Cast Iron Chicken Marsala

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Cast Iron Chicken Marsala. A delicious Italian-American dish, Cast Iron Chicken Marsala consists of tender, pan-sautéed chicken breasts nestled in a rich Marsala wine sauce with mushrooms.

A popular and classic restaurant dish, Chicken Marsala is very quick and easy chicken breast recipe to make at home using your favorite cast iron skillet.

Cast Iron Chicken Marsala Recipe

Chicken breasts are the base of this amazing cast iron skillet meal.  Your family will enjoy all the flavor profiles of this dish – Marsala wine, basil, fresh mushrooms and oregano make it a very memorable meal.

I make Chicken Marsala for lots of special occasions at our house.

If you’re in need of other skillet meal recipes, I can recommend One-Skillet Cheesy Enchilada Orzo, Skillet-Baked Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups, and also this Boy Scout Bacon Potato Skillet.

Ingredients needed to make Chicken Marsala

For the Chicken

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Chicken breasts are cut in half horizontally in this recipe, then pounded out into thinner pieces of chicken, called cutlets.
• Spices: Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper combined with basil, oregano and flour to make a light breading for the chicken cutlets.

For the Mushrooms

• Baby portabella mushrooms: These are my favorite mushroom for Chicken Marsala, but you can also substitute sliced button mushrooms with zero problem. Baby portabella mushrooms are meatier in texture and flavor than button mushrooms, so I always seek them out first.

For the Marsala Sauce

• Marsala wine: You can purchase Marsala wine at a liquor store but it is also available at most large grocery stores near the other cooking wines. Because my family enjoys Chicken Marsala so much and it is inexpensive, I keep some on hand all the time.
• Chicken broth: I like to use Better Than Bouillon chicken base paste to make chicken broth. This is an ingredient that I always have on hand because I can make broth in any quantity that I need and also as strong or as weak as I prefer. Better Than Bouillon comes in several flavors, such as beef, fish, shrimp, vegetable, garlic, onion, and even mushroom. You will find Better Than Bouillon in the soup aisle, next to where they have the containers of pre-made broth.
• Balsamic Vinegar: To know if you have a good quality balsamic vinegar, taste it! If it’s delicious on your tongue (all by itself), it’s a good one. If you taste it and it’s not delicious as-is, that’s not the one you need.
• Capers: Small (baby) capers are optional in this dish, but really make it extra flavorful and pretty. Capers have a briny flavor, similar to a green olive. They add a tangy, savory punch to any dish. You will find capers in the pickle section of your favorite grocer. They will keep in the fridge for several months, just like pickles do.
• Italian flat-leaf parsley: This is for garnish – feel free to substitute dried parsley flakes, if desired.

Easy Recipe Tips for Making Creamy Chicken Marsala

What are chicken cutlets? Are they different than chicken breasts?

• A chicken cutlet is nothing more than a chicken breast that has been pounded thin, which is a great technique for making the chicken cook much quicker.

What is the easiest way to turn a chicken breast into a chicken cutlet?

• There are several ways to do this, but I prefer to place boneless, skinless chicken breasts, working 1-2 at a time, into a gallon freezer bag, pressing out all the air and sealing the bag shut at the top.
  
• Using the smooth side of a kitchen mallet, pound out each breast, making it nice and thin. If you don’t have a kitchen mallet handy, use a canned good from your pantry for pounding – it works great in a pinch.

The recipe says to “dredge” the chicken cutlets in flour? What does that mean?

• Dredging the chicken means to coat it with the flour. The flour (or sometimes bread crumbs can be used, too) is what get nicely browned on the exterior of the chicken to add more flavor to the dish.

What is the best way to get chicken nicely browned and caramelized in a skillet?

• So that your chicken turns golden brown and beautiful as you’re cooking it, be sure the fats in your skillet are nicely hot when you add the chicken to the pan.
  
• If you hear SIZZLE, this is good! This means your chicken will be very flavorful from the caramelization it’s getting as it cooks in the hot fats.
  
• Also, be certain that you don’t crowd the skillet as your are browning the chicken. Work in batches of 2-3 chicken cutlets at a time so there’s plenty of room for the heat from the skillet to circulate, another solid way to achieve superior browning for deep, rich flavor.

What is Marsala wine?

• Marsala wine is a fortified wine made in Sicily, that is very distinct in flavor. It is most commonly used in cooking to create rich sauces.

Does the alcohol cook out of the marsala wine as it simmers?

• I’m glad you asked this question. Yes, the alcohol cooks out of the wine as you cook this dish, but the distinctive and nutty flavor of the Marsala wine remains.

What’s so great about cookin in a cast iron skillet?

• I love cast iron for many reasons. For one, it provides very even heat for cooking, creates superior browning, and can go from stove top to oven to the grill – it’s super versatile! And, because cast iron holds heat well, it’s great for serving dinner at the table family-style.
  
• For this recipe, I use a large 12-inch cast iron skillet.

