Tender Chicken Marsala (Olive Garden Copycat) (2024)

Have you ever found yourself craving that irresistible Olive Garden Chicken Marsala but didn't want to leave the comfort of home? Well, you're in for a treat! I'm excited to share with you this delightful copycat recipe that brings the classic taste of Olive Garden right to your dinner table.

Imagine the tender, pan-seared chicken smothered in a savory Marsala wine and mushroom sauce, all made with a dash of love! With easy dinner ideas like this, who needs a reservation?

Ingredients Needed

Many people like to start with chicken breasts, but for really tender chicken I turn to chicken tenderloins. They cook faster and are, by definition, a more tender piece of the breast meat.

I also use 2 types of mushrooms, to really get a fully rich mushroom flavor in the Marsala wine sauce. If you have trouble finding the dried mushrooms, you can double up on fresh - see the Substitutions section below.

How to Make this Deliciously Tender Chicken Marsala

There are plenty of chicken Marsala recipes out there, but I fell in love with it at Olive Garden so I wanted to try to replicate their version as closely as possible. The standout qualities for me are: the delicious and abundant mushrooms, the incredibly tender chicken, and the amazing sweet and savory Marsala wine sauce.

To start, season the chicken with salt and pepper, then coat it with a dusting of flour.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet, then add the chicken tenders. Let the tenders cook about 4 to 5 minutes each side, until golden colored and chicken is fully cooked. Remove the tenders to a plate and set aside while you cook the rest of the sauce.

Add a little more oil to the hot skillet, then add the fresh mushrooms and shallot. Sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Add the Marsala wine to the skillet and the Porcini mushrooms. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to bring all the browned on bits of flavor into the sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the wine is reduced by about half.

See Also

Chicken Parmigiana Olive Garden Copycat RecipeOlive Garden Chicken ParmesanI'm Never Making Chicken Another Way After Trying This Olive Garden Chicken PastaCrockpot Olive Garden Chicken with Pasta

While the mushrooms are cooking, mix the rest of the sauce ingredients. I like to use a measuring cup for the broth and then just add the Dijon, Worcestershire, and brown sugar right to the same cup, and whisk it all together.

When the wine has reduced, add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the skillet and give it a good stir.

Add a little butter to give your sauce that extra touch of silky quality. Then add back the cooked chicken tenders. Warm everything through, then turn the heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

With this savory Olive Garden Chicken Marsala, the possibilities for sides are as limitless as they are delicious. I love the sauce on pasta, and fettucini noodles make it most like Olive Garden. But wide egg noodles work great also - anything to soak up that deliciously rich sauce.

I like having this with a simple green salad dressed with oil and vinegar, to provide a contrast to the richness of the meal. A green vegetable works also.

Oh, and for the authentic Olive Garden experience, don't forget the freshly grated Parmesan cheese! Just say when!

Substitutions and Variations

For me, there are two of these ingredients that I can't always find at my local grocery store: Marsala cooking wine, and Porcini mushrooms. I've never made this without Marsala wine (it's in the name, after all) however I do think using cooking sherry would work in a pinch.

I have made it without Porcini mushrooms. For this, I double up on fresh mushrooms and use 2 different kinds - white button and cremini usually, just to get some mushroom variety.

And if you can't find chicken tenders, you can always use boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into long strips. An extra step, to make them resemble chicken tenders LOL. But sometimes its what you have to work with!

Storage

All hail the leftovers! Store in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, I do use the microwave but if you just blast it on high you risk the texture. So I microwave on about 60-70% power for a few minutes to reheat. You could also gently reheat it on the stovetop in a pan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chicken Marsala (Olive Garden copycat)

No need to make a reservation to enjoy this delicious Chicken Marsala! Like having an Olive Garden meal in your own kitchen!

Servings: 6

Calories: 349kcal

Author: Sula

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 558mg | Potassium: 712mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.