Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms & Fontina

For more easy dinner recipes, consider trying my veal saltimbocca with Marsala pan sauce, this easy chicken marsala pasta, or tender, juicy veal marsala.

Ingredient Notes

For the stuffed chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese, though Gruyère, provolone, or mozzarella work well as substitutes
• Toothpicks or kitchen twine (to secure the stuffing)

For the marsala sauce, you’ll need olive oil, butter, dry Marsala wine, chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, all-purpose flour, heavy cream, kosher salt, and black pepper.

I love to serve this with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Takes the flavor of the final dish over the top!

Marsala wine is a fortified wine from Sicily, usually supplemented with a distilled spirit, such as brandy. It’s similar in flavor to Madeira. You’ll see marsala labeled as either sweet or dry. I’m using dry marsala wine in this recipe. Sweet marsala is typically reserved for desserts!

Is there a marsala substitute? While nothing is quite the same as using marsala wine to make chicken marsala, you can use madeira wine as a substitute in a pinch! It’s not the exact same flavor, but it’s the next best thing.

Directions

1. Prepare the Filling. Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Sauté onions until softened, then add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are golden and fragrant. Cool slightly, then stir in shredded fontina cheese.
2. Stuff the Chicken. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice a pocket into the side of each chicken breast. Stuff each with the mushroom-cheese mixture and secure with toothpicks or twine.
3. Sear the Chicken. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Make the Marsala Sauce. In the same skillet, add Marsala wine, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, and sherry vinegar. Simmer to reduce slightly. Whisk in the flour (or cornstarch slurry) to thicken, then stir in heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Finish Cooking. Return the seared chicken to the skillet, reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
6. Serve! Remove toothpicks or twine, then spoon the Marsala sauce generously over the chicken. Serve with mashed potatoes, risotto, or roasted vegetables.

Serving Suggestions

• Creamy mashed potatoes — To soak up every drop of that amazing sauce.
• Parmesan risotto — Creamy and delicious!
• Garlic stir-fried string beans — A fresh, vibrant contrast to the richness of the dish.

Wine Pairings!

As part of my Date Night In series, I’m offering up a few wine suggestions to serve alongside. These pairings are made keeping in mind the natural sweetness of marsala wine (which actually plays off the earthiness of the mushrooms beautifully).

Red wine: I recommend serving marsala with a soft, subtle, lower-tannin red, such as Dolcetto. Because Dolcetto is often drunk young, it is relatively inexpensive compared to Barolo or Barbaresco (also delicious here). Alternatively, you can’t go wrong with a light Pinot Noir.

Rosé wine: Broken record here, but…. Provence rosés are my jam. They just work so well here. Light, dry, and elegant. Can’t go wrong!

Make this stuffed chicken marsala once, and you’ll find yourself craving it again and again! Let me know in the comments how it turns out!

And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! Don’t forget to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio and upload your photos below! We love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!