This Crock Pot Chicken Marsala recipe is a creamy, delicious, mushroom studded chicken dinner! You’ll be amazed by how easy it is to make a restaurant-quality meal right at home with this simple recipe. Put your slow cooker to work with this flavorful chicken marsala.
HOMEMADE CROCK POT CHICKEN MARSALA
I always thought Chicken Marsala was a fancy Italian recipe you could only enjoy at restaurants. But guess what? It’s actually super simple to prepare at home, especially if you let your slow cooker do most of the work. When you use a crock pot, you don’t even have to pound the chicken breasts down to a 1/4 inch thickness as you would traditionally do. The method used in this recipe also means you don’t have to stand at the stove flipping chicken breasts – score!
I love making this Chicken Marsala recipe on busy weeknights, but it’s also perfect for a fancy date night or Sunday supper. When you really want to wow everyone at the table but aren’t feeling like putting too much effort in, this is the recipe to make.
What is Chicken Marsala?
Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American dish of tender chicken breasts in creamy Marsala wine sauce loaded with mushrooms. It’s a variation of the traditional Italian scaloppina, which are meat with very thinly sliced meat dredged in flour and then sautéed and cooked in a sauce reduction.
Chicken Marsala probably comes from western Sicily, where Marsala wine is made. Here you have golden, lightly pan fried chicken breasts topped with mushrooms and smothered in a thick Marsala wine reduction that has a nice amount of garlic for additional flavor. It’s so good!
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT CHICKEN MARSALA
This recipe only takes about 10 minutes to prep and packs a ton of flavor.
- We start with browning chicken breasts in a skillet; they’ll need about 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer browned chicken breasts to a 6-quart slow cooker.
NOTE: If you don’t have time to brown the chicken breasts, you don’t have to – it helps with the overall flavor, but you can definitely do without it.
- Add garlic and sliced mushrooms over the chicken breasts.
- Deglaze the skillet with Marsala Wine and pour it over the chicken breasts and mushrooms.
Also, please note to use DRY Marsala Wine. Sweet Marsala Wine is for desserts. If wine is not your thing, you can use chicken broth, instead. - Cover with a lid and set your slow cooker on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or until chicken is cooked through. You can also cook it on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
- Remove chicken breasts from the slow cooker and set aside on a plate.
- Whisk water and cornstarch together, then add to the sauce inside the slow cooker. Whisk in heavy cream and return chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
- Cover with a lid and continue to cook on HIGH for 20 more minutes, or until sauce thickens.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Tips for the Best Chicken Marsala
This recipe is incredibly easy to make, but there are a few things you can do to make can make the absolute best chicken marsala from scratch!
- Brown the chicken: You can definitely skip this first step in the recipe, but I like the additional flavor and texture that this simple step adds to the finished meal.
- Check for doneness: Use an Instant Read Thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is cooked through when internal temperature reaches 165˚F.
- Don’t rush: Making chicken marsala in the crock pot adds a depth of flavor that really only comes from cooking food low and slow. Don’t miss out on that benefit!
What Kind of Marsala To Use & Substitution Options
- Marsala wine is a fortified wine from Sicily that can be sweet or dry. For savory recipes like Chicken Marsala, you definitely want to use a dry Marsala wine. If you can’t find some, you can also use a darker Sherry, a dry white wine, a dry Madeira or Port. Keep in mind that using anything other than dry Marsala wine will alter the overall classic flavor.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN MARSALA
Now that you have a creamy, incredible chicken marsala ready to go the question is, what do you serve with it? I like Chicken Marsala on its own – keeps the calories and carbs to a minimum. 😊 BUT, if you like, you can serve it over pasta, egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice. I think it would also go great with Cauliflower Rice or a Creamy Mashed Cauliflower.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER CHICKEN MARSALA
- Store Chicken Marsala leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Can You Freeze Chicken Marsala?
- Yes, you can freeze Chicken Marsala. Place chicken and sauce in a large ziploc bag, seal it well, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, thaw the chicken in the refrigerator, overnight. Preheat oven to 350˚F and heat chicken marsala until warmed through.
ENJOY!
TOOLS USED IN THIS RECIPE
Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 6 (1.5 pounds, total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry marsala wine
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray and set aside.
- Season chicken breasts all around with garlic powder, dried basil, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add prepared chicken breasts to the hot oil and cook for 3 minutes per side, or until just browned.
- Transfer chicken to slow cooker and top with mushrooms and garlic.
- Return skillet over medium-high heat and add the marsala wine; cook for 1 minute, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Pour wine over chicken and mushrooms.
- Close with a lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 165˚F.
- Remove chicken breasts from slow cooker and set aside on a plate.
- Combine water and cornstarch in a mug or a small mixing bowl and whisk until incorporated; then, whisk the slurry into the wine sauce.
