Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian dish made with chicken breast, mushrooms, and a Marsala wine sauce. It’s typically served with pasta or mashed potatoes on the side to soak up the delicious sauce. Many Italian restaurants offer Chicken Marsala as a menu item, but some people wonder if the chicken can be served over pasta instead of on the side. There are pros and cons to serving Chicken Marsala over pasta that are worth considering.
What is Chicken Marsala?
Chicken Marsala originated in Italy and is made by sautéing chicken breast cutlets in a pan with butter or oil, adding sliced mushrooms, and then deglazing the pan with Marsala wine to create a rich sauce. The chicken stays tender and juicy while the mushrooms soak up the Marsala flavor. Some key ingredients in an authentic Chicken Marsala recipe include:
- Chicken breast pounded thin into cutlets
- Flour for dredging the chicken
- Butter and olive oil for sautéing
- Sliced mushrooms (often a mix of cremini and white mushrooms)
- Dry Marsala wine
- Chicken broth
- Parsley, garlic, shallot, thyme, salt, and pepper for seasoning
The sliced mushrooms provide meaty texture and earthy flavor to balance the richness of the chicken and wine sauce. The end result is a dish that is elegant yet comfort food at the same time.
Traditional Pairings with Chicken Marsala
Chicken Marsala is usually paired with a starch on the side that can soak up some of the wonderful sauce. Some popular options include:
- Mashed potatoes
- Pasta (such as fettuccine or linguine)
- Risotto
- Polenta
- Roasted potatoes
The pasta or starch takes on an amazing flavor when you scoop up some of the Chicken Marsala sauce with each bite. The carbs provide a hearty base for the rich sauce.
Benefits of Serving Chicken Marsala Over Pasta
While traditional pairings work wonderfully, more and more Italian restaurants are opting to serve the Chicken Marsala sauce over a bed of pasta. Here are some of the benefits of having the chicken and sauce served over linguine, fettuccine, or spaghetti versus on the side:
- Less work for eating – Don’t have to scoop sauce and chicken together over each bite of pasta. It’s already combined.
- Sauce infuses flavor into the pasta – The pasta soaks up and absorbs all the richness of the sauce as it cooks together.
- More even sauce distribution – Less chance of getting bites that are sauce-heavy or sauce-light.
- Easier to eat – With the chicken and sauce on top, twirling long pasta strands becomes simpler.
- Comfort food factor – Something about chicken and sauce served over pasta just seems like the ultimate comfort meal.
For many people, having the Chicken Marsala served over linguine or fettuccine just feels more natural than eating the chicken, sauce, and pasta all separately. The flavors marry together beautifully.
Potential Drawbacks of Serving over Pasta
However, there are a few potential drawbacks of having Chicken Marsala served over pasta versus on the side that are worth keeping in mind:
- Pasta absorbs sauce – Less sauce left to enjoy if it’s all soaked into the pasta.
- Pasta can get soggy – Fettuccine or linguine that sits in sauce for a while can become bloated and mushy.
- Less control over sauce to chicken to pasta ratios in each bite.
- Sauce sticks to pasta – Less sauce left on the chicken itself.
- Have to cut chicken into smaller pieces – Long chicken breast cutlets may be awkward over strands of pasta.
If you really want to taste the Chicken Marsala sauce distinctly or control the ratio of chicken to sauce to pasta in each bite, having them plated separately may be preferable.
Tips for Serving Chicken Marsala on Pasta
If you do opt to serve Chicken Marsala over pasta, here are some tips to make it as delicious as possible:
- Use pasta shapes that cling to sauce – Fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti work better than smaller pastas like penne or rigatoni.
- Parcook pasta before adding sauce – Blanch pasta briefly so it doesn’t overcook in the sauce.
- Toss pasta with sauce – Coat evenly and prevent sogginess.
- Use enough sauce – Don’t skimp on the Marsala sauce so the pasta has ample moisture.
- Cut chicken into strips – Make it easier to eat mixed into pasta strands.
- Sprinkle with parsley – Fresh chopped parsley adds flavor pop and aesthetic appeal.
With the right pasta choice and method, you can end up with an absolutely divine Chicken Marsala pasta dish.
Serving Chicken Marsala Family-Style
For larger family-style meals, an ideal solution can be to serve the chicken and sauce over pasta family-style in a large dish, accompanied by a bowl of extra sauce on the side. This gives diners the flexibility to scoop as much chicken, pasta, and extra sauce as they want onto their own plates. You get the saucy chicken and pasta combined but can add additional drizzled sauce too. It’s the best of both serving methods!
Conclusion
Chicken Marsala can be served beautifully either over pasta or with pasta on the side per tradition. Serving the chicken and sauce over noodles has advantages like easier eating, married flavors, and a comfort food appeal. But plating separately allows you to better control sauce ratios and prevents soggy pasta. There’s no wrong way, only personal preferences! Restaurants often choose based on ease of execution for their kitchen. At home, serve Chicken Marsala on or with pasta based on what sounds best for the occasion. However you choose to enjoy it, Chicken Marsala is a rustic Italian classic pairing succulent chicken with an incredible mushroom Marsala pan sauce.
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Tips for Cooking Chicken Marsala
Here are some handy tips for making foolproof Chicken Marsala at home:
- Pound chicken breast thin so it cooks quickly and stays tender.
- Use a mix of cremini and white mushrooms for depth of flavor.
- Cook mushrooms in batches for caramelization.
- Let wine reduce to thicken sauce.
- Finish sauce with a pat of butter for richness.
- Garnish with chopped parsley for freshness.
Marsala Wine Varieties
Marsala wine originally hails from Sicily and gives this chicken dish its signature flavor. The three main types of Marsala wine are:
- Oro – Sweetest style, with hints of honey
- Amber – Medium sweetness, with dried fruit notes
- Dry – Completely dry with nutty flavor
The dry style works best for Chicken Marsala’s savory sauce. Add a splash of chicken broth if the dry Marsala makes the sauce too tart.
Pasta Shapes for Chicken Marsala
If serving Chicken Marsala over pasta, these classic Italian pasta shapes pair beautifully:
- Fettuccine
- Linguine
- Spaghetti
- Tagliatelle
- Pappardelle
Thicker noodle shapes hold the rich sauce without getting soggy. Pair the Chicken Marsala with a garlic bread side and a leafy green salad for a satisfying Italian-inspired meal.