I’m sharing a Chicken Marsala made with seared cutlets simmered in Marsala wine with mushrooms and served over pasta, and I include a quick technique to deepen the sauce using pantry staples.

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I like a Chicken Marsala that feels light but still has personality. My Skinny Chicken Marsala stars boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded thin and cremini mushrooms, their texture giving each bite a pleasant, earthy surprise.

It reads like a smarter weeknight, not a heavy splurge, and fits right on those Healthy Chicken Recipes boards everyone pins. Even if you usually click on Chicken Marsala No Mushrooms posts, give this one a look.

It won’t spoon-feed you nostalgia, it makes you curious about the sauce, the slight tang and why you keep going back for one more forkful.

Ingredients

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Chicken breast: high in lean protein, builds muscle, low in fat, keeps you full.
Mushrooms: earthy flavor, low calories, good fiber and B vitamins, bulk without guilt.
Marsala wine: sweet and nutty, adds depth and subtle sweetness to the sauce.
Garlic and shallot: punchy aromatics, add savory and slight sweetness, boost flavor fast.
Olive oil and butter: olive oil for heart healthy fats butter adds rich flavor.
Flour: dredging gives crust and texture, adds carbs but not much nutrition.
Chicken broth: adds savory liquid, low sodium option keeps salt down, enhances sauce.
Parsley and lemon: parsley freshens, lemon brightens with gentle tang and lift.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3 to 4 pieces, pounded thin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

1 small shallot, finely chopped (or 1/4 cup onion), minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup dry Marsala wine

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

8 oz pasta (spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine), for serving

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Juice of 1/2 lemon, optional

How to Make this

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1. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness about 1/4 inch, pat dry, season both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in the flour and shake off any excess.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with the olive oil and butter, when the butter foams sear the chicken cutlets 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden, they dont need to be fully cooked through, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

4. In the same skillet add the sliced mushrooms and cook undisturbed a few minutes until they brown, then stir and cook another 2 minutes, push mushrooms to the side.

5. Add the chopped shallot and minced garlic to the pan with the mushrooms and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, dont let the garlic burn.

6. Pour in the Marsala wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, let the wine reduce by about half which concentrates the flavor.

7. Add the low sodium chicken broth, bring to a gentle simmer, return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet and simmer 4 to 6 minutes more until the chicken is cooked through and sauce slightly reduced.

8. If you want a thicker sauce, whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry and stir it into the simmering sauce, cook 1 minute until glossy; finish with the juice of half a lemon if using and stir in the chopped parsley.

9. Toss the cooked pasta with some of the sauce and a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen if needed, or plate the pasta and spoon the chicken and mushrooms over top, garnish with extra parsley and serve right away.

Equipment Needed

1. Meat mallet or rolling pin for pounding the chicken thin
2. Cutting board and chef’s knife for slicing mushrooms and shallot
3. Shallow plate or wide bowl for the flour dredge
4. Large pot for boiling the pasta
5. Colander to drain the pasta
6. Large skillet (12 inch works well) for searing and making the sauce
7. Tongs and a wooden spoon for flipping and scraping up browned bits
8. Measuring cups and spoons plus a small bowl and whisk or fork for the cornstarch slurry and measuring liquids

FAQ

Q: How do I get the chicken thin and even? A: Put each breast between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a zip top bag, then pound gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until about a quarter inch thick. Work from the thicker parts out, take your time, and try to keep pieces the same size so they cook evenly.

Q: Can I skip the Marsala wine or use something else? A: Yes, dry Marsala gives the classic flavor but you can use dry sherry or a dry white wine. If you need no alcohol, use extra chicken broth and add a splash of balsamic or a teaspoon of red wine vinegar to mimic that sweet tang.

Q: How do I keep this dish "skinny" and not greasy? A: Use a little olive oil with just one tablespoon of butter, drain excess oil from the pan between batches, use low sodium chicken broth, and skip heavy cream. Also dont overcrowd the pan so the chicken browns instead of steams.

Q: The sauce seems thin, how do I thicken it without cream? A: Make a slurry by mixing one tablespoon cornstarch with two tablespoons cold water, then stir it into the simmering sauce and cook a minute or two until it thickens. Add a splash more broth if it gets too thick.

Q: What temperature and timing for cooking the chicken? A: Because the breasts are pounded thin, they cook fast. Aim for an internal temperature of 165 F, usually about 2 to 4 minutes per side over medium high heat depending on thickness. Dont overcook or it will dry out.

