Bobby Flay’s Chicken Marsala (Restaurant-Quality at Home!)

This Bobby Flay Chicken Marsala recipe brings a touch of gourmet cooking to your home kitchen! It’s a quick, creamy, and incredibly flavorful dish featuring tender chicken cutlets and a rich Marsala wine sauce loaded with earthy mushrooms. I love how this recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with relatively simple steps. It’s perfect for a special occasion, a date night, or when you just want to treat yourself to an elegant and delicious meal.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Marsala

• Restaurant-Quality: Inspired by Bobby Flay, this recipe delivers a dish worthy of a fine dining experience.
• Rich Marsala Sauce: The combination of dry Marsala wine, mushrooms, shallots, butter, and beef broth (implied, though water is listed as an option – broth recommended for flavor) creates a deeply savory and slightly sweet sauce.
• Tender Chicken: Pounding the chicken thin and searing it quickly ensures it stays tender and juicy.
• Elegant Flavor Profile: A sophisticated dish that’s perfect for impressing guests.
• Relatively Quick: Comes together faster than you might think for such a classic dish.

Ingredients for Bobby Flay Chicken Marsala

Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious chicken marsala. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Chicken

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts (Meat)
• All-purpose flour (for dredging)
• Olive oil (Oil)

Sauce

• Cremini mushrooms, sliced (Fungi)
• Large shallot, finely chopped (Vegetable)
• Dry marsala wine (Wine)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces (Fat)
• Flat-leaf parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish) (Herb)
• Water (or preferably Beef/Chicken Broth for more flavor)

Seasoning

• Kosher salt (Seasoning)
• Freshly ground black pepper (Spice)

Variations

I love this Bobby Flay Chicken Marsala as is, but here are a few ideas for variations:

• Add Cream: For a creamier sauce (more traditional American style), stir in a splash of heavy cream at the end.
• Different Mushrooms: Use a mix of mushrooms like shiitake or oyster mushrooms.
• Add Prosciutto: Crisp up some prosciutto and add it to the sauce or as a garnish.
• Use Veal: Substitute veal cutlets for the chicken for a more traditional Marsala dish.
• Serve Over Different Bases: While often served with pasta, try it over mashed potatoes, polenta, or rice.

How to Make Bobby Flay Chicken Marsala

Let me show you how to make this elegant Bobby Flay Chicken Marsala:

Prepare the Chicken

1. I set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
2. I cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise to make 6 thinner pieces.
3. I place a piece of chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it to ¼-inch thickness (about 6-8 inches long). This ensures even cooking and tenderness.
4. I transfer the pounded chicken to the wire rack and season generously with salt and pepper.

Dredge the Chicken

1. In a shallow bowl, I mix the flour with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and a generous amount of pepper.
2. I dredge each chicken piece in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

Sear the Chicken

1. I heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. I sear 3 cutlets until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side, then transfer them to a plate.
3. I add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and sear the other 3 cutlets until golden brown. (The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage; it will finish in the sauce.)

Cook Mushrooms & Shallots

1. In the same pan, I add the sliced mushrooms and ½ teaspoon of salt.
2. I cook, stirring, until the mushrooms soften and release some liquid, about 3-4 minutes.
3. I add the finely chopped shallots, stirring until softened, about 3-4 minutes more.

Prepare the Sauce

1. I remove the pan from the heat and pour in the Marsala wine and water (or broth).
2. I return the pan to high heat, bringing the mixture to a boil.
3. Then, I reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid reduces by one-third, about 6-7 minutes.
4. I whisk in the butter pieces until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes.

Finish the Dish

1. I add the chicken cutlets and any accumulated juices back to the pan.
2. I cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes.

Serve

1. Stir parsley into sauce
2. Pour over chicken
3. Garnish and Serve

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Chicken Marsala

Here are my secrets for making this dish truly exceptional:

• Use Dry Marsala Wine: Choose a dry Marsala wine for the best flavor balance in the sauce. Sweet Marsala can make the dish too sweet.
• Pound the Chicken Thin: This is crucial for tender chicken that cooks quickly and evenly.
• Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Sear the chicken in batches to ensure it browns properly.
• Scrape the Brown Bits: Deglazing the pan with the Marsala wine captures all the flavorful bits stuck to the bottom after searing the chicken and mushrooms.
• Whisk in Butter: Whisking in the cold butter pieces at the end helps to emulsify the sauce and make it glossy.

