Dinner Stovetop Weeknight Italian Pasta Chicken

Chicken Marsala Pasta

Name: Chicken Marsala Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 oz Dry pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or penne); 1 tbsp Kosher salt; 1 lb Boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced into 1/2" strips; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 8 oz Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced; 3 clove Garlic, minced; 0.75 cup Dry Marsala wine; 1 cup Low-sodium chicken broth; 0.5 cup Heavy cream; 0.5 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

A stovetop adaptation of classic Chicken Marsala tossed with pasta for a saucy, elegant weeknight dinner. Tender seared chicken and mushrooms swim in a reduced Marsala-cream sauce and coat strands of pasta for a comforting, restaurant-style meal at home.

0.0(0 reviews)

Prep: 15m · Cook: 25m · Total40 mins

DifficultyMedium

Serves4

AuthorJake

Ingredient Spotlight

Dry Marsala wine

Dry Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily commonly used in cooking (notably Chicken Marsala); the ‘dry’ style is less sweet than Marsala dolce and is intended for savory dishes. It has a rich, nutty, caramel/raisin aroma with a rounded, slightly sweet-but-dry flavor from aging and fortification. You can find it in the wine or specialty cooking aisle of most larger supermarkets, liquor stores, or online. Good substitutes are dry sherry or dry Madeira, or a dry white wine with a splash of brandy (add a pinch of sugar if you need a bit more sweetness).

Jake's note

"This version keeps the spirit of chicken marsala but brings it together with pasta for an easy one-skillet feel. It’s great for weeknights when you want something a bit special without a lot of fuss."

Chicken Marsala Pasta

This Chicken Marsala Pasta condenses the classic restaurant dish into a single-skillet, weeknight-ready meal without losing its lift and nuance. Thin strips of chicken sear quickly to a golden edge while cremini mushrooms are cooked down until richly caramelized; deglazing the browned pan with dry Marsala captures that signature nutty-sweet backbone, and a splash of cream smooths everything into a glossy, clingy sauce that coats strands of fettuccine or linguine. The result is a balanced interplay of savory, umami mushrooms, a faint wine sweetness, and the salty chew of Parmesan—comforting but composed.

What makes this version work at home is the rhythm of the technique: high-heat sear for color, a brisk wine reduction to concentrate flavor and remove alcohol, then a gentle finish with cream so the sauce stays velvety rather than greasy. It’s built for cooks who want restaurant polish without fuss—slice the chicken thin, resist crowding the pan, and use reserved pasta water to marry sauce and noodles for a glossy, emulsified finish that feels elevated yet entirely approachable.

Plan your timing

Enter your target meal time:

6:13 pm–6:20 pm→Cook the pasta

6:20 pm–6:27 pm→Slice and sear the chicken

6:27 pm–6:34 pm→Sauté mushrooms and garlic

6:34 pm–6:41 pm→Deglaze with Marsala

6:41 pm–6:48 pm→Make the sauce and finish the chicken

6:48 pm–6:55 pm→Toss with pasta and serve

Ingredients

Yield

Instructions

Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the measured kosher salt, then the pasta. Cook until just shy of al dente according to package directions, then reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Set the pasta aside while you make the sauce.

For this step

12 ozDry pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or penne)
1 tbspKosher salt

Slice and sear the chicken

Pat the chicken strips dry and season lightly with salt. Heat the olive oil in a large wide skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chicken in a single layer and sear until golden on both sides and just cooked through, about 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.

For this step

1 lbBoneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced into 1/2" strips
2 tbspOlive oil

Sauté mushrooms and garlic

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the sliced mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and begin to brown, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another 30–60 seconds until fragrant, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.

For this step

8 ozCremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
3 cloveGarlic, minced

Deglaze with Marsala

Pour the Marsala into the skillet to deglaze, bringing the liquid to a simmer and scraping up any fond from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes, to concentrate the flavor and burn off most of the alcohol.

For this step

0.75 cupDry Marsala wine

Make the sauce and finish the chicken

Add the chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet, stir to combine, and simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3–5 minutes. Return the seared chicken to the pan and simmer for 2–3 minutes more to heat through and finish cooking in the sauce; taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

For this step

1 cupLow-sodium chicken broth
0.5 cupHeavy cream

Toss with pasta and serve

Add the drained pasta to the skillet (or return the sauce to the pasta pot) and toss to coat, adding up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary. Stir in the grated Parmesan off the heat until melted and glossy, then divide among plates and serve immediately.

