Why you’ll love this dairy free chicken marsala
Even though I don’t really care for mushrooms, I’ve always loved a chicken marsala with it’s rich, savory sauce and slightly-crispy dredged chicken that soaks up just enough of the sauce, but never too much.
This classic Italian dish was actually really easy to make without dairy. I know there are a lot of recipes out there with a creamy sauce, but the traditional version only relies on butter, so it was a super simple swap.
This recipe pairs really well with pasta, buttered noodles or even creamy, dairy free mashed potatoes. Basically anything that you can coat in that perfectly glossy umami-packed sauce.
More weeknight chicken recipes: chicken pomodoro / lemon garlic roasted chicken / sweet chili chicken skewers / cilantro lime chicken / coconut chicken tenders
Ingredient notes:
- Chicken cutlets – To make sure your chicken cooks evenly without drying out, you want them pounded thin so they cook quickly and evenly. Two to three chicken breasts pounded to about ¼-inch thickness will give you 4 – 6 cutlets.
- Cremini mushrooms – I like to use cremini mushrooms for this recipe because they have a deeper flavor than button mushrooms and they tend to hold up better in sauce. Sometimes they’re labeled as bella or baby bella mushrooms.
- Marsala wine – You’re going to need a dry marsala wine for this recipe. Sweet works better for desserts like tiramisu. If you can’t find marsala wine, the best alternative would be a dry sherry or madeira wine. Do not buy cooking wine at the grocery though, go to your liquor section and buy real wine that you could actually drink. It makes a huge difference.
- Dairy free butter – This was our only dairy free swap. You can use any dairy free butter brand that you like. We typically use Earth Balance butter sticks, but you could also make this with additional olive oil if you don’t have dairy free butter.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Melissa’s tips & tricks
- Pound your chicken. Don’t skip this step. This ensures that your chicken cooks evenly without drying out and it magically takes 2 oversized chicken breasts and turns them into 4 perfectly sized portions.
- Simmer the sauce. The sauce might seem thin at first, but give it time over the medium-low heat and it will thicken up and develop a little extra flavor.
my favorite cast iron
I absolutely love my cast iron skillet and use it on a regular basis for all sorts of recipes. If you don’t have one yet, don’t feel like you need a fancy or expensive one.
A basic 12-inch skillet will be a workhorse in your kitchen, and our favorite from Lodge will only run you less than $30!
More classic Italian recipes:
Dairy Free Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 2-3 large chicken breasts
- ½ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 4 tablespoons dairy free butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- ¾ cup diced yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dry marsala wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Pound each chicken breast in half width-wise and pound to about 1/2 inch in thickness. Season lightly with salt & pepper. Place flour into a shallow bowl or dish, and dip each piece into flour to fully coat both sides, shaking off any excess. Set aside.
- Sear the chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium-high and melt the dairy free butter. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for about 3 – 4 minutes per side. When the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165˚F, transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the mushrooms. Add the olive oil to the same skillet. Then, add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally until they've lost about half their volume. Then add the onion and garlic. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent – about 5 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Add the flour to the pan and stir to fully coat the mushrooms. Then, whisk or stir in the Marsala wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 – 4 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer until the chicken returns to temperature. Remove from heat and serve as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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