Will I need an Instant-read meat thermometer for cooking Chicken Marsala?

• Because the chicken cutlets have been pounded out and are pretty thin for this dish, you won’t need to use an instant-read thermometer to temp them when the dish has fully simmered in the skillet. and is ready to serve.
  
• However, if you don’t own an instant-read meat thermometer, it’s really a good idea to purchase one for your kitchen for testing the internal temperature of any meats that you cook or grill.
  
• An instant-read meat thermometer not only helps ensure that you are properly cooking meats and casseroles to a safe internal temperature, but also helps you not to over-cook meats, too. (Nobody wants to eat meats that are dry and flavorless because they are overcooked.)

What is a safe internal temperature for cooking chicken?

• When chicken is fully cooked it should have an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees F. at the center.
  
• When you purchase an instant-read meat thermometer, be sure to get one that comes with a temperature chart (most of them do). This is an important guide to keep in a handy and accessible place in your kitchen to refer to when you’re cooking.

How should I use an instant-read meat thermometer?

• Insert the thermometer into the center of the chicken breast (or any meat), making sure not to touch any bones or the bottom of the skillet or pan as you do so since this can give you a false-read.
  
• Once you’ve inserted the thermometer, watch the dial until it stops raising in temperature. When it stops after a few seconds, this is the internal temperature and the thermometer can be removed.

Beside providing the internal temperature of cooked meat and poultry, how else is an instant-read meat thermometre helpful in the kitchen?

• Such a great question! When baking casseroles in the oven, sometimes it’s difficult to tell if the casserole is hot at the very center. Using an instant- read meat thermometer is a great way to see if the casserole has reached a hot and safe internal temperature.

How should Chicken Marsala be served?

• Chicken Marsala is delicious served over egg noodles as in this recipe. Or, serve chicken marsala over mashed potatoes, rice, couscous or even quinoa.
  
• Because Chicken Marsala in a cast iron skillet is a rustic, comfort food dish, we like to serve it straight from the pan family-style at the table.

How to Make Chicken Marsala

Place the chicken breasts onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice each one in half hotizontally, cutting the top away from the bottom to create 4 thinner pieces of chicken breast.

Working one at a time, place each one of the 4 chicken breast pieces into a large gallon freezer bag, pressing out all of the air.

Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound out the chicken until it is about 1/2-inch in thickness. Repeat the process with the remaining 3 chicken pieces so that you end up with 4 chicken cutlets. **As you’re pounding out the chicken, use your fingertips on your free hand to feel the chicken through the bag to see where you need to pound with the mallet to make it evenly flattened.

Season the chicken cutlets on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the basil and oregano with the flour and set aside.

Working one at a time, dredge the chicken cutlets in the prepared flour mixture, coating each one evenly on both sides, shaking the excess back into the bowl. Reserve the coated chicken pieces to a plate as you work.

In a 12-inch cast iron skillet (or any large heavy-bottomed skillet) over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.

When the fats are hot and sizzling, add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are golden brown and cooked throughout, approx. 6-8 minutes; remove the cooked mushrooms and reserve.

Still over medium-high heat using the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the drippings in the skillet.

When the fats in the skillet are hot and sizzling, add the prepared chicken cutlets, working two a a time, browning each cutlet on both sides, approx. 1-2 minutes per side. **You aren’t fully cooking the cutlets at this point, just browning each one on both sides.

When the cutlets are all nicely browned on each side, remove them from the skillet to a platter; reserve and keep warm. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Meanwhile, in a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the cornstarch into the broth until it is completely dissolved, then stir in the Marsala and balsamic vinegar.

With the skillet off the heat, pour about half of the prepared Marsala mixture into the chicken drippings that remain in the skillet.

Deglaze the pan over medium heat using a flat whisk to scrape up all the browned bits that are attached to the bottom of the skillet.

Slowly pour in the remaining half of the Marsala mixture, whisking until the sauce is smooth. Return the skillet to the burner over medium heat, continuing to whisk until the sauce begins to thicken a bit.

Return the reserved chicken cutlets to the skillet along with the mushrooms; top with the capers, if using. Simmer the chicken marsala over medium or medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until hot and bubbly throughout and the chicken cutlets are fully cooked throughout. (165 degrees F. at the center)

While the chicken simmers, prepare the egg noodles according to package directions; drain well and toss with a bit of olive oil. Keep the noodles warm until you’re ready to serve the chicken marsala.

To serve, place some of the warm fettucine noodles onto serving plates; drizzle with sauce. Top with the warm chicken cutlets and more sauce. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley, as desired.

Easy Dessert Recipes to Serve with Chicken Marsala

• STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE DESSERT
  
• NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE BUTTERFINGER PIE
  
• EASY ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH CITRUS GLAZE
  
• FARM HOUSE STRAWBERRY CRUMBLE
  
• ICE CREAM SUNDAES WITH RED WINE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Printable Cast Iron Chicken Marsala Recipe

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