With this easy copycat Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala recipe, you can recreate this delicious dinner from the comfort of your own kitchen. It’s made with golden, pan-seared chicken in a creamy marsala wine sauce. The perfect meal for any occasion!
Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala and mushrooms
Cheesecake Factory is easily among my favorite restaurants. The variety in their menu is incredible and I love how hearty and delicious everything is.
Hand to heart, I probably should branch out more because I order their chicken marsala almost every time we go there. Can you relate?
In fact, I love it so much that I decided to create a copycat recipe to make at home for my whole family. And it turned out better than I could have ever imagined!
It all starts with juicy, golden brown pan-fried chicken breasts. Then, they get smothered with the most wonderful, creamy mushroom marsala sauce.
Spoon it over butterfly pasta (the sauce doubles as gravy), and voila, a knockout dinner! And as if you aren’t convinced already, this tasty dinner is a breeze to make!
Looking for more tasty chicken dinners? Chicken pot pie, chicken piccata, and Arby’s chicken salad recipe are just a few of our favorites. They are super simple to make and even more satisfying to eat!
Ingredients
Let’s chat about the ingredients you’ll need to make this saucy, creamy chicken goodness! You probably have most of the things ready to go in your pantry right now. And all you got left to do is pick up a bottle of marsala. Please see the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Chicken Breast: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts here. Thinly slice them to cook at the same rate. Chicken cutlets and chicken tenders will also work – just reduce the cooking time by a minute or two.
- Dry marsala wine is the star of the show! It’s a fortified wine and gives the dish its distinctive aroma. Substitute sherry, port, or red wine if you struggle to find it.
- Chicken stock is the foundation of the sauce. Feel free to swap in chicken broth if that is what you have.
- Heavy cream contributes to the luxuriously rich texture of the sauce.
- Mushrooms: I recommend cremini mushrooms because they have a mild, meaty taste, perfect for homemade chicken marsala!
- Shallots add an aromatic pop of flavor. In case you can’t find shallots, a large sweet yellow onion will make a fine substitute.
- Garlic cloves are minced and add savory flavor throughout the dish.
- Olive oil is used to fry up chicken.
- Unsalted butter is needed for the marsala sauce and the buttered noodles. Use a high-quality butter – it really adds to the overall flavor of the dish.
- All-purpose flour helps to thicken the sauce and is needed for coating the chicken.
- Spices: Salt, pepper, and garlic powder give the chicken and sauce plenty of flavor.
- Fresh parsley adds a pop of herby flavor and gives the dish a vibrant color.
- Bowtie pasta or any other pasta you prefer.
How to make Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala
This chicken mushroom marsala recipe comes together in a few easy steps. In less than 30 minutes, you’ll have a tasty meal ready to eat. Here is the process step-by-step:
#1: Prep the chicken
- Mix the flour and spices in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in the mixture.
#2: Cook the chicken
- Heat butter and olive oil in a pan or over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and cook until golden.
#3: Caramelize shallots and mushrooms
- Using the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook them about 10 minutes.
#4: Add garlic and flour
- Add the garlic and flour and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
#5: Make the wine sauce
- Pour in the marsala, chicken broth, and cream. Whisking frequently, simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
#6: Add chicken
- Return the fried chicken to the pan and gently simmer for 2 minutes to warm it back up.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and spoon over buttered bowtie pasta, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Tips for the best chicken marsala
Get restaurant-quality results with these easy tips and tricks! This copycat Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala is so hearty and full of tender mushrooms and creamy sauce, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as we do!
- Flatten large chicken breasts: If your chicken breasts are thick, it’s best to first cut them horizontally to form flat cutlets. Then pound them to an even ¼-inch thickness. They’ll end up huge if you pound large chicken breasts without first halving. Alternatively, pound them thin first and then slice them in half vertically.
- Test doneness: To prevent overcooking and check doneness, use an instant-read thermometer and cook just until the chicken breast reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°˚F / 75°C. Cooking it any longer than that, the chicken might become dry.
- Thicken the sauce with flour: A little flour helps to thicken the sauce and prevents the cream and wine from splitting and curdling. If you accidentally overcooked the sauce and it has become too thick, thin it out with a splash of cream or broth.
- Make it lighter: Substitute the cream with half-and-half or evaporated milk for a lighter sauce.
Serving suggestions
Cheesecake Factory serves their chicken marsala mushroom over buttered butterfly pasta, which is such a delicious combo. The recipe certainly makes enough creamy sauce to pour over pasta.
Of course, you can use any pasta you prefer. Egg noodles, angel hair pasta, spaghetti, tagliatelle, and penne, will taste fabulous.
You can also try serving your Cheesecake Factory chicken with mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or cooked rice. To keep it lower in calories, enjoy it with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
For a full Italian-inspired meal, start with pesto crostini, then add spinach caprese salad and garlic bread or cheese bread on the side.
Storage instructions
Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala is great for leftovers! This hearty dish keeps well for a quick weekday lunch. The chicken will taste even better after sitting in sauce for a day or two.
- Refrigerate: Once the dish has cooled to room temperature, store leftover chicken marsala and pasta in separate airtight containers for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: Store chicken and any extra sauce in separate freezer bags. They’ll remain good for 2 to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before eating. The pasta isn’t suitable for freezing.
- Reheat: I recommend reheating your chicken and marsala sauce in a covered pan to retain moisture. Warm over medium-low heat until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F / 75°C.
