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.
4boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise, pounded into cutlets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1tsp. dried basil leaves
1tsp.dried oregano leaves
1/2 cupall-purpose flour
8 oz. sliced baby button or baby bella mushrooms
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, divided use
3 Tbs. olive oil
1/3cupMarsala wine
2/3 cupchicken broth
1 tsp. cornstarch
1Tbs. small capers, drained, optional
2 tsp. good balsamic vinegar
1Tbs.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!