- Add heavy cream to the wine sauce and whisk until combined.
- Return chicken to the slow cooker; cover with a lid and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.
- Transfer chicken from slow cooker to plates; top with mushroom sauce and garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve.
Notes
- If you don’t have time to brown the chicken breasts, you don’t have to, but it does help with the overall flavor.
- Try to use DRY Marsala Wine. Sweet Marsala Wine is for desserts. If you don't want to use wine, you can use low sodium chicken broth, instead. I would also recommend chicken broth for those that are watching their calories, carbs, and/or are on a Keto diet.
- If you don't have Marsala Wine, you can use Sherry, Madeira, Dry White Wine, or Port. Please keep in mind that using anything other than Dry Marsala Wine will alter the overall classic flavor.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Want To Save This Recipe?
MORE ITALIAN CHICKEN RECIPES
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Breasts
- Creamy Lemon Chicken with Asparagus
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken Breasts
30 Min
Freezer Friendly
One Pot
Low Carb
Instant Pot
Keto
Beef
Chicken was moist but the flavor was bland. Don’t think I’ll make it again.
Add a little more salt and see if that takes care of the bland flavor.
Hi, this looks amazing and would like to make it for Sunday dinner but only have raw tenders. Do you think it would be ok? If so how long to you think I should cut the cooking time by? Can’t wait to try this. Thank you for sharing!!
Hi!
You can definitely use chicken tenders, but those will need less time to cook through. If cooking on LOW, start checking for doneness around the 2 to 2.5-hour mark. If cooking on HIGH, you’ll want to start checking about 1 to 1.5 hours into the cooking process. Use an instant read meat thermometer to check for doneness – chicken is cooked through when the internal temperature registers at 165˚F. I hope this helps. Have a great Sunday dinner! 😊
Hi. This looks like a amazing and I would like to make it for Sunday dinner but all I have is chicken tenders ( raw) can I use those instead of the breast? If so how long should I cut the cooking time?
The man at the liquor store told me to buy the sweet Marsala wine, (before I read this recipe)..will it be ok? Sounds delicious
Hi!
When making savory dishes, dry Marsala is the classic choice, but it will be just fine even if you use sweet marsala.
The dish came together nicely but tasted bland! Good in a pinch but would next time go with the traditional method to make the best use of all of the beautiful, flavorful ingredients.
I never leave reviews, but this recipe was so amazing I just had to. I served this over a wild rice blend with a squeeze of lemon and OMG! My husband and daughter went back for seconds. I tossed out my old recipe and will never make Chicken Marsala any other way. Thank you so much for sharing this delish recipe and making me a hero tonight!
That’s great to hear!! I’m very glad you and your family enjoyed it! 🙂 Thank YOU! 🙂
The sauce looked kind of thin. Is there something to thicken it?
Hi!
Yes. You can make a slurry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water; whisk it until combined and then stir it into the sauce.
Hello. Trying this recipe now!! Its currently in the crock pot. I dont have e heavy cream though… can I use whole milk instead? Thanks
Yes, you could, but keep in mind that cream will make the sauce creamier. Milk will add a little bit of creaminess to it, and will also add a milky taste to the sauce.
I was really looking forward to making & enjoying this recipe, but was disappointed because the chicken was dry. Any ideas why this happened? Any suggestions because I’d like to try making it again.
Thank you
Sharon
Hi!
Very sorry it didn’t work out for you! 🙁 Usually, the reason chicken is dry is because it is overcooked. Maybe your slow cooker cooks at a higher temperature and chicken was probably done in 3 hours. For next time, I suggest to use a meat thermometer and start checking the chicken around the 3-hour mark to see if it’s done. Chicken is cooked through when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F. This really is a great recipe, so I hope you’ll have a chance to make it again.
Thank you for getting back to me. I always thought the longer you cook something in the crockpot the more tender it becomes. I’ll give it another try ✌🏻
6 chicken breasts that total 1.5 lbs?? My pkg of 2 weighs 1.4 lbs…
Hi!
Yes. With my recipes, I try to stick to serving sizes, and a serving size of chicken is 4-ounces.
Can you use bone in chicken breast for this recipe.
Hi!
Yes, you can, but bone-in chicken takes longer to cook. If possible, use an Instant Read Thermometer to check for doneness – chicken is cooked through when internal temp reaches 165˚F.
Do you have to use heavy cream? We have problems with dairy😩
Love this recipe! Made with 12 thighs and dried and fresh thyme. No basil ( allergic). Doubled all ingredients for our family of four and served over buttered mushroom noodles and steamed broccoli. We are going to have this regularly. Thank you❤️
I too cannot do dairy, so I substitute mocha mix with a corn starch slurry…
We are dairy free and use coconut cream in place of heavy cream!
