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Easy Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

This Easy Instant Pot Chicken Marsala is made in no time when you use the pressure cooker. These juicy chicken breasts are served with a rich and decadent wine sauce. This meal is perfect for weeknight dinners or freezer meals.

Instant Pot Chicken Marsala in a white bowl
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This recipe was originally published in 2017. It has since been updated.

Oh, how I used to love the chicken marsala from Olive Garden! This dish is a classic favorite. Whenever you’re craving a nice home cooked meal, this is the one!

raw chicken breasts, onions, marsala wine, mushrooms, garlic, and seasonings in separate bowls

What Type of Chicken to Use

The dish is made using skinless chicken breasts. You can slice each breast in half (crosswise) to create smaller cutlets. Feel free to tendorize the cutlets if you wish.

You can substitute chicken thighs and the cook time will remain the same.

raw chicken cutlets on a flat surface

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

  1. Add the chicken breasts to the Instant pot and season. Sear each side of the breasts for a couple of minutes.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot. Add garlic and shallots. (Use additional olive oil here if necessary). Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add the mushrooms. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add the chicken broth to the pot.
  5. Add the marsala wine and Better Than Bouillon to the pot and stir. Add the chicken breasts back to the pot.
  6. Seal the pot with the lid. Pressure cook.
  7. When the pot indicates it is finished, do not perform a quick release. Allow the steam to release naturally for 5 minutes.
  8. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Create a slurry by mixing the two.
  9. Open the pot. Place the pot on the saute function. Add the slurry and heavy cream. Stir. This will thicken the sauce.
collage photo showing how to saute chicken breasts and add mushrooms to the Instant Pot
collage photo showing how to add marsala ingredients to the Instant Pot

What Type of Wine to Use in the Recipe

What wine is best to use for chicken marsala? Dry, marsala wine. Marsala wine has a deep, smokey flavor. It is perfect for really savory dishes like this one.

The Difference Between Wine and Cooking Wine

Marsala wine comes from Sicily, Italy and is used in a lot of Italian dishes. I prefer to use actual wine in the recipe vs cooking wine. If you want to use cooking wine, you can find it usually near the vinegar or sometimes in the baking aisle in the grocery store.

Cooking wine has preservatives and usually also has added sweeteners and salt. Using it can result in an altered taste in the dish. You can read more about Marsala Cooking Wine here. Cooking wine does also have alcohol.

If you want to substitute Marsala wine you can substitute 1 cup of dry white wine along with 2 teaspoons of sherry. It won’t taste like the real thing, but is an option.

chicken marsala in an Instant Pot

How to Thicken the Sauce

To thicken the sauce you will need to create a slurry using 1 part cornstarch and 1 part water. Combine the two in a bowl and then add it to the finished dish.

For a low carb substitute you can use 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum. Take 1 tablespoon of the sauce from the finished dish and combine it with the xanthan gum in a bowl. Stir until the mixture thickens and then add it to the finished dish.

chicken marsala in an Instant Pot

Freezer Tips

You can freeze the dish tightly sealed up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before serving.

Instant Pot Chicken Marsala in a white bowl

Side Dishes to Pair with this Meal

Instant Pot Southern Green Beans
Air Fryer Garlic Green Beans
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes
Keto Low Carb Cauliflower Mash
Air Fryer Asparagus
Scalloped Corn
Roasted Ranch Potatoes

More Take Out Style Recipes

Keto Low Carb Orange Chicken
Keto Beef and Broccoli
Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich
Red Lobster CopyCat Shrimp Scampi
Healthy Pad Thai
Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken

Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken

a spoonful on Instant Pot chicken marsala

More Amazing Instant Pot Recipes

Instant Pot Risotto
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken
Instant Pot Gumbo
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

Don’t have an Instant Pot? Check out my Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala here.

instant pot chicken marsala in a serving dish on a multi color surface
Print Pin
5 from 19 votes

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

This Easy Instant Pot Chicken Marsala is made in no time when you use the pressure cooker. These juicy chicken breasts are served with a rich and decadent wine sauce. This meal is perfect for weeknight dinners or freezer meals.
Save this recipe here.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Instant Pot chicken marsala
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 299kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 skinless chicken breasts, 4-6 ounces each
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms Bella or shiitake work great.
  • 1 cup dry marsala wine
  • 2-3 garlic cloves Minced
  • 1 cup Chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Seasoning Optional for flavor.
  • Chicken Seasoning or rub to taste I like McCormick's Grill Mates Chicken Seasoning.
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon parsley Optional garnish.