For this step

0.5 cupGrated Parmesan cheese

Tips from the kitchen

Dry chicken for better sear

Pat the strips thoroughly with paper towels before seasoning so they brown instead of steaming, which builds flavor in the pan.

Don’t overcrowd the pan

Cook the chicken and mushrooms in a single layer with space between pieces; overcrowding drops the pan temperature and prevents proper browning.

Reduce the Marsala properly

Bring the wine to a simmer and let it shrink by about half so the alcohol cooks off and the concentrated flavor won’t taste sharp in the finished sauce.

Reserve pasta water

Use the starchy cooking water a tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta without thinning the cream.

Finish with Parmesan off-heat

Stir the grated cheese in after removing the pan from heat to prevent grainy separation and to maintain a silky texture.

Variations & substitutions

Swap chicken for mushrooms

Make this vegetarian by increasing cremini (or adding shiitake) and finishing with a splash of soy sauce or miso paste for extra umami in place of meat.

Use dry sherry or Madeira

If you don’t have Marsala, dry sherry or a splash of Madeira are excellent substitutes—reduce them the same way and taste for sweetness before adding cream.

Lower-fat cream alternative

Use half-and-half plus a teaspoon of cornstarch whisked into the broth to thicken slightly, or use Greek yogurt stirred in off-heat for a tangier, lighter finish.

Gluten-free or bean pasta

Swap in a gluten-free pasta or chickpea pasta and watch cooking times; reserve extra pasta water to help bind the sauce, as GF pastas can be thirstier.

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken broth or milk to revive the sauce and keep the chicken tender. You can freeze the sauce (no pasta) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight and recombine with freshly cooked pasta when ready to serve.

What to serve with it

Serve with a simple peppery arugula salad dressed with lemon and olive oil to cut the richness, and offer crusty bread to sop up the sauce. For wine, a medium-bodied Chardonnay or a light Pinot Noir mirrors the dish’s weight without overpowering the Marsala notes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Yes—boneless skinless thighs are more forgiving and stay juicier; slice to similar thickness and adjust searing time until they reach 165°F internal temperature.

What if I only have sweet Marsala?

Sweet Marsala will make the sauce noticeably sweeter; reduce the wine a bit longer and taste before cream, or balance with a teaspoon of lemon juice or a pinch of salt if needed.

Why did my sauce separate or look greasy?

Separation happens if the cream is boiled or if the pan is too hot when cheese is added—lower the heat, add a splash of starchy pasta water, and whisk gently to re-emulsify.

Can I make this ahead for guests?

You can prepare the sauce and sear the chicken ahead, refrigerate separately from the pasta, then rewarm the sauce and toss with freshly cooked pasta just before serving for best texture.

How do I thicken the sauce if it’s too thin?

Simmer a few minutes to reduce, stir in grated Parmesan off-heat, or whisk a small cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water) into the simmering sauce to tighten it up quickly.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

See all recipes by Jake →

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Ingredients

4 servings

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Dry pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or penne)12 oz
Kosher salt1 tbsp

Step 2: Slice and sear the chicken

Boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced into 1/2" strips1 lb
Olive oil2 tbsp

Step 3: Sauté mushrooms and garlic

Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced8 oz
Garlic, minced3 clove

Step 4: Deglaze with Marsala

Dry Marsala wine0.75 cup

Step 5: Make the sauce and finish the chicken

Low-sodium chicken broth1 cup
Heavy cream0.5 cup

Step 6: Toss with pasta and serve

Grated Parmesan cheese0.5 cup

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 4 oz breast

Calories821

Total Fat32.8g

Saturated Fat14.4g

Trans Fat0.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat7.1g

Monounsaturated Fat7.9g

Total Carbohydrates78g

Dietary Fiber3.3g

Total Sugars5.1g

Protein41g

Nutrition values are estimated from USDA ingredient data and may vary based on preparation, brands, and portion sizes. Values are provided for informational purposes only.

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