30 Minute Dinner: Easy One Pot Creamy Chicken Marsala

Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try

I think we can all agree that the perfect meal for a busy weeknight should be fast, should involve as few dishes as possible, and – most of all – should be delicious. This 30 Minute Dinner: Easy One Pot Creamy Chicken Marsala checks all the boxes! A classic Italian-American dish, this chicken marsala recipe is one of my absolute favorite weeknight dinners precisely because I can get a restaurant quality meal without having to go out. Knowing I can get something this delicious on my dinner table in about 30 minutes is a huge selling point – and the one skillet to wash isn’t bad, either. As one-pot meals go, it is definitely one of my best and regularly appears as a weeknight dinner in our house!

Some of the best features of this recipe:

Tender chicken coated in a creamy marsala sauce.

Lots of mushrooms – also coated in a creamy marsala wine sauce. I absolutely love mushrooms and the sauce takes them to a whole new level.

Pairs perfectly with easy sides liked your favorite cooked pasta, some rice, or even mashed potatoes smothered in some of the creamy sauce.

As always, this recipe is super easy with no special cooking techniques, no weird kitchen tools, and simple ingredients you can find in most grocery stores.

Recipe Ingredients

2 tbsp butter

1 8oz package white button mushrooms (see ingredient notes for variations)

1 tsp garlic powder

​2 tsp fresh thyme

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup marsala cooking wine

3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 tbsp all purpose flour

salt and black pepper

fresh parsley (optional)

shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Helpful Tools

paper towels

sharp knife

large skillet

small bowl 

tongs

wooden spoon or heat resistant rubber spatula 

ladle 

measuring cup

small whisk (a fork works as well)

Ingredient Notes

I am no wine connoisseur and generally just use grocery store marsala cooking wine. The flavor of marsala it provides is good enough for me – and the alcohol cooks off – so I am happy. If you want to use something more sophisticated, that is entirely up to you and I would recommend trying dry marsala wine and not sweet marsala wine. 

Chicken broth or chicken stock? I like chicken broth because it has a more full-bodied flavor. It sometimes also contains a fair amount of sodium, so if that is a concern, go for the low sodium version. 

Weirdly, mushrooms are one of my favorite foods. I have mixed a bunch of different mushrooms in this recipe, sometimes using all white cap mushrooms, sometimes baby bella mushrooms, and sometimes shitake mushrooms. I have even used a combination of different kinds. The earthy mushrooms combined with the rich marsala wine sauce is a total winner.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into thick slices. (See Tips & Tricks for mushroom cleaning ideas.) You can use the stems, but trim off the very bottom.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.

3. Add the mushrooms to the skillet. Sprinkle the garlic powder over the mushrooms and lightly salt.

4. Stir the mushrooms occasionally and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes.

5. Add the fresh thyme leaves (remove them from the stem as much as possible) and cook until fragrant, about one minute.

6. Remove the mushrooms to a small bowl and set aside.

7. Heat the olive oil in the same skillet. 

8. Carefully add the chicken pieces to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce.

​9. Return the mushrooms to the skillet. 

10. Add the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

11. Carefully add the marsala cooking wine. I generally move it off the burner for a minute to avoid any flare up.

12. Pour in the heavy cream in a steady stream.

13. Stir everything together with wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula. 

14. Use a ladle to remove about 1/4 cup of liquid. You can put it in the measuring cup you used for your liquids. 

15. Add the all purpose flour to the liquid and whisk together (you can also combine it with a fork). Make sure it is fully incorporated.

16. Return the liquid to the skillet and lower to medium heat. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.

17. Allow the sauce to thicken and the chicken to cook through, about 8 minutes. The chicken is cooked when it is no longer pink inside and when an instant read thermometer reaches 165 degrees.

18. When the chicken is cooked and the sauce thickened, lightly salt and pepper. You can also sprinkle with a bit of shredded parmesan and/or snip some fresh parsley
 over the surface.

Check out the printable recipe card for step-by-step directions!

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Tips & Tricks

​Mushrooms tend to get really soggy if you wash them. Moisten a paper towel and wipe away the dirt.

I like to thin out the chicken breasts before cooking. Sometimes this involves CAREFULLY cutting them horizontally through the middle. Other times I place them in a Ziploc and whack them with a rolling pin (you can use a meat mallet if you own one – which I don’t). Remember that if the chicken is very thin, it will cook more quickly. Conversely, if it is on the thick side, it may take longer.

You can use dried thyme instead of the fresh. Use 1/2 tsp of dried thyme.

FAQs

Can you use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

You can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. I would recommend cutting them into bite-sized pieces as chicken thighs take longer to cook.

How can I turn this into a one-pot creamy chicken marsala pasta?

Simply complete the recipe as directed and then add cooked pasta to the skillet. Pasta like ziti and penne are good choices because they really hold onto the sauce.

​There are so many different ways to cook up a creamy chicken dish. Consider trying this Easy Dinner: Creamy Chicken with Gnocchi & Spinach or this cozy Ultimate Creamy Chicken Pot Pie with Tater Tots.