Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms (Printable Version)

Tender chicken breasts paired with sautéed mushrooms in a rich, savory Marsala-style sauce without alcohol.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - ½ teaspoon salt
03 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging

→ For Cooking

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or additional olive oil for dairy-free)

→ Vegetables

07 - 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped

→ Sauce

10 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - ½ cup unsweetened grape juice, red or white
12 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
14 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water, optional for thickening
15 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Lightly coat each chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess to ensure a thin, even layer.
03 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
04 - In the same skillet, add mushrooms and sauté for 4–5 minutes until browned. Add shallot and garlic, cooking another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
05 - Pour in chicken broth, grape juice, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
06 - If desired, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Return chicken to the skillet and simmer for 2–3 more minutes, spooning sauce over the chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • You get that velvety restaurant quality sauce without any alcohol, making it perfect for family dinners
  • The entire dish comes together in under 45 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
  • The sauce will continue to thicken as it stands off the heat, so do not overdo the cornstarch or you will end up with gravy instead of sauce
  • Getting a good golden sear on the chicken creates the fond that makes this sauce taste so incredibly deep and complex
03 -
  • Pat your chicken completely dry before dredging or the flour will not stick properly and you will lose that beautiful crust
  • Let your mushrooms get really golden brown before adding the garlic because that mushroom flavor is the backbone of the whole dish

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