Cast Iron Chicken Marsala. A delicious Italian-American dish consisting of pan-sautéed chicken breasts in a rich Marsala wine sauce with mushrooms.
A popular and classic restaurant dish, Chicken Marsala is very easy chicken recipe to make at home in your favorite cast iron skillet.
Cast Iron Chicken Marsala Recipe
Howdy! Chef Alli here. Let’s Get You Cookin’….Shall We?? 🙂
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, and oregano make it very memorable, as do the sliced mushrooms.
Try my 30 Minute Chicken and Dumplings recipe for a satisfying and quick meal that’s made in the Instant Pot, my favorite small kitchen appliance. My family is also fond of these chicken dishes – Cheesy Chicken Tamale Casserole and Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Sliders.
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.
Easy Recipe Tips for Making Creamy Chicken Marsala
What are chicken cutlets? Are those 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 cutlets 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 cooking in cast iron?
- 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 the 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.
And how do I actually use an instant-read meat thermometer, anyway?
- 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.
Besides providing the internal temperature of cooked meat and poultry, how else is an instant-read meat thermometer 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, mashed potatoes, rice, couscous or even quinoa – just take your pick.
- Because Chicken Marsala in a cast iron skillet is a rustic and casual dish, we like to serve it straight from the pan family-style at the table.
Is it ever a good idea to double the sauce when making Chicken Marsala?
- Actually, it’s a great idea to double the sauce so that you’ll have extra in case you have leftovers….which you won’t!
Looking for some dessert ideas to serve following this chicken dish?
Here you go! –
- NEAPOLITAN CHEESECAKE BROWNIES
- 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
Cast Iron Chicken Marsala
Cast Iron Chicken Marsala. A delicious Italian-American dish consisting of pan-sauteed chicken cutlets in a rich Marsala wine sauce with mushrooms. A popular and classic restaurant dish, Chicken Marsala is very easy to make at home in your favorite cast iron skillet.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 439kcal
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise, pounded into cutlets
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
- 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 oz. sliced baby button or baby bella mushrooms
- 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, divided use
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 1/3 cup Marsala wine
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 Tbs. small capers, drained, optional
- 2 tsp. good balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian parsley, for garnishing
Instructions
- Season the chicken cutlets (there will be 8) with salt and pepper; reserve. In a large mixing bowl, combine the basil and oregano with the flour and set aside.
- In a large cast iron skillet (I like to use my 12-inch cast iron skillet) over high heat, add 1 Tbs. butter and 1 Tbs. olive oil. When the butter/oil is sizzling, add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are nicely seared and cooked throughout, approx. 5-6 minutes; remove the cooked mushrooms to a plate and reserve.
- Dredge the chicken cutlets in the prepared flour mixture, coating each one evenly on both sides, shaking off the excess and placing the coated chicken pieces onto a plate as you work. Over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbs. butter and 1 Tbs. olive oil to the drippings in the skillet. When the oil/butter in the skillet is sizzling, add 4 of the prepared chicken cutlets, browning each cutlet on both sides, approx. 1-2 minutes per side. (You aren't fully cooking the chicken at this point, just browning it.)
- When the cutlets are nicely browned, remove them to a platter. Add 1 Tbs. butter and 1 Tbs. olive oil to the skillet, still over medium-high heat. When the oil/butter is sizzling once again, add the remaining 4 chicken cutlets to the skillet, cooking just as you did the first 4 cutlets, then remove them to the platter with the others.
- Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch into the broth until it is completely dissolved, then mix it with the Marsala. Pour appox. one-third of the Marsala mixture into the skillet drippings over medium heat, using a silicone spoonula or wooden spatula to deglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits attached to the bottom of the skillet.
- Now add the remaining Marsala mixture, whisking well to combine; return the reserved chicken pieces and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook the chicken and mushrooms with the sauce over medium heat, turning the chicken occasionally, letting the sauce thicken as it simmers, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stirring in the final 1 Tbs. of butter along with the balsamic vinegar and the capers, if you are using them as part of this recipe.
- Serve the Chicken Marsala and the sauce over warm egg noodles or mashed potatoes; garnish the the chopped Italian parsley.
Notes
What are chicken cutlets? Are those 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 cutlets 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.
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 so great about cooking in cast iron?
- 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.
How should Chicken Marsala be served?
- Chicken Marsala is delicious served over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, couscous or even quinoa – just take your pick.
- Because Chicken Marsala in a cast iron skillet is a rustic and casual dish, we like to serve it straight from the pan family-style at the table.
Is it ever a good idea to double the sauce when making Chicken Marsala?
- Actually, it’s a great idea to double the sauce so that you’ll have extra in case you have leftovers….which you won’t!
Nutrition
Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 713mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 489IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg
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Let’s Get You Cookin’,
Chef Alli
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