Chicken Marsala Fettuccine Recipe - At Home Cooking Together Date Night
Creamy, savory, and full of restaurant-quality flavor, this Chicken Marsala Fettuccine is perfect for an at-home cooking together dinner date. Crispy chicken, balsamic-roasted mushrooms and shallots, tender spinach, and a Marsala cream sauce with sage and Dijon come together in a dish that’s indulgent, approachable, and unforgettable.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
Chicken
- 8 to 10 ounces boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard , divided
- 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves , divided
- 2 ounces pancetta diced (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter, unsalted
Balsamic Shallots and Mushrooms
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 4 ounces button or cremini mushrooms ,halved
- 5 shallot cloves, cut in half
- ¼ cup plus all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
Pasta and Sauce
- ½ pound fettuccine
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- ¾ cup sweet Marsala or see section on making chicken marsala without wine
- ½ cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Roast the Shallots and Mushrooms
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss shallots and mushrooms into a baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the vinegar. Roast in oven for 30 minutes, stirring several times.
Prepare the Chicken
- While the shallots and mushrooms are roasting, place each chicken tenderloin on a large sheet of plastic wrap, cover with second sheet.
- Starting in the center of each tenderloin, pound evenly out toward the edges, taking care not to tear the flesh. Pound with meat pounder or rolling pin until ½ -inch thick throughout. Working with one flattened tenderloin at a time, spread 1 teaspoon mustard on to one side of each breast and press 2 sage leaves into the mustard side of the tenderloin.
Fried Sage
- In a 10-inch skillet (cast iron preferred), melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Fry remaining sage leaves in a single layer until crisp, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to paper towels and reserve the browned butter.
Cooking Pancetta (optional) and Sautéing Chicken
- Add pancetta to now empty pan, if using, cook until it is crisp and lightly brown, about 4 – 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta and set aside on paper towel to drain.
- Spread flour in shallow dish. Working with 1 tenderloin at a time, dredge in flour to coat both sides lightly, shaking off any excess flour.
- Heat another tablespoon of oil In the empty pancetta skillet, until it begins to shimmer. Lay chicken in skillet and cook until well browned on first side, about 4 -5 minutes. Flip chicken, reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
Making the Marsala Sauce
- Raise heat to medium-high, whisk in the marsala, scraping up any browned bits. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, cooking until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Add half of the pancetta, remaining mustard to skillet to reheat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. To serve, top chicken with pancetta, roasted mushrooms and shallots, spoon the sauce over the top.
Pasta and Assembly
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 tablespoon salt per 4 cups water). Cook fettuccine just shy of al dente. In the last 30–60 seconds, add fresh spinach to wilt. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside.
- Combine pasta, spinach, and roasted mushrooms/shallots with the sauce in skillet. Add reserved pasta water if needed. Serve chicken on top or sliced and mixed in. Garnish with fried sage leaves and crispy pancetta for extra flair.
Notes
Pasta for two tips: While most restaurants serve large portions of ½ pound of pasta per person, this recipe will use half of that - ¼ pound of pasta per person.