marsala Archives • A Sweet Pea Chef

Chicken recipes can be irresistible! If you don't believe me, try this Healthy Chicken Marsala. Made with boneless chicken breasts, mushrooms, and Marsala wine...you’ll be dreaming of this dish! You know my blog is all about making it healthy. And I am pleased to say that this lightened-up version of chicken marsala ticks all the boxes for an incredibly tasty recipe...that fits into a clean lifestyle. It's a meal that nicely compliments other healthy activities like exercise, me-time, and adequate sleep! Cuz savory, healthy food is the best and beats store-bought packaged stuff any day! This healthy chicken marsala is wonderfully simple and tasty. I recommend using Marsala wine for this recipe, though a dry red would also work. Or, if you're looking to cook this without any alcohol, you could substitute with more chicken broth. You won't get quite the same depth of flavor or sweetness from the chicken broth, but it will still be pretty darn tasty. The flavor really comes from seasoning the chicken and making sure to brown it very well. You don't want to overcook or burn it, but you do want to pay attention to making sure the outside is nice and golden-brown to get the most flavor in the chicken and the marsala sauce. Enticed? Let's make this recipe! What Is Chicken Marsala? Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American dish. It turns out super tender because the first thing you do is pound the chicken into thin cutlets. It gets a subtle sweetness from the Marsala wine, but it's still quite rich. I'm always amazed at just how flavorful the simple ingredients are and how quickly this meal comes together. Honestly, what's not to love about a flavorful, wonderfully seasoned, and well-browned chicken breast smothered in savory juices along with yellow onions and sliced mushrooms? You'll get no complaints from me on that. Nope. None. Is Chicken Marsala Healthy? Chicken Marsala is definitely healthy. For one thing, you’ll get a serving of much-needed protein when you have this dish. Protein is so essential to our health (read ALL about it here!) and it also fills you up, keeping you away from snacks that just won’t do you any favors. BTW, if you love snacking, take a look at my post on high-protein snacks – the best kind! And as you've come to expect, my Healthy Chicken Marsala recipe is clean eating with ingredients like chickpea flour and delicious cremini mushrooms. What’s In Healthy Chicken Marsala? One thing I love about this Healthy Chicken Marsala recipe is that it’s a totally decadent-tasting recipe but has relatively few ingredients needed to make it. Here's what you'll need... Boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are pounded nice and thinChickpea flour (a good-for-you flour)Sea saltPepperOregano, basil, and thymeOlive oilYellow onionCremini mushrooms (they take on the flavor of the sauce nicely!)Garlic clovesMarsala wine (Marsala is the best as it has great depth of flavor)Low sodium chicken broth What Is Marsala Wine? Marsala is a fortified wine, which means it has a higher alcohol content than non-fortified wines. This gives it a longer shelf life so that’s why chefs often keep it on hand for cooking. Some people like it as a dessert wine (it tastes lovely with chocolate). You can get Marsala in dry, semi-dry, and sweet forms. I use one cup of dry Marsala in this Healthy Chicken Marsala recipe. What Can I Use In Place Of Marsala Wine? I have used dry red wine and sweet red wine as substitutes in this recipe, but I do prefer the Marsala wine for optimal flavor. When serving to people who prefer no alcohol, I have also varied the recipe just a bit by adding more chicken broth. Of course, this completely changes the taste – but it’s still amazing! Other substitutes could be: ¼ cup of white grape juice and 1 teaspoon of brandy¼ cup of dry white wine and 1 teaspoon brandyPinot Noir red wineMadeira (a fortified wine) What Pairs Well With Healthy Chicken Marsala? Healthy Chicken Marsala is tasty enough to eat on its own but here are suggestions! White riceCauliflower riceCrock pot mashed potatoesGreen bean casseroleSpinach saladEgg noodles How Do I Store Healthy Chicken Marsala? To store this dish, I keep it in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. You can also freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow the Healthy Chicken Marsala to thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat on medium-low in a skillet on the stove. Don’t overheat or you may cook the chicken more, and you don’t want that. Healthy Chicken Entrées With this Healthy Chicken Marsala recipe, you can see how easy it is to make amazing meals with chicken. Here are more ideas: Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito BowlsInstant Pot Quinoa Chicken BowlHealthy Chicken Parmesan Meal PrepMini Freezer Chicken Pot PiesSlow Cooker Cashew ChickenCilantro Lime ChickenHealthy Oven Roasted Chicken This post contains affiliate links to products I use regularly and highly recommend. Healthy Chicken Marsala Are you looking for an irresistible chicken recipe for dinner tonight? This Healthy Chicken Marsala is it! Made with boneless chicken breasts, mushrooms, and Marsala wine, you’re going to love this dish! 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts1/2 cup chickpea flour1 tsp sea salt1 tsp ground black pepper (plus more to taste)1 tsp dried oregano1 tsp dried basil1 tsp dried thyme1/4 cup olive oil (plus more as needed)1 large yellow onion (diced)25 cremini mushrooms (sliced into thick slices)2 cloves garlic (minced)1 cup Marsala wine1 cup low sodium chicken broth Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and pound evenly using a mallet of rolling pin until approximately approximately 1/4-inch thick. Once flattened, season both sides with the sea salt and ground black pepper.In a shallow bowl, combine the chickpea flour, salt, pepper and dried herbs.Heat the oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned chickpea flour, shaking off the excess.Saute the chicken for approximately 4-6 minutes on each side until golden, turning once and repeating with other side. Remove the chicken and set aside.Add the onion to the drippings in the pan and sauté until sweating, about 5 minutes. Next, add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are nicely browned and the moisture has evaporated, about 6-8 minutes.Pour the Marsala wine in the pan and bring to a boil.Cook until the liquid has reduced, approximately 6-8 minutes. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce again.Return the chicken to the pan, cooking 2-3 more minutes while the chicken heats through. You may choose to let it simmer an additional 5 minutes to evaporate more liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Easy DinnerEasychicken marsala with sherry, easy chicken marsala, healthy chicken marsala