Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

I love being able to enjoy delicious Chicken Marsala without making a trip to my favorite Italian restaurant. These golden pan-fried chicken cutlets and mushrooms in a rich and creamy Marsala wine sauce work equally well for entertaining or a weeknight with the family. And with the Instant Pot (get yours here: https://amzn.to/2QmSPR1), the chicken is always tender, and cleanup is a snap!

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Chicken Marsala is a variation of traditional Italian scallopini dishes–thinly sliced meat, most often beef, veal, or chicken, that is dredged in flour and sautéed in one of a variety of sauces. This dish gets its name, and tasty sauce, from Marsala wine.

Marsala cooking wine is a worthy addition to your pantry. It’s dry and sweet without being overpowering, and can cut through the richness of cream or stock. If you don’t have Marsala on hand, you can substitute a dry Madeira wine, a darker sherry, a port or red vermouth.  The alcohol will cook off as the sauce simmers, but substitute chicken broth for chicken marsala without wine.

Pro Tip: Brown the chicken until golden and then handle carefully to avoid scraping off the tasty (and pretty) crust.

Delicious Chicken Marsala without making a trip to my favorite Italian restaurant.


Ingredients:

Dredge Mix:

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 lbs thin-sliced chicken breast
  • 1+1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1+1 tbsp butter
  • 1 shallot, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup marsala wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup cream
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

  1. In a shallow bowl, mix together Dredge Mix ingredients. Coat each piece of chicken in the dredge mix, shaking off excess.
  2. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter to the Instant Pot. Using the display panel select the SAUTE function and adjust to HIGH or MORE.
  3. When butter melts, brown the meat on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Meat will not be cooked through. Do not crowd the pot–you will have to work in batches. Transfer browned meat to a shallow dish in a single layer and cover loosely with foil.
  4. Add remaining oil, remaining butter, shallot and garlic to the pot and saute until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes more.
  5. Add wine and broth to the pot and deglaze by using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Carefully add back chicken in a single layer.
  6. Turn the pot off by selecting CANCEL, then secure the lid, making sure the vent is closed.
  7. Using the display panel select the MANUAL function*. Use the +/- keys and program the Instant Pot for 5 minutes.
  8. When the time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure.
  9. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot to a shallow dish in a single layer and cover loosely with foil.
  10. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup cooking liquid with 2 tbsp cornstarch. Stir into the pot, along with the cream.
  11. Cook and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes, returning to SAUTE mode as needed. Return chicken to the pot and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
  12. Serve chicken over rice, mashed potatoes or pasta. Garnish with chopped parsley and fresh ground pepper.

*The MANUAL and PRESSURE COOK buttons are interchangeable.