Chicken Marsala (Lightened)

Name: Chicken Marsala (Lightened)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 0.5 cup all-purpose flour; 2 lb cremini mushrooms; 2 medium shallots; 4 cloves garlic cloves; 1.25 cups dry marsala wine; 1.5 cups chicken broth; 1 tbsp fresh thyme; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 4 tbsp olive oil; 12 oz whole wheat egg noodles; 0.25 cup fresh parsley; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper

Braised chicken thighs and mushrooms in a marsala wine pan sauce

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: medium

Chicken thighs sear until golden, then braise directly in a mountain of browned mushrooms and marsala wine sauce until fall-tender, finished glossy with a swirl of butter.

Why crews like it: Real restaurant Italian-American comfort food—nothing else on the menu tastes like a marsala pan sauce. Braising thighs instead of quick-searing thin cutlets means it's far more forgiving and holds beautifully through a call.

661Cal

50gProtein

43gCarbs

31gFat

Ingredients

3.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
0.5 cup all-purpose flour
2 lb cremini mushrooms
2 medium shallots
4 cloves garlic cloves
1.25 cups dry marsala wine
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp olive oil
12 oz whole wheat egg noodles
0.25 cup fresh parsley
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Dredge and sear the chicken: Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess. Sear in 2 tbsp oil over medium-high 3–4 minutes per side until golden—thighs are forgiving here, a little extra time in the pan won't dry them out. Remove to a plate; they'll finish cooking in the braise.
Cook the noodles: Boil egg noodles in salted water per package directions until al dente. Drain and toss with a drizzle of oil so they don't clump while the sauce finishes.
Brown the mushrooms: Add remaining oil to the same skillet. Cook mushrooms in a single layer, undisturbed 3–4 minutes, then stir and cook 4–5 more minutes until deeply browned and any liquid has evaporated.
Build the marsala sauce: Add shallots and garlic, cook 1 minute. Off heat, pour in marsala wine, then return to heat and simmer 3–4 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add broth and thyme, simmer 6–8 minutes until slightly reduced.
Braise the chicken: Return chicken thighs to the pan, nestle into the sauce, cover, and simmer 20–25 minutes until fall-tender and 165°F at the center. Swirl in butter off heat until glossy. Serve over noodles topped with parsley.

Tonight's spread

Steamed green beans.
Simple side salad with vinaigrette.

Hall tips

Cremini mushrooms give deeper flavor than white button, but either works.
Cook marsala down fully before adding broth—undercooked wine tastes harsh and boozy.
Steamed green beans on the side round this out without adding many carbs.

Meal prep

Braise ahead of time if needed—marsala chicken reheats just as well as a stew, unlike a quick pan-seared cutlet. Station: Don't crowd the mushrooms—they need room in the pan to brown instead of steam. Station: Deglaze with marsala off the heat first to avoid a flare-up, then return to the burner. Station: This braises like a stew—if a call interrupts during the simmer, cover and hold on low; it only gets better.

Leftovers

Reheats gently on the stove with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce—holds up far better than a seared cutlet would.
Slice cold leftover chicken over a salad for a fast next-day lunch.

Large skillet
Large pot for noodles