If you love saucy chicken, you’ll enjoy this Healthy Chicken Marsala. Tender seasoned chicken breasts simmer in a savory mushroom sauce that’s perfect over noodles, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, roasted broccoli, cauliflower rice, or plain rice.
Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite Italian restaurant orders — I adore the deep brown gravy and mushrooms. I developed a healthier version while working on my cookbook Clean Paleo One-Pot Meals. That cookbook version includes a pan-cooked side, but here I present a standalone Healthy Chicken Marsala that keeps the classic flavors while simplifying the process.
This recipe is quick and skips white flour both for coating and for thickening. It’s sautéed in olive or avocado oil, and the sauce is thickened with arrowroot flour for a glossy, full-bodied gravy. The result captures the complex, comforting flavors of traditional chicken Marsala with a lighter ingredient list.
To make this recipe you’ll need the following (exact measurements and full instructions are in the recipe card below):
- Chicken breasts
- Olive or avocado oil
- Sliced mushrooms
- Garlic
- Chicken stock
- Marsala wine or coconut aminos
- Arrowroot flour
- Seasonings (salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary)
Coconut aminos vs Marsala wine
Both coconut aminos and Marsala wine work well here. Use Marsala if you want the authentic, slightly sweet fortified-wine flavor of classic chicken Marsala. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol or are following Whole30-style rules, coconut aminos provide a pleasantly sweet, umami-rich substitute. I often use coconut aminos because I keep it on hand and it gives the sauce a nice balance without altering the dish’s overall profile.
What is coconut aminos?
Coconut aminos is a popular soy sauce alternative with a slightly sweet, savory taste. It’s not the same as Liquid Aminos and it doesn’t taste like coconut. It’s gluten-free, vegan-friendly, Paleo- and Whole30-compatible, and typically lower in sodium than soy sauce. It also contributes minerals and amino acids that make it a versatile choice in healthier recipes.
What is arrowroot flour?
Arrowroot flour is a starch extracted from the arrowroot plant and is an effective substitute for cornstarch or all-purpose flour when thickening sauces. It’s neutral in flavor and blends smoothly. For this recipe, combine arrowroot with an equal amount of cool water to form a slurry, then stir it into the warm sauce off the heat. Arrowroot thickens quickly, so avoid prolonged cooking after adding it.
Can you use white flour instead of arrowroot flour?
Yes. All-purpose flour can replace arrowroot if needed. Mix it with equal parts water to make a slurry, then stir it into the sauce and continue cooking until the sauce thickens and the raw flour taste cooks out. Keep in mind flour requires cooking time to lose its raw flavor, whereas arrowroot thickens almost immediately and shouldn’t be cooked for too long.
How to store leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
How to serve this
This Chicken Marsala is best served over a starch or vegetable that soaks up the sauce: egg noodles, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, roasted broccoli, cauliflower rice, or steamed rice are all excellent choices. Spoon plenty of sauce and mushrooms over the chicken to enjoy every bite.
More recipes like this:
Creamy Herb Mushroom Chicken
Chicken in Mushroom Gravy
Savory Skillet Chicken and Veggies
Salisbury Steak in Mushroom Gravy
Healthy Chicken Marsala
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Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (I like baby portobello)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ⅓ cup Marsala wine or coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts horizontally so each breast becomes two thin cutlets.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cutlets, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until browned and mostly cooked, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and sauté the mushrooms for 3 to 5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add chicken stock, Marsala wine or coconut aminos, thyme, and rosemary. Stir, return the chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over the pieces, and simmer uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- To thicken the sauce, turn off the heat. Mix the arrowroot flour with the cold water to form a slurry, then whisk it into the sauce. The sauce will thicken almost immediately. Serve the chicken and mushrooms over your chosen base.
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 269kcal
Carbohydrates: 9g
Protein: 28g
Fat: 11g
Sodium: 513mg
Potassium: 695mg
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 4g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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