmon can vary a lot, so I like to save this recipe for whenever I see a good deal on fresh salmon (or I’ll check the freezer aisle for a bag of fillets, which is usually cheaper!). Once the salmon is seared, the creamy sauce comes together with vegetable broth, heavy cream, Parmesan, spinach, tomatoes, and herbs, creating a super flavorful Tuscan-style sauce that feels cozy and satisfying. If you get tired of the same old lemon variations on seafood, this sauce is a fun breakaway from that flavor profile.

Love these creamy Tuscan flavors, but don’t eat fish? Try my Tuscan orzo recipe! It has the same creamy Italian-inspired sauce in a cozy one-pot vegetarian recipe.

I use skinless salmon for this recipe since the skin doesn’t get crispy with this cooking method. The salmon is seared quickly, then nestled into a creamy sauce, so the skin will soften instead of staying crisp. If your salmon has the skin on, place it skin-side down, grip one end with a paper towel, and carefully slide a sharp knife between the skin and flesh to remove it.
Avoid overcooking the salmon. I cook the salmon for 2-4 minutes on each side, then warm it back through in the sauce at the end. Thicker fillets and different types of salmon can all affect the cook time. I’m using Atlantic salmon here, which is usually fattier and a little more forgiving than leaner wild varieties like sockeye. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for salmon, and visually, it should look opaque and flake easily with a fork.
Use heavy cream for the creamiest sauce! Heavy cream holds up better in pan sauces than milk, but I still like to let it come to room temperature before using it. This reduces the chance of it splitting once it hits the pan. Half and half works too.
Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer once the cream is added. Don’t let it boil, or the sauce can separate and create a not-so-desirable texture. This will also help the Parmesan melt into the sauce smoothly!
Mom tip. If you have a picky 4-year-old, just call it “pink fish,” and maybe yours will be convinced to try it like mine did! Now, she requests salmon regularly!

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Tuscan Salmon

This creamy Tuscan Salmon is an easy 30-minute skillet dinner with flaky salmon in a Parmesan cream sauce with tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and herbs.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Total Cost $15.24 recipe / $3.04 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings (~¼ lb. salmon each)

Calories 413kcal

Author Jess Rice