Land O Lakes makes a lactose free half and half I like to use.
I bought the dry before I found out you are suppose to use the sweet. I bought 2 bottles from my local liquor store, there was none on the shelves. Didn’t realize it would be so hard to find. The dry worked fine for me. When the 2 bottles are gone,will order the sweet.
This recipe uses dry marsala. Sweet marsala is normally used for sweets and desserts.
They have a heavy coconut cream I believe, I had to go dairy free for a while and had to find a whole bunch of different replacements!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for including the tip about the substitution for the wine – I can’t wait to make this for dinner !!!!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight! It was amazing! Will definitely make it again👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
This crockpot chicken Marsala looks fabulous and I can’t wait to try it. Does it freeze well? Any special precautions if I want to freeze it? I do meal prep for keto and recipes where I can freeze portions are a real help. Thanks!
Yes, you can freeze this chicken marsala. I just put it in a large ziploc bag together with the sauce, seal it, and keep it in the freezer for a couple of months. To thaw, put it in the fridge, overnight, then reheat it in a 350˚F preheated oven until heated through.
This was delicious! I used a few extra spices and portobello mushrooms. Doubled liquids for extra sauce. My chicken was moist and tender. Will definitely make again! Thanks for sharing!
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
What type of mushrooms do you recommend?
What method do you recommend, IP or slow cooker? I’m making this for my friends birthday.
is heavy whipping cream okay for this recipe? I only have 1 pound of chicken so I will shorten the water, flour , marsala and cream by a tad.
Yep, heavy whipping cream is right.
Flavor was good- I have to add a LOT more spice and herbs. Also my chicken ended up dry! 🙁
Hi! I thought I had corn starch, but turns out I don’t! I already have this in the crockpot for tonight (smells amazing!) – any suggestions for something I might be able to use in place of corn starch when I get to that stage? Thank you!!
Hi!
You can use all-purpose flour mixed with hot water. So, mix the flour and hot water together, then stir the slurry in and simmer the liquid in the slow cooker on high for 15 minutes.
Thank you so much! It worked out AMAZING! I did equal parts gluten free all purpose flour (husband has celiac) and warm water, whisked together and then whisked into the wine sauce. I let that simmer on high before whisking in the heavy cream and adding the chicken back. My husband and 2 year old LOVED it! Seriously so flavorful and delicious. It’s been requested to add into our regular rotation. Next time I’m definitely going to double the sauce though so we have even more to pour over our gf pasta. We couldn’t get enough of that sauce!! Thanks again!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you SO much! 🙂
Can the leftovers be frozen?
Hi! Yes, you can, but creamy dishes tend to split when frozen and end up grainy when reheated. Also, the texture changes when they are reheated and this will affect the flavor.
Could I use chicken thighs….serving 20 people
Can you use coconut cream instead of heavy cream? (I can’t do dairy)
I want to make this for 12-14 people. Can I still make this in a large crock pot all at once? Sounds delicious.
This sounds great, but I would love a little clarification on the weight. 6 chicken breasts should weigh a lot more than 1.5 pounds, I think. Should I just go with 6 pieces?
Hi!
Yep, go ahead and use 4 to 6 chicken breasts, each weighing at around 4 ounces. An ounce more or less won’t make that much of a difference, but you just want evenly cooked chicken. Bigger pieces need more time to cook.
This is such a perfect weeknight meal!
How would I prepare this to make it a freezer dump meal? Can you freeze fresh mushrooms? Thanks!
According to my Googling, they do freeze well, or you could dry them and add them separately.
That seems like a better idea Sara.
I freeze fresh mushrooms all the time when I find them on sale. I saute them in butter and put them in small freezer bags then all in a bigger freezer bag, That way I have access to them. I freeze them in 4 oz increments. Saves money and sure does taste good.
This is amazingly tasty in the slow cooker! Thanks for the easy recipe!
I had no idea you could make chicken marsala in the slow cooker! This is absolutely delicious!
This couldn’t look any more perfect! So hungry for this!
My family loves Chicken Marsala. I always make it on the stove top, but I’m in love with the idea of making it in the slow cooker. I’ll be trying this recipe soon. I know it will be a family favorite.
What a fantastic dinner recipe! My family will be over the moon tomorrow when I prepare this; looks amazing!
This is such a time saver especially on busy nights! Nothing better than coming home to dinner made. Love it!
Great dinner! We really enjoyed it!
Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite dishes and this did not disappoint! So flavorful!
Yum!! This chicken is tasty & tender! A hit with the family!
Wow! Such a flavorful and easy recipe! I will definitely be making this for dinner tonight; yum!
Best chicken marsala ever! My whole family loved this dish!