Article first published as Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta on Blogcritics.
Do you ever look in your pantry and have an ingredient that you tend to use for the same dish every single time? When it comes to Marsala wine, my go to dish is naturally Chicken Marsala. I've made a few different versions but this Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta is the most favorite of my husband. The creamy Marsala sauce with caramelized mushrooms and onions really make it even more comforting. It's a dish you can make during the week for family and it's even good enough for company...For this recipe, I adapted it from the original by adding caramelized onions. The natural sweetness of onions once caramelized really gave the dish a nice depth of flavor and melded well with mushrooms and wine. That was the only change and a tasty one at that! I also found that using whole wheat pasta tastes better with this dish. The nuttiness of the pasta plays off the flavors in the dish and is a great way to get your family on board if you're not particularly a fan of whole wheat pasta. Try it - it works!
Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta
recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen
10-12 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup Marsala cooking wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound dry pasta + water for cooking (I used penne, rigatoni is also good)
1 cup Parmesan cheese + more for serving
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste
minced, chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Makes: 4-6 servings
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet until foaming. Cook chicken until lightly browned. Transfer to plate when done.
Boil water and cook pasta according to the directions.
Melt additional 1 tablespoon of butter in skillet, add garlic, mushrooms and onion and cook for about 6 minutes. Add cooked chicken back into the skillet. Add the Marsala, chicken broth and cream and bring to a boil. Simmer until sauce is is slightly thickened.
Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the mushrooms and chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and cook until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce, about 1 minute, adding the reserved cooking water as needed.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with additional Parmesan cheese and a garnish of chopped parsley.
Looks gorgeous! Can't wait to try it myself, thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteMan.. that pic got me! So creamy and tasty looking! I'm going to try this soon. Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteDelicious! I love chicken marsala.
ReplyDeleteLooks really amazing! Love it! So healthy.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds SO good and your picture is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOh this looks delicious!!! saving this link!! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh yum - that looks great! I love just about anything made with Marsala wine.
ReplyDeletethis made my lunch look cold and sad. thanks a lot ;)
ReplyDeleteNot trying to be mean, and this does look delicious, but 6 minutes in a frying pan does not lead to caramelize onions unless you're heat is so high you're essentially burning them. Also, this looks like penne, not rigatoni ...
ReplyDeleteOther than that, I think this sounds great. I'd love to see a baked version with some cream and maybe a good melting cheese. With REAL caramelized onions and mushrooms, this would be fantastic.
They said the used penne but rigatoni is also ok.
DeleteAlso depends on how thin your onion is cut. Every recipe can be tweeked by the person cooking it...
DeleteGosh this looks so good! Who can argue with the classic pasta + chicken meal? Not I :) I added your recipe to my inspiration file so I can remember to try it ASAP: http://www.eatandwrite.com/2011/04/22/inspiration-notebook-recipes-to-try/
ReplyDeleteThanks Meredith! I've updated the cooking time for the caramelized onions & pasta (which differed from the original 6 minutes and rigatoni pasta the recipe stated).
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of Marsala wine do you use?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I used a sweet Marsala in this recipe however, any sweet or dry Marsala wine will work just fine. A sweet one will add just a subtle touch of sweetness whereas the dry will not.
ReplyDeleteHi Joelen
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it's my computer or your, but the printer friendly button is printing out just the instructions but not the ingredient's list. Could you check on this. Thank You.
Hi Jackie - the ingredient list is printing, but in paragraph form. I've updated it so it should print as a list now.
ReplyDeleteI made this the other day & it is now a new fav of mine! :) Thanks for posting it! :) I have a question though. The orginal recipe calls for 5 tbsp butter, but the recipe only uses 2 TBSP, where does the other 3 go? I left them out & it tasted great!
ReplyDeleteAwesome recipe! I cooked last night for my parents and they both got seconds :) If there is one thing I would change, it would be the amount of pasta. 1 pound was way too much and the pasta to mushrooms/chicken ratio was off. For three people, I would have 2/3 or even 1/2 pound of pasta. But despite that, it still tasted great! :)
ReplyDeleteyou did not include the cream in the recipe. i looked it up on another website and it had cream i was wondering why it was not 'creamy'... :(
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I'm not sure why yours didn't come out creamy, as mine did without the addition of cream. The butter, stock and cheese was enough to give it a nice creamy texture... Although the addition of cream would definitely make it creamier.
ReplyDeleteI love marsala! This looks fantastic! It would be really good in winter I bet!
ReplyDeleteHow many people does this recipe serve? Looks good!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI've made this a few times now, and it's fantastic! However, mine never seems to come out creamy either. Regardless, it's still delicious!
ReplyDeleteI found that there wasn't enough sauce for the recipe. I doubled the marsala wine, chicken broth and parmasean cheese which made it perfect. Very delicious!
