This one pot chicken marsala orzo takes all the work out of traditional chicken marsala and transforms it into a quick, easy weeknight meal made entirely in one pot!
We’re taking all the heavy lifting (and extra dishes) out of traditional chicken marsala today!
You heard it here first. One pot, 50 minutes, and a mere HANDFUL of basic pantry ingredients is all that’s standing between you and this pan of carb goodness.
While classic chicken marsala will always hold a special place in my heart, this one pot version sure has a LOT going for it right now!
If you’re looking to up your dinner game a bit, but not quite ready to commit to hours of prep time and a messy kitchen in the end, this chicken marsala has your name written all over it.
We’ve made this marsala seriously SO many times now and I swear each time it gets better.
This Chicken Marsala Orzo features…
- Juicy pan-fried chicken cutlets
- Buttery sauteed mushrooms
- Tender orzo in a rich, creamy marsala sauce
- Less than an hour to make and made entirely in one pot
Making the Chicken Marsala Orzo
(scroll down to the bottom of post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken breasts
- All-purpose flour
- Orzo pasta
- Chicken broth
- Marsala wine
- Mushrooms
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Unsalted butter
- Olive oil
- Parsley
- Heavy whipping cream
How to Prepare Chicken
We recommend using boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Pre-sliced cutlets will also work, but we highly recommend slicing your own so you can control the size!
You will need two medium chicken breasts (about 1 lb) for this recipe. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut each chicken breast in half horizontally so you end up with 4 thin chicken breast cutlets.
Why are we slicing the breasts into cutlets? This thinner size is ideal for chicken marsala because it enables us to fully cook the cutlets entirely on the stove in minutes which saves a trip to the oven.
Tips for Perfect Chicken Marsala
- Pan fry chicken breast cutlets – we’re going to lightly bread the cutlets in flour and pan fry them in olive oil + butter until they register 165F. We sliced the chicken breasts in half horizontally so this makes for a thin cutlet that cooks quickly.
- Saute mushrooms + shallot – in the same pan you fried the chicken in, add in your mushrooms and shallot and saute them in the drippings and a splash of olive oil. If you don’t have a lot of drippings left in your pan, add an extra splash of olive oil!
- Toast orzo + garlic – these get added straight to the mushrooms and cooked just a minute or two to toast the orzo and cook the garlic.
- Simmer orzo – pour the chicken broth and marsala wine into the pan and bring this to a simmer. Reduce the heat and let it cook 10-12 minutes until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is evaporated. Don’t leave the kitchen during this step! You will want to stir it occasionally so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Fold in cream – once the orzo is tender, fold just a few splashes of whipping cream into the pasta. This adds a luxurious richness to the sauce.
- Arrange chicken on top – nestle the pan fried chicken cutlets into the orzo and let it simmer on low an additional few minutes to heat the chicken through.
Choosing Your Pasta
This recipe works best if you use a smaller shape of pasta and we’ve found that orzo is the ideal shape for that.
However, if you don’t have orzo readily available, here are a few other pasta shapes that would work great as a substitute for the orzo in this recipe!
- Ditaloni
- Pastina
- Elbows
- Mini shells
Recipe Variations
This marsala is very simple and close to the traditional version, but here are a few variations if you’re looking to go off the beaten path a bit!
- Use a different wine – any dry white wine would work great in this recipe. If you want an alcohol-free version, you can also leave the wine out entirely and just use extra chicken broth.
- Skip the mushrooms – if you’re not a fan of mushrooms, just leave them out! You can also add in one of your favorite veggies in its place.
- Add in extra herbs – minced fresh sage, rosemary, or thyme would be great in place of the parsley.
- Grate Parmesan over top individual servings – when in doubt, add cheese!
Y’all, it’s so simple but just so dang good. The orzo gets IMPOSSIBLY creamy while it cooks and paired with the juicy pan-seared chicken and tender mushrooms? It’s just one dream of a dinner.
And the fact that it’s made it in one pot and in under an hour? You just won this whole dinner game, congrats.
I would be remiss if I didn’t quick mention that wine would be the obvious choice of beverage alongside a bowl of this goodness. Just saying!
Watch this orzo made step-by-step on Google web stories!
More one pot dinners to try next time!
- Skillet Balsamic Glazed Steak and Mushrooms
- One Pot Beef Goulash
- Skillet Cherry Chicken with White Wine Sauce
One Pot Chicken Marsala Orzo
This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 medium breasts)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup dry marsala wine
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cut each breast in half horizontally so you have 4 thin chicken cutlets. Season chicken well on both sides with salt and pepper then dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 9-in cast iron skillet OR a high-walled stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until pan is hot. Add chicken and sear 3-4 minutes on first side, then flip to opposite side and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes on opposite side until chicken is golden brown and registers 165F. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to same pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add shallot and mushrooms and saute 2-3 minutes until tender. Add garlic and orzo and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until orzo is slightly toasted.
- Pour chicken broth and marsala wine into skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer orzo 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally until orzo is tender and most of liquid is evaporated.
- Reduce heat to low and fold whipping cream into orzo. Season orzo with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange chicken on top and simmer an additional 3-5 minutes on low until chicken is heated through. Top skillet with parsley and serve immediately while warm. Enjoy!
Bruce says
Great dinner. Well done!
Sarah says
Great to hear, Bruce! Enjoy. 🙂
Linda B says
OMG! This was delicious and I’m not a great fan of chicken marsala. So flavorful. Also think this would be great at a po luck with the chicken cut into bite size pieces. The orzo absorbs the Marsala flavor which really enhances the dish. Served with steamed broccoli.
This recipe is a keeper for sure.
Sarah says
I’m so happy to hear this orzo was a success, Linda! Thanks for reporting back. 🙂