Chicken with Dijon Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

Strips of chicken breast cooked in a rich Dijon Mascarpone Marsala sauce and served over pasta. This is an Italian restaurant quality meal!

I originally found this recipe on the Food Network website. It’s by Giada De Laurentiis, and it’s delicious!!!  I tried this recipe first for Bob and I as a special dinner. We both loved it, so my sister and I made it for our mom and aunt on Mother’s Day 2008. They all raved about it, and my mom has since made it for our family.

Most recently, I prepared this for a small family dinner party of 6 when my mom and sister were visiting. It went over really well! This dish is very rich – not exactly typical weeknight fare, but if you’re looking for special dinner, this is it. I have always omitted the mushrooms until now.

Let’s take a step back with a confession: I am intimidated by certain foods, so much to the point that “Intimidated by Food” could be my Native American name. If I’ve never worked with it before, I’m afraid. I don’t know why! It’s usually types/cuts of meat or vegetables that cause the biggest fear. I’m trying to be better about it and force myself to expand my horizons.

Case in point: mushrooms. I don’t really like the texture of mushrooms, but in chicken marsala I don’t mind them as much. However, given my inexperience working with them, I always made this dish sans mushrooms.

My sister LOVES mushrooms, so I thought this would be a good time to try working with them. As she was my appointed ‘sous chef’ for this meal, I had her clean, slice, and saute them, but I now have the confidence to work with them on my own – thanks, Lisa! With or without the mushrooms, this dish is fantastic and I highly recommend it!

Updated Commentary and Gluten Free Option

Many years after posting this, we still love this dish! I’ve served it over gluten free pasta for an entirely gluten free meal. This is something we make for special dinners. It tastes like an entree from a nice restaurant.

Looking for more Restaurant Quality Italian Dinners?

Check out these recipes:
Baked Ricotta Cavatelli in a Mascarpone Sauce
Classic Turkey Lasagna
Rigatoni with Sausage and Peppers
Eggplant Parmesan
Chicken Parmesan
Mushroom and Herb Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Chicken with Dijon Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

Meghan

Strips of chicken breast coated in a rich dijon mascarpone marsala sauce and served over pasta.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

For the Chicken:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese (8 ounces )
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves (plus whole sprigs, for garnish, optional )

For the Pasta:

• 12 ounces dried fettuccine
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Parmesan cheese (if desired)

Instructions

 

• Cut chicken into strips and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.
• While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. If omitting the mushrooms, let the garlic cook for 30 seconds to in only 1 tablespoon of butter, then proceeded to the next step.
• Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley (if using). Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plate. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve.

Notes

Source:  Adapted from Food Network courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

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Keyword chicken, gluten free, main dish, Pasta