ReplyDeleteThis didn't turn out very good for me. The cheese just turned into a glob so I guess maybe you should use the cheap grated Parmesan instead of fresh, and the flavor of the sauce was just missing something. next time i try making this I will be omitting the Parmesan in the sauce, and adding cream and some prosciutto
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I'm sorry that it didn't turn out for you. Your suggestions for omitting the parmesan and adding cream & proscuitto sounds wonderful though! I may have to try that next time as well...
ReplyDeleteI made this tonight, When I added the marsala wine and the chicken broth it took forever to simmer down and it was still very liquid like...not very creamy. In the picture, the texture on the pasta looks more like a sauce and mine turned out very runny, even after adding the cheese, which made it very clumpy. It tasted very good though, just wish it could have been thicker in consistency.
ReplyDeleteHow many servings does this make? Looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteFor future blog visitors & chefs:
ReplyDeleteThe picture in this blog post is from blogcritic.org, and therefore doesn't accurately represent the recipe as it is adapted (doesn't include any cream - a vital ingredient in creamy marsala sauce).
Use this recipe instead:
http://blogcritics.org/tastes/article/creamy-chicken-marsala-pasta/ You'll love it.
Thanks Anonymous! I wrote the recipe on Blogcritic that you referenced and it's the same exact recipe LOL! If you look closely at both recipes, they both include 1/2 cup heavy cream. As for the picture, it is also mine and is used here on my site AND Blogcritic. You can find my picture also on my Flickr account here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/ :)
ReplyDeleteJolen, I tried the recipe, followed it to a T -- first of all, where does the 5 tbsp of butter come in. you only use 2 in the recipe. also, mine did not "cream" up. It's basically noodles in a soupy sauce, not creamy sauce. it's an okay recipe. the picture surely is misleading.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anonymous for trying the recipe and I'm not sure what happened. I added the additional butter to the pasta after it was cooked to prevent sticking so I've now made note of that in the recipe - thank you for bringing that to my attention. As for the picture, that's exactly how my dish came out... Sorry again that it didn't turn out for you.
ReplyDeleteI made this last night for a group of friends and it was awesome! Some changes I made were coating the chicken with flour before browning and letting the sauce boil for about ten minutes. I added a few sprinkles of flour to the sauce to thicken it up! Turned out great!! I used whole wheat pasta and really liked the flavor!
ReplyDeleteI found this recipe on Pintrest and have made it twice for my family...absolutly delicious!!!
ReplyDeleteI made this tonight. I love marsala wine. I am always looking for different ways to use up a bottle once I get it opened. Great dish!!!
ReplyDeletewow! this was amazing! when i saw the recipe i knew i had to make it. luckily i had an overabundance of mushrooms in my fridge so i knew tonight was the night to make this dish and it was sooooooo good. my hubby and i loved it!
ReplyDeleteoh hubby was just asking me to use chicken in marsla sause ding sing this will work thanks
ReplyDeleteHow many does this recipe serve?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I've updated to reflect that it feed 4-6 servings. Thanks for asking!
ReplyDeleteI made this tonight (for me and my single girlfriends for Valentines Day!) and it was delicious! I had a hard time getting the sauce to thicken though. After I made it, I put it in a 9x13 and baked it at 350 for 15 minutes. Helped the sauce thicken a little and gave it a nice baked taste. My friends loved it and I will make it again! thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis turned out really good! I added flour to the sauce, to thicken it up and I added a little extra heavy cream so it was creamier.
ReplyDeleteIf your cheese gets clumpy, heat up some cream on the stove top. Add your cheese until it is smooth. I was thinking of just adding the stock and wine with the chicken and use a separate pan to heat up the cream and add the cheese.
ReplyDeleteI had the same issue as some others with the sauce not thickening up for me. I think next time I will add a half to one T of flour to the cooked onion/mushrooms before adding the liquids and then cook it down. When I made it as written and let it simmer for at least five minutes, it was still really runny (even after addition of the 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese). By the way, why does the recipe call for 1 cup plus more for serving when it only allows for use of 1/2 cup in the recipe itself? I used 1/2 cup in the sauce and sprinkled the rest on the top.
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight and it was good. It made A LOT, enough to serve at least 8 people. I've put half in the freezer. Next time I'm going to use only 12 ounces of pasta so it's a bit more saucy. My kids want the chicken cut into strips instead of chunks, and we're going to add strips of sundried tomatoes. Will also probably leave out the chicken broth and just up the wine and cream. Keep tasting and seasoning with S&P as you go.
ReplyDeleteThis was DELICIOUS!!! Thanks for the recipe!! I pinned it too and lots of pple have re-pinned it...now I'm going to tell them how delicious it was.
ReplyDeleteI like this recipe but I doubled the sauce (cream, marsala, broth) since it wasn't quite enough and added a little corn starch to thicken it (the cream wouldn't thicken for me) and I didn't add the Parmesan till I took everything off the heat that way it didn't clump.
