Dairy-Free Chicken Marsala (Printable)
One-pan chicken simmered in a rich Marsala wine and mushroom sauce, completely dairy-free and ready in 40 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
→ For Dredging
02 - ½ cup all-purpose flour (substitute gluten-free flour if needed)
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Vegetables
05 - 8 oz cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
07 - ¾ cup dry Marsala wine
08 - ¾ cup chicken broth (verify dairy-free on label)
→ Fats
09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
→ Garnishes
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
# How To Make It:
01 - Place each chicken breast between two sheets of parchment paper and gently pound with a meat mallet to an even ½-inch thickness throughout.
02 - Combine the flour, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge each pounded chicken breast in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess coating.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the dredged chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
04 - Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Sauté the sliced mushrooms for 4 to 5 minutes until deeply browned. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in the Marsala wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the liquid to reduce slightly.
07 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet, spooning the mushroom-wine sauce over the top. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the chicken is heated through and the sauce has thickened to a glossy finish. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The Marsala wine reduces into a sauce so deeply savory you will forget there is no butter or cream anywhere near this pan.
- Everything cooks in one skillet, which means you get a restaurant quality meal with only one dish to wash at the end.
- It is naturally dairy free and easily made gluten free, so you can serve it to almost anyone without a second thought.
02 -
- Do not move the mushrooms around constantly once they hit the pan, because they need uninterrupted contact with the heat to develop real color and flavor.
- The flour dredge does double duty here, creating a crust on the chicken while also helping thicken the sauce as it simmers, so do not be tempted to skip it.
- Adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right at the end wakes up the entire dish and balances the deep flavors in a way you will miss if you forget it.
03 -
- Buy a decent bottle of dry Marsala from the wine section, not the baking aisle, because the quality of the wine directly determines the quality of your sauce.
- Let the chicken rest for two minutes after taking it off the heat before serving, because those minutes let the juices redistribute so nothing runs out onto the plate when you cut into it.