This Keto Chicken Marsala is a classic recipe with a healthy twist. You can’t beat this golden pan-seared chicken topped with succulent mushrooms in a rich, velvety sauce. And it has only 4.5g of carbs per serving!
Gourmet meals do not necessarily have to be a lot of work. It can come as a surprise to discover that restaurant-style dinners are often quick and easy to prepare.
Steak Diane, for example, takes 30 minutes, while Chicken Dijon whips up in 25 minutes. And you can prep, cook, and serve this delectable Keto Chicken Marsala in under an hour.
I made this dish many times in the past but I recently decided to make it again with fewer carbs. It was easy enough to prepare on a weeknight but it felt like a special occasion dish. I know I will be making it again and again!
You need to try this recipe!
The magic of Chicken Marsala is all in the sauce! It’s velvety smooth and so mouthwatering, you might be tempted to push the chicken aside and just drink it straight.
Okay, not really. But I dare you not to slurp your way through the saucy goodness. And contrary to popular belief, Marsala sauce does not have to contain a lot of sugar and carbs.
Marsala is a fortified wine and comes in both sweet and dry varieties. Fortified simply means that a distilled spirit has been added to increase the alcohol content. The dry or secco version of marsala has a carb content similar to other dry red wines. Which is to say that it contains 3 to 4g of carbs per 5 ounce serving.
In fact, most of the carbs in conventional Chicken Marsala actually come from flour. The chicken is often dredged in flour before pan-frying. But this step is actually unnecessary, as the chicken turns out just as delicious without it. And by skipping the flour, you save about 10 to 15 grams of carbs per serving.
Ingredients you need
- Chicken: I like chicken tenders for this keto chicken marsala recipe because they are thin enough to cook through quickly. You can also take breasts and slice them in half to make two thinner cutlets.
- Shallot: You could use onion or garlic, but I really love the milder flavor of shallot for this recipe.
- Mushrooms: Use button or cremini mushrooms. Did you know that cremini mushrooms and baby bellas are the same thing?
- Marsala wine: Marsala is a dessert wine, but it comes in dry or sweet varieties. The dry marsala has very little residual sugars left so it works best for this keto recipe. In a pinch, you can use another dry red such as Cabernet Sauvignon or merlot.
- Chicken broth: Adding some broth helps to thin out and round out the sauce.
- Heavy cream: The addition of cream makes a velvety sauce that pairs so nicely with the chicken and mushrooms. You could use coconut cream for a dairy-free version.
- Pantry staples: Oil, butter, salt, pepper, sage or thyme.
Step by Step Directions
1. Sear the chicken: Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Once hot, add the tenders and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side, until golden. Remove to a plate.
2. Cook the mushrooms: Add the butter to the pan and let melt. Add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the sage.
3. Add the wine: Pour the marsala over the mushrooms and let cook until the wine is reduced by about half. Add the broth and the whipping cream and bring to a boil. Let cook until sauce is beginning to thicken.
4. Put it together: Add the chicken back to the pan and cook another 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
Expert Tips
Chicken tenders work well in Keto Chicken Marsala because they are thin and cook through quickly. But you can also take chicken breasts and turn them into tenders by laying them on a cutting board and slicing them horizontally. This creates to thinner chicken cutlets, which you can then slice into smaller tenders.
You can also use boneless chicken thighs. Just be sure to open them up and lay them flat in the pan so that they cook through faster. Whatever chicken you use, make sure it reads 165ºF on an instant read thermometer to be sure it’s cooked through.
If you can’t find dry Marsala, use another dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. They aren’t fortified wines so the flavor will be slightly different but it will taste great.
You can’t really make Chicken Marsala without wine, but if you want to avoid it, simply replace the wine with more chicken broth. It won’t be quite the same, but you will have a delicious recipe for Chicken and Mushrooms!
Frequently Asked Questions
Conventional chicken marsala requires you to dredge the chicken in flour, which adds quite a few unnecessary carbs. However this Keto Chicken Marsala skips the flour and has only 4.8g of carbs per serving.
It comes as a surprise to many people that dry Marsala Wine does not contain many carbs and can be used for cooking keto recipes.
Dry Marsala Wine is the best choice for Chicken Marsala, as it deepens the flavor of the dish without making it too sweet or adding too many carbs. Dry Marsala Wine only has about 4g of carbs per 5-ounce serving.
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Rewarm it gently in the microwave or oven.
What to serve with Keto Chicken Marsala
Keto Chicken Marsala Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken tenders or breasts cut into tenders
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 2 teaspoon fresh chopped sage or thyme
- ½ cup dry marsala wine
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Once hot, add the tenders and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side, until golden. Remove to a plate.
- Add the butter to the pan and let melt. Add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the sage.
- Pour the marsala over the mushrooms and let cook until the wine is reduced by about half. Add the broth and the whipping cream and bring to a boil. Let cook until sauce is beginning to thicken.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and cook another 3 to 5 minutes to heat through.
Cassandra Condon says
absolutely devine! so easy and delicious
Cheryl Alvino says
I have Marsala cooking wine, could I use that! No, I didn’t realize cremenis were actually baby Bella’s!
Carolyn says
Yes, you can use the cooking wine!
Theresa Milanese says
Hi Carolyn!
Is there a specific brand you use of Marsala wine? I know some contain added sugar.
Thank you!
Carolyn says
The dry marsala wine shouldn’t contain any added sugar.
Becky Calaway says
Finally remembered to get boneless/skinless chicken breasts to make this. Didn’t have the wine so followed your recipe and added more chicken broth. It was delicious! My husband was impressed. I tend to make the same recipes over and over, which for us, thats fine. But it was nice to have something different. Have yet to be let down by one of your recipes. Thanks so much!
Linda Hughes says
Thank you Carolyn for all the delicious recipes you give us, they are so good, I have not made many so far, but I really want to make the chicken Masala, and the chicken with the topping, so I will let you know how they turn out.
thank you once again
Lynne Cresswell Lopes says
Sounds fantastic! Figures I had no lunch today lol. Had salsa chicken last night, so wondering how this sauce would do over grilled pork chops tonight? So I’ve figured out dinner-grilled chops with this sauce plus turnip au gratin, which is a fave of ours. will let you know!! Thanks so much for all you do!
Deanne Hamlette says
Can I sub more chicken broth for the marsala wine?
Carolyn says
Please read the blog post!