Chicken Marsala Recipe {with Creamy Marsala Sauce} - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

Can marsala cooking wine be used for Chicken Marsala? ›

I used all marsala wine for the sauce and doubled the amount of mushrooms. I removed the chicken from the pan while making the sauce and added a little half and half to it to make it creamy - it turned out great.

3/4 cup dry Marsala wine. 1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or stock) 3/4 cup heavy cream (thickened cream, evaporated milk or half and half may also be used)** 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley.

Most tasters found sweet Marsala more palatable when sampled straight. However, when we tried both styles in recipes for chicken Marsala, mushroom stuffing, and zabaglione, tasters preferred the dry style in all instances.

When the Marsala sauce has begun to boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer it. The liquid should reduce by half and thicken. If the Chicken Marsala sauce is not thick enough, you can combine 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (or arrowroot starch for gluten-free version) with 1 teaspoon of the sauce in a small bowl.

The final classification for Marsala wine is age. While younger wines are almost always used for cooking, older bottles are ideal for sipping before or after a meal.

The sauce is made with Marsala wine which is a dry and sweet wine which has a 15-20% alcohol content but don't worry, all of the alcohol will cook out of the sauce. The wine creates a nutty and rich caramelized sauce for the chicken.

Marsala is sweet dessert wine, it is not typically used for drinking like a Chianti or Montepulciano, but cooking and marinades. Masala is a spice blend using in Indian cooking. It contains all brown spices: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and cumin.

Marsala is a partially oxidized fortified wine, and as such does not require refrigeration after opening. The wine was originally fortified with distilled spirits to better preserve the wine. I would recommend refrigerating the dry style Marsala, as further oxidation would be more noticeable than in the sweeter style.

I recommend using either semi-secco (semi-sweet) or secco (dry) marsala for this recipe. I used Cantine Pellegrino Fine I.P. Marsala here.

Chicken Marsala is a traditional Italian dish that is made with chicken, white wine, and sweet marsala wine. Chicken Marsala is served with tomato sauce and creamy white sauce. The marsala wine used in this dish is a dry marsala.

Do people drink marsala wine or just cook with it? ›

Marsala Varietals

The younger wines, like the ones you'll find at the bottom shelf of your liquor store, are best for cooking. Sadly, many people don't realize that Marsala makes a great drinking wine, usually as either an aperitif, or appetizer, or a dessert wine.

Sherry or Port are better substitutions for Marsala. Reed wine plus a little balsamic vinegar might be better than just red wine alone. Sort of. You'll want to add some sugar or honey or other sweetner though.

Madeira (named after the Portuguese island where it is made) uses Sercial, Verdelho, Boal and Malvasia grapes. Marsala, the famed Italian fortified wine some consider one the world's best, is made in Sicily from Grillo, Inzolia (white), Catarratto and Nerello Mascalese (red) grapes.

Deglaze the pan by pouring in the marsala, and cook for about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium, stir in beef broth and port, and cook until sauce starts to reduce and thicken to your preference, 10 to 12 minutes.

Start with selections that have an equivalent amount of alcohol. "These fortified wines would work: brandy, marsala, and madeira," says Delle Donne. "But you may want to stay away from port or any red wine—just as red and white are completely different to drink, they're completely different to cook with."

A lighter-bodied red wine such as a Valpolicella or Pinot Noir is ideal for this dish because it will allow the chicken and mushrooms to shine through without competing with them too much. If you're looking for something more robust in its flavor profile, try a Chianti or Rose.

A big red like a Cabernet, Sangiovese or Zinfandel will simply overwhelm not only the chicken, but the subtle sweetness of the Marsala sauce. You're better off going with a full bodied white like Chardonnay, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, etc., or a light to medium bodied red like Gamay, Pinot Noir, Frappato or Grenache Gris.

Reese Vintage Cooking Wines offer a convenient way to add a special touch to a wide variety of dishes. The flavor of this wine can be truly appreciated when used for browning red meats such as lamb or veal. MARSALA WINE, SALT, POTASSIUM METABISULFITE (PRESERVATIVE).