Italian-American · main

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala reads richness 7.7, umami 6.1 and salinity 4.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 31 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 8.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 7.7 · Umami 6.1 · Salinity 4.4 · Allium 3.5 · Earthy 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Sweetness 2.3 · Fruity 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Nutty 1.3 · Bitterness 1.3 · Sourness 1.3 · Floral 1.0 · Heat 0.9

What's in it (12)

• boneless chicken — 680 g
• all-purpose flour — 60 g
• salt — 10 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g
• cremini mushrooms — 340 g
• garlic — 6 g
• marsala wine — 177 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 237 g
• heavy cream — 79 g
• flat-leaf parsley — 7 g

Time & effort: about 31 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 107.6 kcal, 13.7 g protein, 5.7 g fat, 4.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Halve each chicken breast horizontally into two thin cutlets, then pound between plastic wrap to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
2. Season the cutlets on both sides with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, then dredge each piece in the flour, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; sear the cutlets in two batches until deeply golden on the first side, 3-4 minutes, flip and cook until the second side is golden and the chicken reaches 165°F, 2-3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook without stirring until deeply browned on the bottom, 4-5 minutes, then stir and continue cooking until browned all over, 3-4 minutes more.
5. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Pour in the Marsala wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by half, 3-4 minutes.
7. Add the chicken broth and simmer until the sauce is reduced by about a third and lightly thickened, 5-6 minutes.
8. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until glossy, about 2 minutes.
9. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, spoon the sauce over the top, and simmer until heated through and the chicken registers 165°F, 2-3 minutes.
10. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter until the sauce is glossy; season with the remaining salt and pepper to taste.
11. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Skillet Chicken Marsala — Italian-American
• Baeckeoffe — French · Alsace
• Chunky Beef and Vegetable Soup — Eastern European
• Scrapple (Pannhaas) — American · Pennsylvania Dutch
• Chakhchoukha — Algerian

Keep reading: what richness, umami, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.