Description
Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta is a deliciously rich and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken breast pieces sautéed with mushrooms, shallots, and garlic, simmered in a savory Marsala wine and chicken broth sauce enriched with cream cheese and milk, all tossed with perfectly cooked penne pasta for a comforting and elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz penne pasta, uncooked
Chicken
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast, cubed into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 0.75 tsp kosher salt, divided
- Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- Olive oil spray, for cooking
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Dairy
- 1 cup Marsala wine
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup skim milk (can substitute almond or cashew milk)
- 2 tbsp reduced-fat cream cheese
Optional Garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Pasta: Weigh out 8 oz of uncooked penne pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Coat the Chicken: Cube the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of flour, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Toss the chicken pieces in this flour mixture to coat evenly.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and spray generously with olive oil spray. Working in two batches to avoid overcrowding, add half the chicken to the pan and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. The chicken will be partially cooked but not fully done. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Repeat with the second batch.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add a little more olive oil spray to the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms, shallots, remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the shallots are translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the Marsala wine and the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Combine Chicken and Simmer: Return the partially cooked chicken to the pan with the sauce. Simmer this mixture for 10 minutes to fully cook the chicken and meld the flavors.
- Prepare Creamy Sauce: In a measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour and the milk until smooth. Pour this milk mixture into the pan with the chicken and sauce. Add the 2 tablespoons of reduced-fat cream cheese and whisk until the cream cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy and well combined.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked penne pasta to the sauce and gently toss to coat all the pasta with the creamy Marsala sauce. Cook together for 1-2 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve the creamy chicken Marsala pasta garnished with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Use reduced-sodium chicken broth to control the saltiness of the dish.
- Substitute skim milk with any plant-based milk like almond or cashew for a dairy-free alternative, but choose cream cheese accordingly.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken to ensure a good golden crust.
- Marsala wine adds authenticity, but sweet or dry sherry can be used if unavailable.
- Fresh parsley adds a nice color and fresh note to the finished dish.
- Ensure chicken is cooked through by simmering appropriately after searing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
