A traditional Italian-American dish, chicken marsala is made with tender chicken cutlets in a rich, flavorful sauce made of marsala wine and mushrooms. Beloved for its balance of sweet and savory flavors, its a versatile dish elegant enough to prepare for my personal chef clients for a weeknight meal or a dinner party. Its one of my favorite dishes to teach in cooking classes because its chock full of foundational culinary techniques.
To start, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are butterflied or pounded thin and seared until golden brown. The pan is then deglazed with marsala wine, a fortified wine from Sicily’s Marsala region that is used to make the dish’s famous sauce. Its distinct flavor is due in part to the brandy that is typically added to it. The sauce transforms run of the mill chicken breasts into a dish thats both comforting and refined. As fancy as it may sound, chicken marsala is surprisingly easy to make at home — if you can avoid a few common mistakes.
Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American classic – a dish with a rich history and an even richer, complex flavor. But for those who have never tried it before, the taste can be difficult to describe. What exactly does chicken Marsala taste like?
In this article we’ll break down the nuances of this iconic dish from the interplay of ingredients to the overall sensory experience. Read on for a deep dive into the flavors of Chicken Marsala and answers to frequently asked questions.
Unpacking the Flavor Profile
Chicken Marsala is all about balance: savory, sweet, and earthy. At its heart, it’s soft chicken breasts or cutlets smothered in a sauce made with mushrooms and Marsala wine. The end result is a mix of tastes that are interesting on more than one level.
Here are the key taste elements in Chicken Marsala:
-
Sweet: The chicken acts as a neutral base, letting the sauce’s flavors develop. A light dusting of flour adds a subtly savory note. Garlic and shallots reinforce the savory qualities.
-
Sweet – Marsala wine, a fortified wine from Sicily, lends fruity, caramel-like sweetness, often with hints of vanilla and almond. The sweetness pairs beautifully with the other ingredients.
-
Earthy—Really cremini or button mushrooms sautéed in butter give the dish a rich, umami-rich, earthy flavor that grounds it.
-
Rich – Butter and/or olive oil provide a luscious mouthfeel and accentuate the lushness of the sauce. A touch of cream or Parmesan can provide further richness.
-
Herbal – Traditional herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano introduce pleasant herbal notes.
The Role of Each Ingredient
To better understand the taste of Chicken Marsala, let’s look closer at how each ingredient shapes the overall flavor profile:
Chicken – The chicken itself is mild with a delicate flavor. When coated in flour, browned, and simmered in the Marsala sauce, it takes on the surrounding flavors readily. The chicken provides the canvas for the sauce to shine.
Mushrooms – Sautéed mushrooms add significant umami flavor. Mushrooms like shiitake, oyster, and reishi can give you an even stronger mushroom scent. Cremini and button mushrooms have rich, earthy notes.
Marsala Wine – Marsala is truly the star. Its fruity, subtly sweet yet nutty flavor permeates the dish. The intensity of the Marsala flavor can vary based on the type used.
Butter and Olive Oil – Butter provides a lush mouthfeel and accentuates the richness of the sauce. Olive oil can provide a similar effect with a cleaner flavor.
Garlic and Shallots – Lightly cooked garlic and shallots add layers of savory flavor without overpowering. They meld beautifully with Marsala.
Herbs – Herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage complement the Marsala, enhancing the overall flavor experience.
Parmesan Cheese – A touch of grated Parmesan can provide a nutty, salty accent and extra richness.
So you see, it’s the combination and balance of these ingredients – the chicken, mushrooms, Marsala and aromatics – that create the tasty alchemy we know as Chicken Marsala.
The Overall Experience
While we’ve focused mainly on taste, it’s worth mentioning the other sensory elements that make this dish so enjoyable:
Aroma – The heady scent of garlic, herbs and Marsala wine leaps from the pan as Chicken Marsala cooks. It’s mouthwateringly good.
Texture – You get an appealing textural contrast between the tender chicken, the chewy mushrooms, the velvety sauce and the crispy exterior if the chicken is breaded.
Appearance – Chicken Marsala has beautiful, natural colors ranging from the golden chicken to the deep mahogany hues from the Marsala-mushroom sauce.
With its harmonious blend of savory and sweet, its enticing aromas, varied textures and lovely colors, Chicken Marsala is a feast for the senses. The next time you ask “What does Chicken Marsala taste like?” – now you’ll know the rich, nuanced answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common Chicken Marsala questions:
Can I use a different wine instead of Marsala?
It’s best to use Marsala, since it provides such a distinctive sweet, nutty flavor. If needed, Sherry makes the closest substitute, but it won’t replicate that authentic Marsala taste.
Should I use sweet or dry Marsala?
Sweet Marsala is preferred, as its fruity, caramelized notes shine. Dry Marsala will yield a flatter, more savory dish.
