Rule #313: Chicken, Mushroom, and Sauce Talk are all good topics.
There’s something about the thick, creamy sauce paired with hearty mushrooms and tender chicken in this Chicken Marsala dish that really fills my Comfort Food Tank up with joy. This recipe couldn’t be easier: sauté the mushrooms and thyme, brown the chicken in the pan, make a slurry, add it to the pot, and simmer. Donezo, my friends. All in under 30 minutes!
The best part about this dish… shhh… lean in closer… it’s our little secret: it’s under 500 calories a serving with only 16g net carbs and a whopping 44g of protein! I’d say two large chicken breasts yields about 3 good-sized servings. Now if that doesn’t say WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER, then I don’t know what will. But again, shh… our secret!
Chicken Marsala: Mushroom Talk
Okay, so first things first: Chicken Marsala is all about them mushrooms, y’all. My favorite for this dish are baby bella mushrooms because they’re savory, hearty, and have a mild flavor. White button mushrooms work well, too, but the baby bellas are my queens of the night for this dinner.
NOTE! Never, never, never, and I mean NEVER wash your mushrooms in water. They’ll get spongy and gross. Just wipe off the tops with a paper towel as you gently twist off their stems. They don’t have to be completely cleaned off… a little dirt don’t hurt.
Melt 2 tbs. each of unsalted butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat.
Add in your shrooms and some fresh thyme and sauté until tender (about 5 minutes).
Chicken Marsala: Chicken Talk
Now then, once your mushrooms are all nice and tender, make a well in the middle of your pan.
Next, liberally (and I mean liberally) season your chicken breasts on both side with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Brown your chicken on both sides in the middle of their mushroom buddies (about 3 minutes per side).
Chicken Marsala: Sauce talk
Now’s where the fun happens! Pour in some delicious marsala wine to deglaze the pan. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan (trust me, there’s flavor in the brown).
Next, make a slurry (thickening sauce) in a large measuring cup with 1 cup of chicken stock and 2 tbs. flour. Whisk until combined.
Add the slurry to the pan, lower the heat to medium-low, stir, and cover.
Spoon some mushrooms and sauce over the chicken and simmer for about 15 minutes, until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through. Discard the thyme leaves.
We love to garnish ours with more fresh thyme leaves and serve it with Cheesy Polenta, Mashed Potatoes, Cauliflower Mash (leftovers freeze very well), or buttered egg noodles. Add a frozen veggie or simple salad, and you’ve got one delicious, healthy meal!
Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 2 tbs. unsalted butter
- 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 16 oz. baby bella mushrooms stems removed, sliced (white button work great, too)
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnish
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup Marsala wine
- 2 tbs. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbs. butter and 2 tbs. olive oil. Add mushrooms and thyme sprigs; sauté until mushrooms are softened (about 5 minutes).
- Meanwhile, season both sides of chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Make a well in the middle of the Dutch oven, add the chicken, and brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Pour in the Marsala wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to get all of the fond (brown stuff) off the bottom.
- In a large measuring cup or small bowl, whisk flour and chicken stock until combined. Add slurry mixture to pot, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through (about 15 minutes).
- Discard thyme sprigs. Garnish with more fresh thyme leaves. Serve with mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, or egg noodles.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Pineapple House Rules makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.