Description
Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta is a delicious and hearty dish combining tender chicken breast, earthy mushrooms, and a rich Marsala wine sauce with penne pasta. This comforting pasta meal features a creamy sauce made with reduced-fat cream cheese and milk, offering a lighter twist on a classic Italian favorite. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, it delivers balanced flavors with a smooth texture and is garnished with fresh parsley for a burst of freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz penne pasta, uncooked
Chicken
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast, cubed into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 0.75 tsp kosher salt, divided
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil spray, as needed
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce
- 1 cup Marsala wine
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup skim milk (or almond milk/cashew milk as substitute)
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese
Garnish (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Pasta: Weigh out 8 oz of pasta (uncooked). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Season Chicken: Cube raw chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss chicken pieces in this flour mixture to coat evenly.
- Cook Chicken: Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and spray generously with olive oil spray. Working in two batches to avoid overcrowding, add half the chicken to the pan and sear on all sides for about 5 minutes total until golden brown. The chicken will be partially cooked at this stage. Remove and set aside; repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add more olive oil spray to the pan if needed. Add the sliced shallot and mushrooms along with the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the Marsala wine and chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Bring the liquid to a boil.
- Combine Chicken and Simmer: Return the partially cooked chicken to the pan. Reduce heat and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes to finish cooking the chicken and meld flavors.
- Make Creamy Sauce: In a measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon flour with the milk until smooth. Pour this milk mixture into the pan. Add the reduced-fat cream cheese and whisk until fully incorporated into a creamy sauce.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the cooked pasta directly to the pan. Toss everything together to coat the pasta evenly in the creamy Marsala sauce. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the pasta absorbs the sauce and the dish is heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- To keep the dish dairy-free, substitute milk with plant-based milk (almond or cashew) and omit cream cheese or use a dairy-free cream cheese alternative.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when searing chicken to ensure a golden crust and even cooking.
- If unable to find reduced-fat cream cheese, regular cream cheese can be used for a richer sauce.
- Leftover Marsala wine sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Fresh parsley adds a fresh, vibrant flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/4 recipe)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
