Chicken Marsala with Creamy Polenta
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
Elevate your dinner with this restaurant-quality Chicken Marsala. Paired with creamy, parmesan-infused polenta and a deep, umami-rich mushroom sauce.
The sauce is the whole plot. Marsala wine, deep dried mushrooms, and a touch of gelatin reduce into a glossy sauce that clings to every piece of chicken — poured over buttery polenta, it's a restaurant move you can pull off on a Tuesday.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 4 chicken breasts (6-8 oz each)
- 🫗 Flour (for dredging)
- 🫗 650g Marsala wine + extra for deglazing
- 🫗 350g chicken stock + extra
- 🫗 2 packets (15g) powdered gelatin
- 🫗 30g dried mushrooms (shiitake or porcini)
- 🫗 500g baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
- 🫗 100g thick-cut pancetta or bacon, diced
- 🫗 100g onion or shallot, small diced
- 🫗 15g garlic (2-3 cloves), minced
- 🫗 15g tomato paste | 1g dried oregano | 20g Worcestershire
- 🫗 50g cold unsalted butter | Chopped parsley
- 🫗 300g polenta | 1000–1200g chicken stock
- 🫗 7g salt | 125g butter | 100g Parmesan, grated
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
**Sauce Base:** Steep dried mushrooms in hot stock. Strain and reserve liquid. Bloom gelatin in a splash of stock. Simmer wine, mushroom stock, and gelatin until reduced and concentrated.
**Polenta:** Bring chicken stock to a boil, whisk in polenta and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until tender. Finish by stirring in butter and Parmesan.
**Chicken:** Dredge chicken in flour. In a large pan, render the pancetta until crispy; remove. Brown chicken in the rendered fat; remove.
**Sauté:** Sauté portabella mushrooms in the same pan until browned. Add onion, garlic, tomato paste, and oregano.
**Combine:** Deglaze with a splash of Marsala. Add the prepared sauce base and Worcestershire. Return chicken to the pan and simmer until cooked through.
**Finish:** Stir cold butter into the sauce off the heat to create a glossy emulsion. Serve chicken over polenta, topped with sauce, crispy pancetta, and parsley.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Chicken Marsala with Creamy Polenta
Video credit: embedded from YouTube. All rights belong to the original creator, who allows sharing on other websites.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Sauce too thin: If the sauce doesn't coat the back of a spoon, keep simmering it. The reduction is key to the flavor intensity.
- ✕
Lumpy Polenta: Whisk the polenta into the liquid vigorously to ensure no dry pockets of cornmeal form.
🔄 Variations
Mushroom Mix: If you can't find shiitake/porcini, any mix of high-quality dried wild mushrooms will provide the necessary umami punch.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
Store chicken and polenta separately. The sauce thickens significantly in the fridge; add a splash of stock when reheating to restore the consistency.
💡 Chef Tips
The Gelatin Hack: Using powdered gelatin in the sauce provides a luxurious "mouthfeel" and body that is usually only achievable by reducing bones for hours.
Drying the Mushrooms: Ensure the portabellas are well-browned before adding liquids; this is where the primary flavor of the dish develops.
❓ FAQ
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes! Thighs are more forgiving and often stay juicier, though they will require a slightly longer cook time.
Is "cooking wine" okay for Marsala?
Avoid bottles labeled "cooking wine" as they are often very salty and low quality. Use a drinkable sweet Marsala wine for the best result.
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About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →