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This easy chicken marsala pasta recipe has tender and succulent chicken, mushrooms, and a creamy marsala sauce. You’ll love this twist on the Italian American favorite!
Try my Chicken Marsala, Chicken Marsala Gnocchi, or Easy Creamy Pork Marsala next.
Why you’ll love it
Butter, mushrooms, a touch of garlic, and cream combine with the signature flavor of marsala wine to make the silky sauce in this easy marsala fettuccine recipe! It also has beautifully seasoned chicken that’s pan-fried to golden goodness. It’s just so yummy.
Marsala is delicious in savory recipes. It’s also versatile, so you can serve Marsala Sauce with many kinds of protein and pasta. This is a 30-minute meal that you won’t want to miss! It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner but tasty enough for company. Yes, please.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I like a longer shape for this one, so I use fettuccine. Linguine or any shape works, though.
- Olive oil and butter – for pan frying and the base of the sauce
- Chicken – we’re cutting chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces
- Garlic powder – it infuses flavor right into the chicken
- Flour – coating the chicken with flour helps keep it tender and nicely brown, and it thickens up the cream sauce
- Mushrooms – I use cremini mushrooms, but feel free to use another kind/your favorite
- Marsala – it’s a wine that is fortified with brandy. I used a semi-sweet (semi-secco) marsala wine for this recipe. There are very sweet ones out there, but those are better suited for desserts.
- Chicken broth – for more savory flavor in the sauce
- Dijon mustard – my go-to flavor enhancer! You don’t taste it itself specifically.
- Heavy cream – to make the sauce rich and delicious
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here is the cast iron skillet I use for many of my pasta recipes.
- The chicken bites are really easy to flip with kitchen tongs, and I combine the sauce with this whisk.
- I like how these measuring cups are angled for the liquid ingredients. You don’t need to crouch down and read the sides.
How to make chicken marsala pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, cut up the chicken and coat with the garlic powder and flour. Heat the oil and half the butter in a skillet, then pan fry the chicken until browned. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining butter and the mushrooms.
Cook the mushrooms until the water is released and has been cooked off. Transfer them to the plate with the chicken. To the pan, whisk in the broth, marsala, and Dijon. Let it reduce for a couple of minutes. Add the cream, chicken, and mushrooms.
Let the sauce thicken and the chicken fully cook through. Taste, and season with salt & pepper as needed. Toss with the drained pasta. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese if using.
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend substituting the cream for something lower fat. The sauce likely won’t thicken up properly.
- Marsala is what makes this sauce what it is! If you don’t have semi-secco, you could also use a dry marsala wine if you wish. There’s not really a substitute for marsala wine, but madeira could work in a pinch.
- If you need to skip the flour, you can thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry at the end.
What to serve with chicken marsala fettuccine
- Pair with a slice of fresh crusty bread and some olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping, and you’re good to go! Cheesy Garlic Bread? Don’t mind if I do.
- I like a salad with it as well. Try my Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad, or get a little creative and serve spring mix with my Creamy Pesto Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- I prefer eating this marsala fettuccine fresh, but you can store leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat over a low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of cream to thin out the sauce if needed.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one.
If you made this creamy chicken marsala pasta, please leave a star rating and review below! I’d like to hear from you. Tag me on Instagram with this or any S&L creations.
Chicken Marsala Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Flour for dredging
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
- 1/2 cup marsala wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese optional, to taste
Instructions
- Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Meanwhile, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and sprinkle them with garlic powder, then coat them in flour.
- Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken. Cook it for about 5 minutes, turning with tongs, until the chicken is slightly browned (it'll finish cooking later so don't overcook). Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the mushrooms have released water and it's cooked off a bit. Take the mushrooms out of the pan (ok to put on same plate as the chicken).
- Add the chicken broth, marsala, and Dijon mustard to the pan. Stir/whisk until the mustard has dissolved and let it bubble for 2 minutes or so (it should reduce a bit).
- Add the cream, chicken, and mushrooms to the pan, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken has cooked through.
- Season with salt & pepper as needed. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce (add a little water from the pasta if needed to thin the sauce) and serve with parmesan cheese if using.
Notes
- I use a semi-secco (semi-sweet) marsala wine for this recipe (Cantine Pellegrino Marsala Fine). Dry marsala would also work.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on January 23, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Another plate licker from Natasha. I added double the Dijon and I have to say, this was so easy and 100% delicious. Husband had 2nds. Used orecchiette pasta and made spinach salad on the side. Amazing!
Thank you so much!!! 😀 That’s great to hear!
Delicious recipe. Adjusted the ingredients eg omitted mustard and chicken broth, extra marsala wine, different mushroom variety.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Would it be feasible to omit the cream. I want to make this for a friend who doesn’t like things with cream or milk.
Hmm.. I don’t think you’ll have enough liquid without the cream, and the cream makes the sauce what it is, basically (and thicker). You may want to do some experimenting first to make sure any changes work out.
I used to make this at a short order Italian joint and will be serving it at new years so I hit up google for a refresher on the proportions.
I didn’t think to flour the chicken and it makes sense, also a commenter said they used shallots and I think I will too. I’m going mega flavor so I’ll use a full bodied marsala and subsituting romano for parm for more salt and pungency.
Last I’ll look online for an herb since I feel like it’s always missed one. I’m thinking tarragon or marjoram, but even a pinch of dried oregano will do.
So that’s it, with your nice refresher course and the help of other netizens I hope to bring the humble yet wonderful chicken marsala to the next level without changing what it is that makes it so good.
Thank you, wish me luck and happy new year!
I think the romano idea sounds great! Happy new year, and enjoy, JR! 🙂
Outstanding. Lovely small additions (Dijon mustard) make this dish very flavorful. We used a few substitutions (milk for cream, white mushrooms for crimini) because we used what was on hand, and I suspect it would have been even better had we had the exact right ingredients. We also used spaghetti, and I think that a “circular” pasta would have been better.
IN short, we loved it.
I’m so glad it worked out for you, Charles!! Thank you for your kind comment. 🙂
we have made this recipe several times now and just love it! sometimes we use chicken and sometimes we sub with shrimps – either one is delicious. thanks for this easy to follow and quick recipe!
You’re very welcome!! I’m so glad it’s a hit for you. Love the shrimp idea!
This is amazing! I was going to make Chicken Marsala but I had a craving for pasta so I googled and found this recipe. I love it. I wasn’t sure about the Dijon, but it was very subtle and gave great flavor. I’ll make this again for sure!
That’s awesome!! So glad you gave it a try. 😀
Excellent Recipe! Most assume to have mashed potatoes with chicken marsala. My wife bought truffle infused pasta and I knew that red sauce wouldn’t be a good combo. I did a little digging and found this recipe. I was lucky enough to find a bottle of Marsala at Whole Foods. Followed every step exactly, the only thing I did different was add chopped shallots and garlic with the mushrooms. I will be making this again for when I have company! The creaminess of the Marsala Sauce and the Parm make the most amazing flavor. The pasta really soaks up the sauce. This recipe is a 12/10 and highly recommended.
Aww thanks so much, Mike!! I’m so glad you two enjoyed it! 🙂
How many ounces are two large chicken breasts?
It doesn’t have to be exact. I’d look for something around a pound or a bit over… so like 16 ounces.