Cheesecake Factory Chicken Marsala Recipe
With this easy copycat Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala recipe, you can recreate this delicious dinner from the comfort of your own kitchen. It's made with golden, pan-seared chicken in a creamy marsala wine sauce. The perfect meal for any occasion!
Ingredients
Butterfly Pasta
- 1 lb / 450 g butterfly pasta
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp / 60 g / 2 oz butter, cubed
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Chicken
- 1½ lb / 700 g boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded ¼-inch thick (see Note below)
- 1/3 cup / 40 g / 1.4 oz all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Marsala Sauce
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 package (8 oz / 240 g) Cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup / 240 ml / 8 fl oz dry marsala wine
- 1 cup / 240 ml / 8 fl oz low-sodium chicken broth (or stock)
- 1/2 cup / 120 ml / 4 fl oz heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the butterfly pasta and salt and cook until al dente. Reserve a 1/4 cup of pasta water. Then drain the noodles and pour them back into the pot.
- Incorporate butter. Add the butter, minced garlic, and reserved pasta water. Toss until the butter is melted and everything is well combined. Set aside and keep warm while you prepare the chicken.
- Prep the chicken. Mix the flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture until it's evenly coated and shake off the excess.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat until simmering. Add 2 chicken cutlets and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer the fried chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
- Caramelize shallots and mushrooms. Reduce the heat to medium. Using the same pan with the remaining fat leftover from the previous step, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook until they are deeply golden brown and fragrant, about1 0 minutes. Stir frequently and scrape off any leftover chicken bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add garlic and flour. Add the garlic and flour and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Make the wine sauce. Pour in the marsala, chicken broth, and cream. Whisking frequently, simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 to 6 minutes. Be careful not to overcook, or the sauce might become gloppy.
- Add chicken. Return the fried chicken to the pan and gently simmer for 2 minutes to warm the chicken back up.
- Serve. Garnish with chopped parsley and spoon over the buttered pasta, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Prepare The Pasta
Fry The Chicken
Cook The Marsala Sauce
Notes
Flatten The Chicken
If your chicken breasts are thick, it's best to first cut them horizontally to form flat cutlets. Then pound them to an even ¼-inch thickness. They'll end up huge ifyou pound large chicken breasts without first halving. Alternatively, pound them thin first and then slice them in half vertically.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 594Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 1605mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 44g
FAQ
What is Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala?
Cheesecake factory chicken marsala is an Italian-American dish made with golden, pan-fried chicken cutlets, mushrooms, and a creamy Marsala wine sauce served over butterfly noodles.
What is marsala wine?
Marsala wine is a brandy-fortified wine (like port) from the Marsala region of Sicily in Italy. It has a deep, sweet, slightly nutty flavor that is richer and more complex than red wine.
This cooking wine is definitely worth adding to your panty. An open bottle will store well in a dark, dry spot for months and can be sued in place of port in recipes.
What is the best marsala wine for Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala?
For savory dishes like this Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala recipe, dry marsala is the best option. It gives the sauce a rich, caramelized aroma. Reserve sweet Marsala for cake and desserts!
If your local grocery store or supermarket doesn’t sell alcohol, you can find marsala at a liquor store.
What are Marsala wine substitutes?
If you can’t find Marsala wine, swap in one of the following substitutes. The taste will be slightly different, but you’ll still end up with a tasty chicken marsala and mushrooms.
- Dry Madeira wine
- Dark sherry
- Port
- Red vermouth
- 3/4 cup of dry white wine mixed with 3 teaspoons of brandy
Is Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala kid-friendly?
The marsala wine is simmered over high heat, which cooks out most of the alcohol and leaves behind just the flavor, with no alcoholic aftertaste.
However, my recipe uses quite a bit of marsala, so I don’t recommend this dish for children and would reserve it for grown-ups.
Instead, try my creamy Velveeta chicken spaghetti– all ages can enjoy this meal!
Can I make this recipe without marsala?
If you want to make this copycat chicken marsala wine-free, you could just use more chicken broth, but the flavor profile won’t be quite the same.
Reasons to make Cheesecake Factory chicken marsala
I love this cheesecake factory chicken marsala and mushrooms recipe because it’s got such delicious flavor and is really simple to make. This dish makes a great dinner and can be served with your favorite sides.
- Taste: This tender and juicy chicken breast is smothered in a rich cream sauce full of rich flavors. The marsala wine adds a zing of flavor.
- Texture: The chicken is seared golden brown with a crisp outer layer but still juice inside. The thick and creamy sauce has delicious mushrooms in it.
- Time: The recipe takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Ease: This Cheesecake Factory chicken recipe is nice and easy. The marsala mushroom sauce is a breeze to make.
More Cheesecake Factory copycat recipes
Skip the takeout and make your favorite Cheesecake Factory recipes at home! I’m sure your family will love these easy copycat recipes as much as mine does!
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Parmesan Herb Crusted Chicken
- Miso Salmon
- Creamy Chicken and Biscuits
- Strawberry Shortcake
Other chicken recipes
If you enjoyed this easy chicken marsala recipe, you should check out some of our other easy chicken recipes too! Not only are they easy to make, but also incredibly tasty!
Valerie
Saturday 5th of October 2024
Excellent! I used Taylor marsala wine and it tasted nearly identical to The Cheesecake Factory recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Country Hill Cottage
Monday 7th of October 2024
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback, Valerie!