Instructions

  • Place the Instant Pot on the saute function. When the pot is hot, add the olive oil.
  • Add the chicken breasts to the pot. Season the breasts with the chicken seasoning, salt, and pepper. Sear each side of the breasts for a couple of minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the pot. Add the garlic and shallots. (Use additional olive oil here if necessary). Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Add the mushrooms. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth to the pot. Deglaze the pot by using the liquid to scrape up the brown bits from the chicken. There is so much flavor in this process.
  • Add the marsala wine and Better Than Bouillon to the pot and stir. Add the chicken breasts back to the pot.
  • Seal the pot with the lid. Set the cooking time to Manual High-Pressure Cooking for 5 minutes.
  • When the pot indicates it is finished, do not perform a quick release. Allow the steam to release naturally for 5 minutes.
  • Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Create a slurry by mixing the two.
  • Open the pot. Place the pot on the saute function. Add the slurry and heavy cream. Stir. This will thicken the sauce. If the sauce does not thicken enough for your preference, create an additional slurry using cornstarch and water.
  • When the sauce has thickened, remove the chicken and sauce from the pot. Serve.

Video

Notes

I like to use Better Than Bouillon Chicken flavor in conjunction with chicken broth for added flavor. It’s optional.
Dry, marsala wine is recommended. You can also use marsala cooking wine.
Marsala wine comes from Sicily, Italy and is used in a lot of Italian dishes. I prefer to use actual wine in the recipe vs cooking wine. If you want to use cooking wine, you can find it usually near the vinegar or sometimes in the baking aisle in the grocery store.
Cooking wine has preservatives and usually also has added sweeteners and salt. Using it can result in an altered taste in the dish. You can read more about Cooking wine does have alcohol.
If you want to substitute marsala wine you can substitute 1 cup of dry white wine along with 2 teaspoons of sherry. It won’t taste like the real thing, but is an option.
You can substitute chicken thighs and the cook time will remain the same.
If you want to make the dish lower in carbs you can substitute the cornstarch and water for 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum. Place the xanthan gum in a small bowl along with 1-2 tablespoons of the marsala sauce. Stir until it thickens and add it back to the pot.
Recipe Tools Used in this RecipeAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 13g
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Nutrition DataMacros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
instant pot chicken marsala in a serving dish on a multi color surface
Recipe Rating




David

Wednesday 20th of July 2022

Do you do a quick release after the five minutes of natural release?

staysnatched

Thursday 21st of July 2022

You don't perform a Quick Release. You allow the steam to release naturally for 5 minutes, then you hit the dial.

Deborah

Saturday 23rd of October 2021

We enjoyed this very much! Very straightforward recipe - thank you so much!

staysnatched

Monday 25th of October 2021

I'm so glad to hear it!

Carissa

Sunday 10th of October 2021

Made this recipe tonight and it’s amazing!! So quick and easy too, thank you Brandi!

staysnatched

Monday 11th of October 2021

You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Angela L

Monday 20th of September 2021

Tasty and quick &!easy to prepare recipe. My husband and I enjoyed it and I used the extra sauce on my picky kids’ meatballs.

staysnatched

Tuesday 21st of September 2021

That sounds so good!

Lauren Worthy

Tuesday 27th of July 2021

One of my favorite dishes to make! I love this one pot option. It’s so easy, flavorful, and delicious. Also thank you for including freezing information.

staysnatched

Tuesday 3rd of August 2021

You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful!