Chicken Marsala (gluten-free & dairy-free)

Gluten-free and dairy-free chicken marsala is everything you want in a chicken dish! It’s perfectly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, involves a creamy garlicky mushroom sauce and is big and bold on flavor. Make it for a special occasion or any ol’ night of the week!

I’m going to be honest here…I’m not even the hugest fan of chicken in the entire universe, and I’m IN LOVE with this chicken marsala recipe!

It satisfies that craving for crispy, tender chicken doused in a rich, creamy sauce with the delectable touch of onion, garlic, and mushroom flavors.

PLUS, it is gluten-free, dairy-free, and super easy to throw together at a moment’s notice.

All you need is one skillet and eight million point seven ingredients. Just kidding, you need 12. Most of which you already have on hand. 

Let’s GO!

What is Chicken Marsala?:

Chicken Marsala is the American adaptation of the Italian Scaloppina – there are many varieties of this dish throughout Italy. 

Not to be confused with Chicken Tikka Masala, which I find many often do, Chicken Marsala is a saucy creamy breaded chicken dish of mushrooms and marsala wine. It is often served with noodles at Italian restaurants in the U.S.

For those of you who don’t cook with alcohol, you can check out my 30-Minute Creamy Mushroom Chicken recipe. The concept is very similar to this one, minus the marsala wine.

What you should know before making this Chicken Marsala recipe:

Use thin sliced chicken breasts: Be sure the chicken breasts you use are nice and thin, rather than trying to use full breasts. You can either slice breasts in half lengthwise (hamburger bun style) to create two thin fillets per breast, or you can buy pre-sliced thin cutlets or chicken tenders. 

The thinness ensures the chicken stays nice and tender, cooks evenly, and does not become dry or tough. If you have a meat tenderizer, you can also pound the chicken breasts to desired thickness.

Use pre-chopped mushrooms: To minimize some of the prep time, you can buy pre-chopped mushrooms rather than having to chop them yourself. Honestly, I take this route because it is more efficient and the mushrooms are generally chopped to the same size, which ensures they cook evenly.

Be sure to use marsala wine for the most authentic approach to chicken marsala. If you have white wine and brandy on hand, you can use a combination of ⅔ cup white wine and a few tablespoons of brandy. 

Let’s make it!

How to Make Gluten-Free Chicken Marsala:

In a measuring cup, stir together the gluten-free flour, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper. Pour this mixture on a plate.

Dip both sides of each chicken fillet into the flour mixture, making sure each side is well-coated. 

Heat the avocado oil (and ghee if using) in a large skillet over medium-high

Place the chicken breasts onto the hot surface and cook 3 minutes per side, or until both sides have a golden-brown sear.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside while you prepare the marsala sauce.

If needed, add more ghee and/or avocado oil to the skillet and return to medium heat.

Add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to turn golden brown and start to stick to the skillet, about 3 minutes. Pour in half of the chicken broth to deglaze the skillet and cook another 2 minutes.

Add in the remaining broth, marsala wine and coconut milk and bring to a full boil. Allow the sauce to boil until it begins to thicken and reduce, about 8 to 10 minutes. If desired, add 1 tablespoon of tapioca flour to thicken the sauce.

Transfer the chicken back into the skillet with the marsala sauce and cover the skillet. Cook 10 minutes, then flip the chicken and cook an additional 2 to 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Serve chicken marsala with choice of gluten-free noodles or steamed rice.

Note: if you can tolerate ghee, use 2 tablespoons of ghee and 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to cook the chicken. It will add further creamy flavor.

I enjoy my chicken marsala with Lemon Garlic Rosemary Rice. The two dishes pair so nicely and the result is a very rich and flavorful meal!

Also consider serving with Kale Pesto Pasta Salad and/or Crowd-Pleasing Roasted Vegetables.

Enjoy!

My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!

If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo and tag me at @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!

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