There’s nothing quite like coming home to the comforting aroma of a delicious meal simmering away, especially on a busy weeknight.
This Slow Cooker Chicken & Mushroom Sauce Marsala recipe delivers exactly that – tender chicken bathed in a rich, creamy mushroom sauce that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but required minimal effort.
This recipe is designed for ease and maximum flavor, making it a perfect addition to your family’s rotation. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy a classic dish without the fuss, letting your slow cooker do all the hard work while you focus on other things.
Table of Contents
- What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
- Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
- Time Needed From Start To Finish
- How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
- Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
- Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
- How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
Slow Cooker Chicken & Mushroom Sauce Marsala
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken & Mushroom Sauce Marsala recipe delivers tender chicken bathed in a rich, creamy mushroom sauce that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but required minimal effort. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy a classic dish without the fuss, letting your slow cooker do all the hard work while you focus on other things.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. 1. Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts or thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. This initial seasoning is crucial for building flavor from the start.
2. 2. Sear the Chicken (Optional but Recommended): In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned. This step adds a beautiful depth of flavor and color, but if you’re truly short on time, you can skip it and place the raw chicken directly into the slow cooker.
3. 3. Saute Aromatics: Add the sliced mushrooms and chopped onion to the same skillet (or directly to the slow cooker if you skipped searing). Saute for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms are softened and the onion is translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. 4. Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the seared chicken (if using) and the sauteed mushroom and onion mixture to your slow cooker. Pour in the Marsala wine and chicken broth. Ensure the chicken is mostly submerged in the liquid.
5. 5. Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily shredded with a fork. The exact time may vary slightly depending on your slow cooker.
6. 6. Thicken the Sauce: Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the liquid in the slow cooker.
7. 7. Add Cream and Finish: Stir in the heavy cream. Cover and cook on high for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
8. 8. Shred and Serve: Shred the cooked chicken using two forks or cut it into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir to coat it in the creamy Marsala sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve hot.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-8 hours
- Category: main dish
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: italian-american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
Keywords: chicken marsala, slow cooker, weeknight meal, creamy sauce, mushrooms, easy dinner, comfort food, chicken thighs, marsala wine, family friendly
What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
This Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala is a true weeknight hero for so many reasons. First and foremost, it’s incredibly hands-off. After a quick initial prep, you can set it and forget it, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen over several hours. This makes it ideal for busy parents, working professionals, or anyone who wants a delicious, home-cooked meal without standing over the stove. The chicken becomes wonderfully tender, practically falling apart, and the creamy mushroom sauce is rich and savory, perfect for spooning over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. It’s a comforting, hearty dish that appeals to a wide range of palates, making it a reliable crowd-pleaser for family dinners or even casual entertaining. You’ll appreciate how effortlessly it transforms simple ingredients into something truly special.
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Gathering your ingredients ahead of time makes the cooking process smooth and enjoyable. This recipe uses readily available items you likely already have or can easily find at any grocery store. The combination of savory chicken, earthy mushrooms, and the distinct flavor of Marsala wine creates a harmonious and deeply satisfying sauce that’s both elegant and approachable.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms (baby bellas)
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup Marsala wine (sweet or dry, depending on preference)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
When it comes to substitutions, boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts for an even more tender and flavorful result. If you don’t have cremini mushrooms, white button mushrooms work perfectly fine. For the Marsala wine, while it’s key to the classic flavor, if you prefer to avoid alcohol, you can substitute it with an equal amount of additional chicken broth and a splash of balsamic vinegar for a similar depth of flavor, though the taste will be slightly different. For a dairy-free option, you can try using full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream, but be aware it will impart a subtle coconut flavor.
Time Needed From Start To Finish
The beauty of slow cooking is that while the total cooking time is longer, your active involvement is quite minimal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes (depending on slow cooker setting)
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Creating this delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala is incredibly straightforward. Follow these simple steps for a perfect meal every time.
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts or thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. This initial seasoning is crucial for building flavor from the start.
- Sear the Chicken (Optional but Recommended): In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned. This step adds a beautiful depth of flavor and color, but if you’re truly short on time, you can skip it and place the raw chicken directly into the slow cooker.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the sliced mushrooms and chopped onion to the same skillet (or directly to the slow cooker if you skipped searing). Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms are softened and the onion is translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the seared chicken (if using) and the sautéed mushroom and onion mixture to your slow cooker. Pour in the Marsala wine and chicken broth. Ensure the chicken is mostly submerged in the liquid.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily shredded with a fork. The exact time may vary slightly depending on your slow cooker.
- Thicken the Sauce: Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the liquid in the slow cooker.
- Add Cream and Finish: Stir in the heavy cream. Cover and cook on high for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Shred and Serve: Shred the cooked chicken using two forks or cut it into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir to coat it in the creamy Marsala sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve hot.
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
This Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala is incredibly versatile and can be adapted to suit various tastes and occasions. For a kid-friendly twist, you can reduce the amount of Marsala wine slightly and increase the chicken broth, or substitute the Marsala entirely with more broth and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Kids often enjoy it served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes, as the creamy sauce is very appealing.
To make it a heartier meal, consider adding some vegetables directly to the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking, such as baby carrots, chopped bell peppers, or even some spinach that will wilt down beautifully. For a different flavor profile, you could add a pinch of dried thyme or rosemary along with the chicken broth.
This dish is fantastic for party or buffet serving. You can keep it warm in the slow cooker on the “warm” setting, allowing guests to serve themselves. It pairs wonderfully with a variety of sides: classic mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, rice pilaf, or even a simple side of steamed green beans or asparagus. For a complete meal, serve it with a crusty baguette to soak up all that delicious sauce.
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
Even with a straightforward recipe like this, a few common mistakes can impact the final result. Being aware of them can help you achieve perfect Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala every time.
One frequent slip-up is overcooking the chicken. While slow cookers are forgiving, chicken breasts can become dry and stringy if cooked for too long, especially on the high setting. Keep an eye on the tenderness; once it shreds easily, it’s done. Using chicken thighs can offer a bit more leeway as they tend to stay moister.
Another error is not searing the chicken and sautéing the aromatics. While optional, these steps significantly deepen the flavor profile of the dish. Searing creates a delicious browned crust on the chicken, and sautéing the mushrooms and onions brings out their sweetness and savory notes. Skipping this step can result in a flatter, less complex flavor.
Adding the heavy cream and cornstarch slurry too early can also be a mistake. Cream can sometimes curdle if cooked for too long at high heat, and cornstarch loses its thickening power if it boils for an extended period. Always add these towards the end of the cooking process, after the chicken is tender, to ensure a smooth, thick, and creamy sauce.
Finally, not seasoning adequately at each stage can lead to a bland dish. Remember to season the chicken before cooking and taste the sauce before serving, adjusting salt and pepper as needed. The Marsala wine and chicken broth bring a lot of flavor, but a final seasoning touch is often necessary.
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
This Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala is excellent for meal prepping and leftovers, as the flavors often deepen overnight.
To store leftovers, allow the dish to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it in freezer-safe containers for up to 2-3 months. If freezing, be aware that dairy-based sauces can sometimes separate slightly upon thawing and reheating, but a good stir usually brings them back together.
To reheat, if refrigerated, you can gently warm individual portions in the microwave until heated through, stirring occasionally. For larger batches, reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, or in the slow cooker on the “warm” setting until hot. If reheating from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator first, then follow
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
- How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
- Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
- Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.
