Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms (Printable)

Tender chicken and savory mushrooms in a rich Marsala-style sauce, ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Sauce & Vegetables

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil (or unsalted butter)
06 - 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1/2 cup unsweetened grape juice (red or white)
10 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
12 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (slurry)
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# Steps:

01 - Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness for uniform cooking.
02 - Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil.
04 - In the same skillet, add mushrooms and cook for 4–5 minutes until browned and tender. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in chicken broth, grape juice, balsamic vinegar, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
06 - Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
07 - Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer for 2–3 minutes, spooning sauce over the top.
08 - Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The grape juice and balsamic trick creates that classic Marsala flavor without any alcohol
  • Everything comes together in one skillet, meaning less cleanup and more flavor
02 -
  • The flour dredge is what helps thicken the sauce, so do not skip this step
  • Let the sauce come to a full simmer before adding the cornstarch slurry
03 -
  • Do not crowd the pan when searing the chicken or it will steam instead of brown
  • Let the sauce simmer for at least 2 minutes after adding the cornstarch to cook out any raw starch flavor

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