ReplyDeleteI've found a few of your recipes on foodgawker, and this one is my favorite! You rock! :)
ReplyDeleteI make this for my fiance AT Least once a week!! This is the best recipe!!
ReplyDeleteI just made this omg thank you for sharing! Freakin delicious!
ReplyDeletePs - the cheese thickens it up ladies!
ReplyDeletefor people saying that the sauce is runny, they are not leaving it alone long enough. As for the cheese, after you've drained the pasta and put it back on the pot, try the 3tbsp butter plus the parmesan for just the pasta and mix. (i wonder if it would taste just as good w.o the fattening extra 3 tbsp butter...) when the sauce is done reducing i mixed it together and it was AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteI have to do my grocery shopping tomorrow so I plan to pick up the ingredients I need and make it over the weekend. I'm sure my family will go nuts over this!!
ReplyDeleteSo this is how it works at my house. Around lunch time I check my email and like clock-work I get a link to a recipe. So this is what I am making tonight. I'm Italian and not a fan of cooking chicken Marsala because it takes the perfect balance of wine or it get salty. Looks good. Hope I can pull it off or she will be sending me a link to the pizza place for tomorrows dinner.
ReplyDeleteThis was so fabulous! My whole family loved it! Definitely a keeper! I will be making it again! The only thing I did was to add just a little bit of cornstarch to thicken it , otherwise I followed the recipe exactly! YUMMO!!!!! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI just made this today....awesome flavor. I doubled everything except for the noodles (we love lots of mushrooms and chicken in our meals). I added some flour to thicken the sauce, but other than that, it was a terrific recipe! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe is fantastic! I didn't change a thing. The sauce thickened just fine when I took it off the heat, so I don't think adding extra cream or flour is necessary. Goes delicious with pinot noir. Thank you so much for this recipe!
ReplyDeleteHow does one caramelize onion in 6 minutes? I'm guessing this recipe actually calls for sauteed onion. Other than that, it sounds good.
ReplyDeleteHi! I just made this after seeing it on Pinterest. Taste great but I think next time I will attempt to make it a little saucier. Thanks for the inspiration!!!
ReplyDeleteI was not happy with this recipe. It was not a thick sauce at all like the picture and it was more of a white sauce than a carmelized sauce. I would not make this again. I ended up trying to salvage mine and baked it for about a half hour. Not good at all.
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight and it was awesome! I used meat off of a rotisserie chicken to save time but still warmed it up in a bit of butter. Sauteed the veggies for about 20 min., added the liquids and chicken, then about 1/2 the cheese. Cooked it down for about another 15 minutes. Took a couple of tbsp. of sauce out, added a bit of flour to it and stirred back into main sauce. It thickened right up. Added about half the amount of pasta (mini penne) called for. I didn't think my husband was going to quit eating it.
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious, can't wait to try it.
ReplyDeleteJust made this tonight, my family loved it! I let my sauce simmer on the stove for at least 30 minutes and added a touch of cornstarch- it was the perfect constistancy and with the four of us, we had plenty left over. I highly recommend this recipe!
ReplyDeleteWhen cooking this with Marsala does the pan fire up as it does sometimes with wine and Marsala chicken???
ReplyDeleteDidn't look as creamy as the picture, but still delicious!! We added some red pepper and broccoli as well. Yum!
ReplyDeleteI love this recipe! I've made it several times, but never with Marsala. Moscato and other white wines, and tonight a red wine, Shiraz.
ReplyDeleteI cant wait to try this! I find it funny all these people that complained about the recipe. The one above clearly statesthe 5tbsp of butter in 3 different places. The cream is added with the Marsala and broth and you stated that you used penne and rigatoni could ALSO be used. I think it looks great and will be a nice alternative to the regular Marsala I make often!
ReplyDeleteThis looks awesome. I have a question though, is the Marsala cooking wine the stuff in the grocery store ( Holland House), or is it actual wine,
ReplyDeleteThis has become a family favorite. I started making it almost a year ago. Granted I tweak the recipe a bit like adding more mushrooms and marsala wine. I've also been cooking for more than 20 years and almost never follow a recipe to a T. I usually switch it up a little by adding extra something or omitting something my family doesn't like. Great recipe!
ReplyDeleteLOVED this!!! I have so much leftover...Do you know if these freezes well? Thanks!! :)
ReplyDeleteThis turned out perfect using the ingredients and directions that the author gave, no need for thickener in the sauce, just patience. It was very flavorful and I will make it again.
ReplyDeleteI have made this recipe dozens of times and given it to countless friends asking for the recipe. I don't know why but I never thought to comment until now! Just wanted to say this recipe is fantastic and thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteCan we make this cream chicken recipe without adding the marsala wine.
ReplyDeleteI just tried this yummy recipe from your blog and it has come out really yummy!! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is my first creamy chicken and I am quite happy with the outcome...
Thanks for sharing this easy recipe :)