Chicken Marsala Recipe (Olive Garden Copycat)
This Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Marsala recipe is an easy way to make a restaurant favorite at home! Featuring tender chicken breasts, mushrooms, and Marsala wine, this dish is sure to be a hit with the family. Serve it over pasta or mashed potatoes for a comforting dinner that’s sure to please everyone.
Make this classic Olive Garden entrée in just 45 minutes and enjoy the same delicious flavors you’d get from your favorite Italian restaurant. And, since it’s on the table so quickly you can make this comforting meal for busy weeknights.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to make – ready in just 45 minutes!
- Delicious Italian flavors, like Marsala wine and mushrooms.
- A comforting dish that everyone will love so it’s perfect for busy weeknight dinners or special occasions.
So, if you’re looking for a restaurant-quality chicken dinner that you can make at home, this Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Marsala is sure to fit the bill! Enjoy the same delicious flavors while saving time and money. Give it a try today!
Ingredients Needed
You only need simple ingredients that are all easy to find at your local grocery store. So, you don’t have to worry about running to multiple stores or spending a fortune on expensive ingredients. Here are the items that might not be stocked in your pantry or refrigerator.
- chicken tenders – if your grocery store doesn’t carry chicken tenders, you can use chicken strips by slicing boneless chicken breasts into 1/2-inch slices.
- minced garlic
- fresh spinach – I don’t recommend using frozen spinach for this dish.
- sliced button or cremini mushrooms
- Marsala wine – this adds a unique flavor to this dish. The alcohol will burn off when cooking.
- chicken bouillon (I used Better Than Bouillon – roasted chicken flavor)
- Fettucine pasta – for an extra spectacular meal make homemade pasta.
- heavy cream
- Panko or breadcrumbs
How to Make Chicken Marsala
Making this main course is so simple. Just follow the step-by-step instructions and you will have a tasty meal that your entire family will love in no time at all. Did you know that you can whip this up at home just as fast as you can go to the restaurant and order it?
Step 1: Cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is ready, drain all but ¾ cup of the pasta water and set aside separately from the pasta.
Step 2: Dredge chicken pieces.
Season chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper and whisk eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the chicken tenders in flour, then dip them in the egg and dredge in the Panko (or breadcrumbs). Then set aside.
Step 3: Cook the chicken.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of the chicken to the skillet and fry until golden brown about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a plate until needed. You will need to fry the chicken in 3 additions adding another 2 tablespoons to the skillet with each addition of chicken.
Step 4: Saute the mushrooms and garlic.
Keep the drippings from the chicken in the skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the minced garlic and sliced mushrooms and fry on medium-high heat until mushrooms are golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and set aside.
Step 5: Make the sauce.
Add the marsala to the skillet and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes (to burn off the alcohol). Whisk in the heavy cream, reserved pasta water, and chicken bouillon. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened.
Step 6: Add the pasta, vegetables, and chicken.
Add the pasta, mushrooms, and spinach to the sauce and stir until just combined. Place the chicken tenders on top of the pasta and let simmer for 5 minutes until heated through.
Step 7: Garnish and serve.
Transfer pasta to a large serving platter, spooning the chicken with any remaining marsala sauce over top. Then garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Substitutions and Additions
Here are a few ways that you can personalize this recipe.
- Out of chicken bouillon? You can also use chicken broth or chicken stock to make your creamy sauce.
- Instead of chicken tenderloins, you can also use boneless chicken breast halves or even boneless skinless chicken thighs, however, you will need to adjust the cooking time depending on the protein that you use.
- Watching your carbs? Serve this delicious dish over a bed of zucchini noodles and dread your chicken in almond flour and crushed pork rinds instead of bread crumbs.
- For an extra touch of creaminess, you can add a small dollop of sour cream to your creamy marsala wine sauce.
- Add a little heat to your sauce by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Not a fan of fresh mushrooms? Feel free to leave them out. Or add in extra mushrooms if you love them.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. Just make sure they are well-sealed and completely cooled before you add them to the freezer.
Serve With
This delicious dish pairs perfectly with a side of Roasted Green Beans, Cheesy Cheddar Pull Apart Bread, or even a simple green salad. Enjoy!
Sandra’s Pro Tips
Here are a few tips that you can use to ensure this chicken dish turns out perfectly for you.
- If you decide to use chicken breasts instead of tenders, pound them with a meat mallet until they are thin and the same thickness so that they cook quickly.
- Once you add the wine and chicken broth to your skillet, use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape all the crispy bits from the bottom of the pan. This will add a rich flavor to the savory sauce.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees f in the thickest part.
- Try adding different herbs and spices to the creamy marsala wine sauce for an extra flavor punch. Rosemary, thyme, and basil would all work well.
FAQs
Do you have questions about this delicious recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
If you don’t have Marsala wine available, you can substitute it with dry sherry or Madeira. You could also use white wine instead and increase the flavor by adding a teaspoon of sugar when you add the wine to the pan.
Yes, this dish can be made up to two days ahead of time. Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to reheat and serve. Reheat on low heat until completely warmed through before serving.
The best way to reheat chicken marsala is on low heat in a skillet. You can also use the microwave, but the skillet method will give you the best results. You may want to add even amounts of chicken broth to heavy cream to rehydrate the pasta that will have absorbed much of the original Marsala cream sauce.
More Delicious Copycat Recipes You May Enjoy:
Chicken Marsala Recipe (Olive Garden Copycat)
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Large Skillet
- tongs
- Serving platter
Ingredients
- ½ cup 1 stick butter, divided
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms or sliced button mushrooms
- 1 ½ cups Marsala wine
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon I used Better Than Bouillon – roasted chicken flavor
- 12 ounce Fettuccine pasta prepackaged or homemade pasta
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 8 ounces Panko or breadcrumbs
- 3 Eggs large
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is ready, drain all but ¾ cup of the pasta water and set aside separately from the pasta.
- Season chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper and whisk eggs in a separate small bowl.
- Lightly dredge the chicken tenders in flour, then dip in the egg and dredge in the Panko (or breadcrumbs). Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 1/3 of the chicken to the skillet (don't crowd the chicken) and fry until golden brown about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate until needed. You will need to repeat frying the chicken an additional 3 times adding another 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet with each addition of chicken.
- Keep the drippings from the chicken in the skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Add the minced garlic and sliced mushrooms and fry on a medium-high heat until mushrooms are golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the marsala to the skillet and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes (to burn off the alcohol). Whisk in the heavy cream, reserved pasta water, and chicken bouillon. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Add the pasta, mushrooms, and spinach to the sauce and stir until just combined.
- Place the chicken tenders on top of the pasta and let simmer for 5 minutes until heated through.
- Transfer pasta to a large serving platter, spooning the chicken with any remaining marsala sauce over top. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
Sandra, your Chicken Marsala recipe is a game-changer! 😍 Your step-by-step guide makes it seem like a breeze, and I can almost taste those delicious Italian flavors already. Thanks for the helpful tips – gonna try adding some herbs for that extra flavor punch! Can’t wait to impress my family with this Olive Garden copycat dish.