Q: Can I make this ahead or freeze it? A: You can refrigerate the cooked dish for about 3 to 4 days, reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth. Freezing is okay for the sauce alone up to two months but mushrooms get soft when frozen so texture may change after thawing.

Skinny Chicken Marsala Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Marsala wine: swap with dry sherry or Madeira for the closest flavor. For a non alcoholic option use 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth + 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar + 1 tsp sugar, simmer a bit to concentrate taste.
All purpose flour (for dredging): use cornstarch or arrowroot 1:1 for a lighter, crispier crust. Almond flour works for gluten free but it browns differently.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts: try thin sliced boneless chicken thighs for juicier results, or turkey cutlets if you want something a bit leaner.
Cremini/button mushrooms: substitute baby bella or sliced portobello for similar texture, or shiitake for extra umami. Canned mushrooms ok in a pinch, just drain well.

Pro Tips

1) Dry and warm the chicken before flouring. Pat the breasts really dry and let them sit at room temp 15 to 20 minutes if you can. That way the flour sticks better and you get a faster sear so the inside doesnt overcook while you brown the outside.

2) Dont crowd the pan with mushrooms or chicken. Give them space so they brown instead of steaming. Use high heat for the mushrooms at first, let them sit undisturbed until they get color, then stir. If the pan looks too full, do two quick batches.

3) Be careful with the Marsala reduction and cornstarch. Reduce the wine until it smells less boozy and tastes concentrated, thatll give the sauce depth. If you use cornstarch, mix it with cold water first and add just a little, cook only a minute or it gets gluey. You can always loosen with reserved pasta water.

4) Finish smartly and let the meat rest. Brighten the sauce with the lemon and parsley at the end not while boiling, it keeps the flavor fresh. After you remove the chicken from the pan let it rest 4 to 5 minutes so the juices redistribute, otherwise every cut will drain onto the plate.

Skinny Chicken Marsala Recipe

Recipe by James Level

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I’m sharing a Chicken Marsala made with seared cutlets simmered in Marsala wine with mushrooms and served over pasta, and I include a quick technique to deepen the sauce using pantry staples.

Servings

servings

Calories

685

kcal

Equipment: 1. Meat mallet or rolling pin for pounding the chicken thin
2. Cutting board and chef’s knife for slicing mushrooms and shallot
3. Shallow plate or wide bowl for the flour dredge
4. Large pot for boiling the pasta
5. Colander to drain the pasta
6. Large skillet (12 inch works well) for searing and making the sauce
7. Tongs and a wooden spoon for flipping and scraping up browned bits
8. Measuring cups and spoons plus a small bowl and whisk or fork for the cornstarch slurry and measuring liquids

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3 to 4 pieces, pounded thin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
1 small shallot, finely chopped (or 1/4 cup onion), minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
8 oz pasta (spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine), for serving
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1/2 lemon, optional

Directions

Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness about 1/4 inch, pat dry, season both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in the flour and shake off any excess.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with the olive oil and butter, when the butter foams sear the chicken cutlets 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden, they dont need to be fully cooked through, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
In the same skillet add the sliced mushrooms and cook undisturbed a few minutes until they brown, then stir and cook another 2 minutes, push mushrooms to the side.
Add the chopped shallot and minced garlic to the pan with the mushrooms and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, dont let the garlic burn.
Pour in the Marsala wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, let the wine reduce by about half which concentrates the flavor.
Add the low sodium chicken broth, bring to a gentle simmer, return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet and simmer 4 to 6 minutes more until the chicken is cooked through and sauce slightly reduced.
If you want a thicker sauce, whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry and stir it into the simmering sauce, cook 1 minute until glossy; finish with the juice of half a lemon if using and stir in the chopped parsley.
Toss the cooked pasta with some of the sauce and a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen if needed, or plate the pasta and spoon the chicken and mushrooms over top, garnish with extra parsley and serve right away.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 390g
Total number of serves: 4
Calories: 685kcal
Fat: 16.8g
Saturated Fat: 4.1g
Trans Fat: 0.1g
Polyunsaturated: 1.4g
Monounsaturated: 7.4g
Cholesterol: 144mg
Sodium: 105mg
Potassium: 700mg
Carbohydrates: 58g
Fiber: 3.4g
Sugar: 3.8g
Protein: 63g
Vitamin A: 100IU
Vitamin C: 2.5mg
Calcium: 40mg
Iron: 3mg

Skinny Chicken Marsala Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantities

How to Make this

Equipment Needed

FAQ

Skinny Chicken Marsala Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Pro Tips