How to Serve

This Bobby Flay Chicken Marsala is delicious served with:

• Pasta: Fettuccine, linguine, or angel hair are classic choices.
• Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are perfect for soaking up the rich sauce.
• Polenta: A traditional Italian pairing.
• Roasted Vegetables: Asparagus or green beans complement the dish well.
• Crusty Bread: For mopping up every last bit of sauce.

Make Ahead and Storage

Leftover chicken marsala can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

FAQs about Bobby Flay Chicken Marsala

• What is Marsala wine?
  • Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily. Use a “dry” Marsala for this recipe, not the sweet kind used for desserts. Good quality cooking Marsala can be found in most liquor stores or well-stocked grocery stores.
• Can I make this without wine?
  • Yes, you can substitute chicken or beef broth for the Marsala wine, but the signature flavor of the dish will be different. You could add a splash of balsamic vinegar for some complexity.
• Can I use chicken thighs?
  • Yes, boneless, skinless chicken thighs would also be delicious. Pound them slightly thinner and adjust cooking time as needed.

Enjoy this flavorful, elegant, and restaurant-worthy Bobby Flay Chicken Marsala! It’s a perfect dish to impress your guests or treat yourself.

Bobby Flay’s Chicken Marsala

• Author: Caoimhe Byrne
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 1x
• Category: Main Course, Chicken
• Cuisine: Italian-American

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Description

This delicious Chicken Marsala, inspired by Bobby Flay’s recipe, is a quick and creamy dish perfect for a cozy meal. Featuring tender chicken cutlets and a rich Marsala wine sauce with earthy mushrooms, it’s a restaurant-quality dinner you can make at home.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dry Marsala wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish

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Instructions

• Prepare Chicken:

  • Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally to create 6 thin cutlets.
  • Place one cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it to an even 1/4-inch thickness (about 6-8 inches long). Repeat with remaining cutlets.
  • Transfer the pounded cutlets to the wire rack and season generously on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

• Prepare Seasoned Flour: In a shallow bowl or dish, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and a generous amount of black pepper.

• Dredge Chicken: Dredge each chicken cutlet in the seasoned flour, coating both sides and shaking off any excess flour.

• Sear Chicken (in Batches):

  • Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet (cast iron recommended) over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  • Carefully place 3 chicken cutlets in the hot skillet. Sear until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the seared cutlets to a plate.
  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Sear the remaining 3 chicken cutlets until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate with the other chicken. (The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this point; it will finish cooking in the sauce.)

• Cook Mushrooms & Shallots:

  • In the same pan (do not clean it), add the sliced mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and release their liquid, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the finely chopped shallot and continue to cook, stirring, until the shallot softens, about 3-4 minutes more.

• Make the Marsala Sauce:

  • Carefully remove the pan from the heat. Pour in the Marsala wine and the 1/2 cup of water.
  • Return the pan to high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid reduces by about one-third, about 6-7 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the butter pieces, one at a time, until the butter is melted and the sauce thickens slightly, about 1-2 minutes.

• Finish the Dish:

  • Return the seared chicken cutlets (and any accumulated juices from the plate) to the skillet with the sauce.
  • Simmer gently for about 2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and the sauce has thickened slightly.

• Serve: Transfer the chicken cutlets to a serving platter. Stir the 1/3 cup of chopped fresh parsley into the sauce in the skillet. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with additional chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

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Notes

• Pounding Chicken: Pounding the chicken to an even 1/4-inch thickness ensures it cooks quickly and evenly.
• Marsala Wine: Use a dry Marsala wine for the best flavor. Sweet Marsala can be used, but the sauce will be significantly sweeter.
• Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms (baby bellas) have a good flavor, but white button mushrooms can also be used.
• Searing: Don’t overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken; cook in batches if necessary for proper browning.
• Sauce Consistency: The sauce will thicken as the butter is whisked in and as it cools slightly.
• Serving Suggestions: Serve Chicken Marsala over pasta (like fettuccine or linguine), mashed potatoes, polenta, or alongside roasted vegetables.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently.