What is Chicken Marsala?

Chicken Marsala is a simple dish of boneless chicken that's been pounded thin, breaded, and sautéed, served with a Marsala-wine sauce. It's a classic of Italian-American cuisine that was incredibly popular in the U.S. A lot of the flavor comes from Marsala, which is a dry fortified wine similar to sherry, made in Sicily.

The key to any good cooking is using good ingredients. As such, we recommend skipping the cheap cooking wines labeled "Marsala" that you're likely to find near the vinegar section of a grocery store and heading to a wine shop instead to pick up an affordable bottle. 

Is marsala wine alcoholic? Can you drink marsala wine?

Marsala wine is what's called a fortified wine—meaning that it's typically slightly higher in alcohol than your typical wine. Whereas wine is generally 11-14% alcohol, Marsala is closer to 18-20%. 

As long as you're not using cooking wine, from the baking-aisle of a grocery store, you can (and should!) drink some of the Marsala, possibly along with this recipe! 

If you don't have a special fortified wine glass you can just pour about 3 ounces (twice a typical shot) into your nicest small glass, and sip it as an aperitif or a digestif, much like port or sherry. 

The wine will keep 4-6 months after you open it, and a small glass tastes great with the meal, as an after-dinner sipper on its own.

Directions

1. Step 1Place flour in a shallow bowl. Use a meat tenderizer or the bottom of a sturdy cup to pound chicken to about 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, turning to coat all sides. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in batches, turning once, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent to keep warm. Reserve skillet.
2. Step 2Pour off oil from skillet. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add mushroom and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine, stock, cream, and thyme. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 14 to 16 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return chicken to pan and toss to coat. Serve immediately garnished with  thyme.