Description
Comforting Chicken Marsala delivers Italian-inspired magic straight from your slow cooker, blending tender chicken with rich mushroom wine sauce. Home cooks discover a simple weekend dinner that brings restaurant-quality flavor without complex preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces / 170 grams each)
Dredging and Seasoning:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoons salt
- 0.25 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) mushrooms, sliced (button or cremini)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
Liquid and Finishing Ingredients:
- 0.75 cup Marsala wine
- 0.75 cup chicken broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Infuse chicken breasts with a harmonious blend of seasoning, coating each piece with salt, pepper, and aromatic Italian herbs to enhance its inherent flavors.
- Quickly sear the seasoned chicken in a hot skillet, developing a golden-brown exterior that locks in moisture and creates a rich caramelized foundation (approximately 2 minutes per side).
- Carefully transfer the lightly browned chicken into the crockpot, positioning pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Utilize the same skillet to sauté mushrooms, garlic, and shallots, allowing them to release their earthy aromatics and become tender and translucent.
- Deglaze the skillet with Marsala wine, expertly scraping accumulated flavor-packed browned bits from the pan’s surface, and let the liquid reduce for 2 minutes.
- Cascade the fragrant mushroom and wine mixture over the chicken in the crockpot, ensuring each piece is generously coated.
- Pour chicken broth into the crockpot and nestle fresh thyme sprigs among the ingredients to infuse additional depth.
- Secure the crockpot lid and slow cook on low temperature for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, allowing flavors to meld and chicken to become supremely tender.
- Thirty minutes before serving, create a smooth slurry by whisking flour with a small portion of the cooking liquid, then reintegrate into the crockpot to transform the sauce into a luxurious, velvety consistency.
- Finish the dish by incorporating a pat of butter for an luxurious sheen and garnish with freshly chopped parsley, elevating the visual and flavor profile.
Notes
- Adjust seasoning intensity by experimenting with different herb blends like rosemary or oregano for varied flavor profiles.
- Create a gluten-free version by substituting wheat flour with cornstarch or almond flour for thickening the sauce.
- Enhance protein diversity by swapping chicken breasts with boneless chicken thighs for a more tender and juicy result.
- Reduce sodium content by using low-sodium chicken broth and controlling salt quantities during initial seasoning stages.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 570 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg