Chicken "Marsala" with Mushrooms
Golden chicken cutlets in a glossy, savory mushroom and wine pan sauce finished with butter and thyme — the Italian-American classic, made with dry white wine instead of sweet Marsala.
Nutrition per serving
1 cutlet with mushrooms and sauce- Net carbs
- 5.2g
- Calories
- 416kcal
- Protein
- 42g
- Fat
- 22g
- Total carbs
- 6.9 g
- Fiber
- 1.7 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Creamy mushroom marsala: A splash of heavy cream turns the pan sauce into a rich, velvety mushroom cream — great spooned over cauliflower mash.
- Once the broth has reduced, stir in the cream and simmer 2–3 minutes, until it coats a spoon, then finish with the cold butter as written.
Pork marsala: Tender pork tenderloin medallions in the same mushroom-wine sauce. They cook faster than chicken and stay juicy.
- Dust and sear the medallions 2–3 minutes per side, until browned and 145°F (63°C) in the center. Rest them 3 minutes while you make the sauce; a blush of pink is safe and keeps them juicy.
Dairy-free: Olive oil replaces the butter for browning the mushrooms and finishing the sauce. Lighter and a little sharper, but still glossy.
- Brown the mushrooms in 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Simmer the sauce an extra minute for body, then whisk in the last 2 tbsp oil off the heat.
- Chicken
- Mushroom wine sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
- Chicken
- Mushroom wine sauce
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Chicken
- Mushroom wine sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
- Chicken
- Mushroom wine sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $13.76 for 4 servings ($3.44 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Place the cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to an even ½ inch (1.25 cm). Season with ½ tsp salt and the pepper, then dust both sides lightly with the almond flour and pat off the excess.
-
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook 2 cutlets 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil and repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.
-
Add 1 tbsp butter, the mushrooms and the remaining salt to the pan. Spread them out and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring only now and then, until their liquid has evaporated and they are deeply browned.
-
Lower the heat to medium, add the shallot and garlic and cook 1–2 minutes, until soft and fragrant.
-
Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer 2–3 minutes, until reduced by about half.
-
Add the broth and thyme and simmer 4–5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by about a third and lightly coats a spoon.
-
Take the pan off the heat and swirl in the 2 tbsp cold butter a piece at a time, until glossy. Return the chicken and its juices, spoon the mushrooms and sauce over and warm 1 minute over low heat. Scatter with parsley and serve with cauliflower mash or zoodles.
Tips for success
-
For true Marsala flavor, use dry (secco) Marsala instead of the white wine. It carries a little residual sugar and adds roughly 1–2 g net carbs per serving; skip sweet (dolce) Marsala, which adds far more. - Mushrooms need room to brown. If your skillet is small, cook them in two batches — piled up, they steam and turn gray instead of golden.
- Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms have more flavor than white buttons; a handful of sliced shiitakes makes the sauce even deeper.
Nice to have, not needed
- A meat mallet makes even cutlets — a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan works too.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 2 months
Reheat: Rewarm in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth, or microwave at 50% power, stirring the sauce halfway.
Prep tip: If the thawed sauce looks separated, whisk in a spoonful of hot broth and it comes back together.
Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months. Rewarm gently in a covered skillet with a splash of broth; boiling can split the butter sauce.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosCreamy mushroom marsala
FlavorA splash of heavy cream turns the pan sauce into a rich, velvety mushroom cream — great spooned over cauliflower mash.
- + ½ cup heavy cream
6 g net · 517 kcal · 43 g protein · 33 g fat · ≈$3.72 per serving (+0.8 g net carbs vs the original)
Pork marsala
ProteinTender pork tenderloin medallions in the same mushroom-wine sauce. They cook faster than chicken and stay juicy.
- boneless skinless chicken breasts → pork tenderloin
5.2 g net · 416 kcal · 39 g protein · 24 g fat · ≈$3.56 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
Dairy-free
DietOlive oil replaces the butter for browning the mushrooms and finishing the sauce. Lighter and a little sharper, but still glossy.
- butter → extra-virgin olive oil
5.2 g net · 429 kcal · 42 g protein · 24 g fat · ≈$3.54 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
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