This creamy chicken marsala pasta is a perfect weeknight meal that comes together in about an hour – prep included! To the bite pasta draped in a creamy marsala sauce flavored with baby bella mushrooms, onions, garlic and held down with juicy bits of ground chicken. Ground chicken has always been one of my favorite ingredients to use for those super fast “shortcut” versions of some of our favorite classic chicken dishes. I wanted this recipe to use ingredients most of you already have on hand so that it’s a bit easier for you to pull off. Let’s proceed…
How to make creamy chicken marsala pasta
Try your best to look for ground chicken that has at least 8% fat. You’ll know it’s fattier because it’ll be a pinkier-pink, versus a more pale pink. However, you can grab the leaner ground if that’s what you prefer or if that’s all you can find. While there’s plenty of fat in this dish to possibly mask a far more lean ground chicken, I still prefer the tenderness of the fattier ground chicken.
You can use any mushroom you want
My inexpensive flavorful go-to is always a brown mushroom. Baby bellas (criminis) or even large diced portobellos are stellar here. You could use a blend of wild mushrooms, it really doesn’t matter because it will all be delicious.
The best pasta to use
I find this dish works best with any tubular shape of pasta where the sauce can seep into the holes and make each bite extra special. Shapes with grooves and crevices also work. A flatter pasta shape is fine in a pinch, but for the ultimate mouthfeel, go for something tubular. I’m using a mezzi rigatoni (short cut rigatoni), but cavatappi, penne, large macaroni, medium-sized shells, gemelli, etc. will get the job done.
Texture and balance matters
This is a semi-rich sauce. The chicken brings savoriness, but we also need some components to balance out the flavors. A last minute hit of lemon at the end really gives it a much-needed dose of freshness, and the balsamic glaze offers a sweet acidity that really amplifies the marsala. For texture, the breadcrumb gremolata sends it to the moon. Those crunchy toasted breadcrumbs seasoned with red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, garlic, and lemon zest will make you wanna kiss the chef. It’s such an amazing contrast to the creamy pasta. I wouldn’t skip it.
Storage and reheating
If you have leftover gremolata, store it in the refrigerator. Why? Because there’s garlic and fresh parsley in there, so you wanna keep it fresh. It can be revived and re-toasted quickly in a dry skillet on the stove for just a minute or two (or until you hear a soft sizzle).
To store the balsamic drizzle, simply pour it into a very small air-tight container. It’s delicious on many things.
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container. To reheat, add a tiny splash of water to revive the sauce, then zap in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 45 seconds until heated through.
Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Description
The classic flavors of chicken marsala turned into a quick and easy weeknight pasta dish that hits every spot imaginable!
Ingredients
Balsamic glaze
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (145 grams)
- 1 tablespoon honey (20 grams)
- Tiniest pinch of sea salt and black pepper
Breadcrumb Gremolata
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (50 grams)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Zest of a lemon
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley, semi-packed
Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta
- Olive oil, as needed
- 1 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1 8-ounce container crimini mushrooms, quartered (220 grams, about 3 cups)
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced (135 grams)
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon dried shiitake mushroom powder (optional)
- 2 teaspoons granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 cup marsala wine
- 3/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (or paste) OMIT if using chicken stock
- 1 1/4 cups water or chicken stock (300 grams) SEE NOTE
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream (300 grams)
- 8 ounces Mezzi Rigatoni (226 grams)
- 1 cup parmigiana reggiano cheese(50 grams), plus more for garnish SEE NOTE
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
Please watch video above if you need a visual.
For the balsamic glaze
- In a small pot over medium-low heat, add the balsamic vinegar, black pepper, and honey. Stir, simmer, and reduce by about a third, maybe 6 to 7 minutes depending.
- Remove from heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Give it a taste to determine if you need to add a small pinch of sea salt or not.
**If you over-reduce it, just add a few drops of water until you get the consistency you desire. It should be drippy, syrupy and sweet. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
For the breadcrumb gremolata
- Finely chop the parsley. The volume will decrease once it’s chopped.
- In a small non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the breadcrumbs. Stir and toss to coat, toasting the crumbs until most of them are golden brown. Adjust the heat as necessary so you don’t burn them. Once they’re about 80% toasted, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. By now, all of the crumbs (at least 90%) should be toasted.
- Immediately turn off the heat and transfer the hot crumbs to a medium-sized bowl. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, lemon zest and toss to distribute evenly so that the zest and red pepper flakes bloom and permeate the crumbs.
- Allow the crumbs to cool for about 20 minutes, then add the parsley and toss to evenly distribute.
- Set aside
For the creamy marsala chicken pasta
- Fill a medium-large pot about half-way with water (at least 8 inches deep) and set over high heat. Cover with a lid and allow the water to come to a boil. When it comes to a boil, add a big pinch of sea salt. Cover and allow it to boil while you cook the meat mixture.
- Meanwhile in a large 12” deep-sided skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter over medium heat.
- When the butter begins to sizzle and foam, add the mushrooms and toss them in the fat to coat. Arrange them in an even layer and allow them to brown for about 5 to 6 minutes, undisturbed. Then push the mushrooms to the sides of the skillet leaving a space in the center for the onions.
- Add the onions to the mushroom mixture, drizzling in a bit more olive oil if needed. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to season. Next, add the granulated onion, granulated garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Toss to coat.
- Add the ground chicken and break it down into small pieces, drizzling in more oil if needed. At the same time, drop the pasta in the salted boiling water and cook for 5 minutes while the chicken cooks. While the chicken is still semi-pink, add the dried shiitake mushroom powder (if using). Cook the chicken until it’s no longer pink, and most of the liquid from the chicken has evaporated, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in the marsala wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately add the chicken bouillon powder (if using) and water or chicken stock. Next, add the cream and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, still over medium heat. By now, your pasta should have been boiling for about 5 minutes. Carefully add the par-cooked pasta, stirring to combine, then cover with a lid for 2 minutes (this just helps trap steam and cook the pasta faster). Remove the lid (which will help with sauce reduction) and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Visually, you’ll know it’s reducing properly when less and less of the pasta is submerged in the mixture. Do not discard the pasta water just yet, you may or may not need it to finish. Test the doneness of the pasta to make sure it’s perfect. If it’s still not cooked through, add pasta water to the mixture, cover with a lid and cook for a few more minutes.
- Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning and salt as necessary. When you’re happy with it, turn off the heat. Stir in the parmigiana reggiano cheese, flat leaf parsley, and finally hit it with the lemon juice for a balance of freshness. Give it a final taste, and adjust if needed. Keep in mind that it will thicken as it stands. It should be creamy and saucy — not jarred alfredo sauce thick, but “coat the back of a spoon” thick. Troubleshoot: If at any point the sauce is reducing too fast before the pasta finishes cooking, reduce the heat and add small ladles of pasta water to give it more moisture.
- Serve immediately by garnishing with extra parm (if desired), breadcrumb gremolata, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
- Enjoy.
Notes
- Use plain water with chicken bouillon powder or paste, OR scrap both of those ingredients and use a low-sodium chicken stock/broth instead
- I grated my parm using a microplan, so my outcome was a fluffier cheese. If you use a food processor or the coarse holes of a box grater, you’ll get a more dense outcome. In that case, you may not need a full cup. Start with half, and proceed from there.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: pasta
Keywords: chicken marsala pasta, chicken marsala, chicken pasta, creamy chicken marsala pasta
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