If you love Maggiano’s Chicken Marsala but prefer a cozy, special dinner at home, this is the recipe for you. Thin, crispy chicken cutlets are pan-seared and finished in a savory Marsala sauce with cremini mushrooms and green onions. A simple brown-butter pasta on the side soaks up the sauce for a restaurant-quality meal you can make in your own kitchen.
Maggiano’s Chicken Marsala Recipe
Chicken Marsala is a favorite for good reason: it’s rich without being heavy, full of mushroom and wine flavor, and approachable to prepare. For two people this comes together quickly; if you’re cooking for a crowd, plan to brown the chicken in batches. Serve with a buttery pasta or mashed potatoes to complete the plate.
For the side, try a simple brown-butter pasta tossed with a hard, salty cheese — it complements the sauce beautifully.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Savory Marsala Sauce: Dry Marsala, chicken broth, butter, and mushrooms make a silky sauce that clings to the cutlets.
- Comforting But Elegant: It looks and tastes special, yet the method is straightforward and suitable for home cooks.
- Brown Butter Pasta: Tossed with grated cheese, the pasta adds a nutty richness that pairs perfectly with the Marsala sauce.
- Mushroom Forward: Cremini mushrooms bring an earthy depth that complements the wine and herbs.
- Flexible Finishes: Use Parmigiano Reggiano for a classic nutty, salty finish or mizithra for a sharper profile.
Serve with garlic bread sticks or a crisp Caesar salad for a complete meal.
Recipe Shopping List
Here’s what you’ll need. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts, pounded and cut into cutlets — thin pieces brown faster and stay tender.
- Cremini mushrooms, sliced — add earthy flavor and meaty texture.
- Green onions, chopped — for freshness and mild onion flavor.
- Flour — for a light dredge that helps the chicken brown and slightly thickens the sauce.
- Ground marjoram and thyme — subtle herbs that enhance the sauce.
- Salt and white pepper — to season the flour and final sauce.
- Butter, divided — used for mushrooms, chicken, sauce, and the brown-butter pasta.
- Vegetable oil — mixed with butter to prevent burning while browning.
- Dry Marsala wine — the key flavor for the sauce; use dry rather than sweet.
- Chicken broth — to lengthen and balance the sauce.
- Parmigiano Reggiano or mizithra cheese — grated into the brown-butter pasta.
- Pasta — any shape you prefer; long noodles or egg noodles work well.
Add a simple Caesar or garlic mashed potatoes to make the meal heartier.
How To Make This Recipe — Overview
A clear step-by-step overview so you know what to expect. For full details, follow the recipe card at the bottom.
- Prep the chicken: Pound breasts to an even 1/4–1/2 inch thickness and cut into cutlets.
- Cook the mushrooms: Brown sliced cremini mushrooms in butter and oil, stir in green onions near the end, then set aside.
- Brown the chicken: Dredge cutlets in seasoned flour and brown in batches until golden on both sides.
- Make the sauce: Deglaze the pan with dry Marsala, add chicken broth, return mushrooms and chicken, then simmer until the sauce thickens and the chicken finishes cooking.
- Finish the pasta: Cook pasta, make browned butter, toss with grated cheese, and serve alongside the chicken with sauce spooned over the top.
A crisp salad or roasted vegetables pair nicely with this dish.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Cook the chicken and sauce, then refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low, adding a splash of chicken broth if the sauce becomes too thick.
Store chicken, sauce, and pasta separately in airtight containers. The chicken and sauce keep well for up to 3 days; pasta with browned butter is best eaten within 2–3 days because it can firm up when chilled.
Reheat the chicken and sauce in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Reheat pasta separately with a small pat of butter or a splash of hot pasta water to loosen it.
Yes. White mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms substitute well if you don’t have cremini on hand.
Use dry Marsala for this recipe; sweet Marsala can make the sauce overly sugary.
Yes. Pound boneless, skinless thighs to an even thickness and cook until they reach a safe internal temperature; they may need slightly more time than thin breast cutlets.
Absolutely. The chicken and sauce are excellent over mashed potatoes, rice, or roasted vegetables, or simply alongside a salad.
Also delicious with garlic mashed potatoes.
More Pasta Recipes
- Traeger Smoked Mac and Cheese
- Swedish Meatball Orzo
- Chicken Parmigiana
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
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Maggiano’s Chicken Marsala
Chicken Marsala is a classic skillet dinner of thin chicken cutlets simmered with mushrooms, green onions, Marsala wine, and chicken broth. The sauce is rich and balanced, and the chicken finishes cooking in the pan so it stays tender and flavorful.
20 minutes
40 minutes
1 hour
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken breasts, pounded to ¼–½ inch and cut into cutlets
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 bunches green onions, chopped
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground marjoram
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2½ sticks butter, divided
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 cup dry Marsala wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Pinch of salt, to taste
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano or mizithra cheese
- 1 pound pasta
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic or in a large zip-top bag. Pound to ¼–½ inch thickness; cut into cutlets if needed.
- Add ½ stick of butter and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they brown and their liquid evaporates.
- Stir in the chopped green onions during the last 2 minutes of cooking the mushrooms. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
- Add another ½ stick of butter to the same skillet. Add a little more oil if the pan looks dry. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, marjoram, thyme, salt, and white pepper.
- Dredge the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Place cutlets in the skillet in a single layer.
- Brown the chicken on both sides over medium heat, working in batches so pieces have room. Transfer browned chicken to a plate; the chicken may still be slightly pink inside since it will finish in the sauce.
- Pour the Marsala into the skillet, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer about 1 minute to reduce slightly.
- Stir in the chicken broth. Return the mushroom and green onion mixture to the pan, then nestle the browned cutlets into the sauce.
- Gently stir so the chicken is coated. Cover and simmer over medium-low until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package directions, then drain well.
- For the brown butter, melt ½ stick of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Let it bubble and foam until it turns golden and smells nutty; remove from heat just before it browns too dark.
- Toss the drained pasta with the browned butter and grated Parmigiano Reggiano or mizithra.
- Serve the chicken with sauce spooned over the top and a generous portion of brown-butter pasta on the side.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 488
Total Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 12g
Cholesterol: 73mg
Sodium: 988mg
Carbohydrates: 49g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 32g
Nutrition data is an estimate. For medical or strict dietary needs, consult a trusted nutrition source.