What mushrooms work best?
Cremini and button mushrooms are ideal choices. They offer rich, earthy flavor at a budget-friendly price. Shiitake and oyster mushrooms can also be great additions.
How can I prevent dry chicken?
Pound the chicken thinly and don’t overcook it. Cook on medium-high heat for a golden exterior while maintaining a moist interior.
How do I thicken the sauce if needed?
Simmer the sauce to reduce and thicken it naturally or use a slurry of cornstarch and water to gently thicken at the end.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes, the flavors meld wonderfully when made 1-2 days ahead. Reheat gently before serving.
Is Chicken Marsala gluten-free?
It can be if you use gluten-free flour rather than regular flour for dredging. Check that all ingredients are gluten-free.
What are good side dishes?
Buttery mashed potatoes, pasta, risotto or polenta make excellent pairings. A fresh green salad balances the richness nicely.
So now you’re a Chicken Marsala expert! Understanding the nuances of how this dish tastes will help you recreate the magic of this restaurant favorite at home. Savor the savory-sweet wine sauce, the mushrooms, the total flavor experience. Your taste buds will thank you!
Using thick chicken breasts
Chicken marsala is a variation of Italian scallopini, which means thin pieces of meat, usually pork, veal or chicken. Those pieces are seasoned, dredged lightly in flour, seared and simmered with a pan sauce. The key to perfect scallopini is starting with the thinnest pieces of chicken. Thinner pieces will cook quickly and evenly. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are typically thick on one end and thinner on the other, making it difficult to cook both ends just right. Its easy to overcook the thin end while waiting for the larger side to cook completely.
Fortunately, its also easy to turn your chicken breasts into scallopini for your chicken marsala. You have the option of cutting them in half horizontally, also known as butterflying, or using a meat mallet to pound them thin. Pounding your chicken breasts is a simple trick that makes the breasts more tender and promotes even cooking. Some recipes even recommend using both techniques to ensure your breasts are thin enough. To thin out your chicken breasts, place one in a plastic, resealable bag. To make it as thin as you want, squeeze out any extra air and pound it with the flat side of a meat mallet.
Dredging your chicken scaloppini in flour is a key step in making chicken marsala. If you dont know what it means to dredge, its simply the process of lightly coating food in flour. Its the dredge that helps create a golden crust on the chicken breasts. While the chicken is being seared, it can help keep it from sticking to the pan. When the chicken is added back to the pan with the sauce, the flour will help it get thicker.
Dredging may sound a lot like breading, but theyre not the same. Dredging is actually the first step in the breading process. To bread something, you dredge it in flour, then dip it in a liquid (usually milk or eggs), and finally cover it in breadcrumbs. When you skip the dredge, you run the risk of having chicken breasts that dont have the golden brown crust and color that chicken marsala is known for. Additionally, the sauce might be less thick than it should be without the flour from the dredge to help it along.
Not searing the chicken properly
One of the reasons I love teaching beginning cooks how to make chicken marsala is because the skills you need to prepare it well, like searing, can be applied to many other recipes. Searing is a basic cooking technique that on the surface seems simple to execute. Place food in a pan and cook it until its brown, but there are a number of seemingly insignificant details involved that if ignored or not done properly can lead to less than stellar results.
Searing causes the natural sugars present in the chicken to caramelize. Also known as the Maillard reaction, the caramelization creates a rich, savory taste in the chicken. The key to this is making sure your pan is nice and hot. Without enough heat, the chicken wont brown or caramelize. You should also avoid overcrowding your pan. Adding too much food to a pan at once lowers its temperature and if food is placed too closely together it will steam instead of sear. To avoid the biggest mistake youre making when searing chicken, let it cook for several minutes without moving or flipping it once its in the pan. Moving the chicken too frequently will interrupt the searing process.
Mushrooms add a rich, umami flavor to chicken marsala in addition to a hearty texture. When it comes to the texture of the sauce the last thing you want to experience is a mystery crunch that comes along with using dirty mushrooms. Mushrooms are magnets for dirt and soil, which will end up in your final dish, making it crunchy, if theyre not cleaned properly.
To clean mushrooms, avoid submerging them in water, which might be your first instinct if yours are particularly dirty. Mushrooms absorb moisture like a sponge and if theyre wet when you add them to your pan they wont cook properly. Youll end up with steamed mushrooms, which will be too soft and mushy, instead of sautéed mushrooms that retain their texture and bite. The best way to clean mushrooms will depend on how dirty they are. For those with just a little dirt, wipe them clean with a damp paper towel. Mushrooms that are extra dirty can be rinsed clean. There are some who advise against rinsing mushrooms, but the idea that mushrooms shouldnt be rinsed under any circumstances is the biggest misconception about cleaning them. You can avoid water logging them by rinsing them quickly and patting them dry immediately before cooking them.