I love me some Chicken Marsala. Especially the Classic Chicken Marsala. But Chicken Marsala has a dirty little secret: it sounds (and looks) all fancy but is really nothing more than a sautéed breast of chicken with a simple pan sauce.

Chicken Marsala

This is a recipe I’ve been making for decades, so long that I don’t even need the recipe anymore. But I thought you (and maybe my kids) might like to have it in your collection. (This is the classic version of Chicken Marsala, not the creamy version recently popularized by Olive Garden – although that’s fabulous, too, and on my “someday” list to make.)

About Classic Chicken Marsala:

Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American dish, featuring tender, sautéed chicken breasts in a rich, mushroom-wine sauce. The wine is, of course, Marsala, hailing from Sicily, and it infuses that sauce with deep, rich, dark, buttery flavors.

This dish screams elegance, but it is ridiculously easy. It’s just chicken breast, pounded out, dredged in flour, then sauteed, along with a simple pan sauce. Fast and easy enough for every day, but “dressy” enough for company.

Bonus that Marsala is a fortified wine (and it will last for ages, tightly capped), and the younger (and less expensive) versions are the best for cooking. It’s a pantry staple at my house, along with Tawny Port and Sherry. Don’t be tempted to pick up “cooking” wine from the grocery; the real deal is so inexpensive and so much better.

Chicken Marsala, just lightly brown; it will cook a bit more in the sauce

Making Classic Chicken Marsala:

Back in the day, restaurants often served Chicken Marsala, pounded out to the size of a dinner plate! That’s a little difficult to pull off, so prepare the breast by cutting it in half horizontally, then lightly pound it into thin cutlets – that way they’ll fit in your pan. Once finished, remove from the pan, cover, and keep warm in the oven while making the sauce.

The sauce is like a 10-minute thing. Just add a little more olive oil to the pan, saute the mushrooms, and add a little onion and garlic. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the wine. Simmer for a few minutes, then swirl in butter for a little extra richness. Done!

The magic happens right in the pan

Serve With:

Chicken Marsala practically begs for something to ladle that lovely sauce over. Mashed potatoes (or garlic mashed potatoes) or pasta are the traditional pairings. A green vegetable, broccoli or broccolini, is a perfect touch.

And of course, a green salad like my Copycat Olive Garden Salad is going to make the meal. Say what you will about OG, the salad is crave-worthy. You’re on your own if you want breadsticks. I like to serve my easy overnight no-knead Crusty Bread for dinners like this.

Copycat Olive Garden Salad

Leftovers:

Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for four to five days. The sauce may become thinner. For best results, reheat servings, lightly covered, in the microwave. Do not freeze; the dish will not fare well.

Other Italian American Recipes You Might Like:

Find more by clicking on or searching for “Italian” on my site; you’ll find both authentic and American-style dishes. Here are some of my current favorites:

• Dad’s Spaghetti – perfected over decades, this is my Dad’s recipe; a great example of “American style” spaghetti!
• Gnocchi with Italian Sausage – fast and easy, with store-bought gnocchi, this just might go on rotation in your home, too.
• Instant Pot Italian Beef – some of the best sandwiches, ever, although they’re so hearty, they read as a “meal.”

Chicago Italian Beef Sandwiches Instant Pot

Saving Money on Groceries:

What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.

• The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
• If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast or Thighs:

There are options when it comes to purchasing boneless, skinless chicken breasts (and thighs, too). Generally, buying in larger amounts means you’ll pay less per pound.

• Chicken drops to a low once a quarter. Know the pricing in your area, what’s a good deal, and a great one, and never pay full price. Stock the freezer at rock bottom. Divide family packs into amounts for meals.
• Take it one step further and reduce today’s huge breasts into actual serving sizes. Large ones can be cut in half, and smaller ones trimmed to size. Package trimmings for stir-fries, casseroles, chicken strips, and so on.
• Compare sale pricing at all the available stores, and fresh to frozen. Frozen is often priced in ounces; learn how to compare to fresh, priced by the pound. Unless it’s a great sale, frozen is often more per pound than fresh on sale.

Mushrooms:

• Watch sales, especially before holidays. Discount store’s everyday pricing rivals grocery stores’ best sales. Buyers’ clubs may not be cheapest, but the quality is outstanding.
• The bargain is the button; its nutritional value is nearly identical to its pricier cousins.
• Whole mushrooms keep better. Poke or cut several holes in the package and wrap; place upside down in the fridge.

Marsala:

• Varies in pricing and quality. A lower-end Marsala from the liquor store will be a bargain compared to “cooking wine” from the grocery. Shop around, check bargain bins, and sign up for emails.
• Marsala is a fortified wine that will last for a long time in a dark, cool cupboard.

Olive Oil:

• Unfortunately, price can be a factor. At the grocery, look for sales; the best are buy one/get one free or half off, especially if there are coupons. Check buyers’ clubs or the discount stores for a range of pricing and quality. Aldi Specially Selected made Consumer Reports’ Best Olive Oil list.
• Store in a cool, dark cupboard. Larger bottles can be divided into glass containers, one handy and the other tucked away. Don’t be stingy; once open, olive oil begins to degrade in a couple of months.