Chicken Marsala Pasta (Gluten Free)

This healthy Chicken Marsala Pasta recipe is prepared with sautéed mushrooms in a garlic, shallot, and wine sauce made without cream!

This Chicken Marsala with Pasta is a twist on the classic Italian-American dish. It's a comforting meal made with lots of mushrooms, marsala wine, and it's great for a weeknight dinner or a romantic meal for two!

This pasta dish is perfect when you're looking for a meal that's easy to prepare, but has a restaurant-quality feel to it. It's great when you're looking for something a little special, but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen.

It's made with diced chicken breasts that are coated in flour, browned in a skillet, and cooked in a flavorful marsala wine sauce. Cooked pasta is then tossed in the sauce and the whole thing is garnished with Parmesan cheese.

The hallmark of this chicken marsala dish are lots of mushrooms. The mushrooms, along with the marsala wine, are what give this pasta its distinct texture and flavor.

This version is made without heavy cream, making it a bit lighter than the traditional version. Even without the cream, it feels decadent and like just the thing you'll want to cozy up with on a cold winter evening.

Jump to:

• What Kind Of Mushrooms Are Best For Chicken Marsala?
• Ingredients For Chicken Marsala Pasta
• How To Make Chicken Marsala Pasta
• How To Sauté The Chicken
• What Is The Best Wine For Chicken Marsala?
• How To Make The Sauce
• Tips For Making Gluten Free Pasta
• What To Serve With Chicken Marsala
• How Long Does This Pasta Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Chicken Marsala Pasta (Gluten Free)

What Kind Of Mushrooms Are Best For Chicken Marsala?

Chicken marsala is a dish that celebrates mushrooms. The mushrooms give it an earthy flavor that is complemented by the sweetness of the marsala wine and pungency of the garlic and shallots.

The flavors are balanced and all of the ingredients in this pasta dish work together in a way that's not overwhelming, but distinct enough to make you want to come back for more.

You can use any type of mushrooms you like to make this Chicken Marsala Pasta. I often use white button or Baby Bella mushrooms, because that's what's readily available in most grocery stores, but you can enhance the flavor even more with different mushroom varieties.

Feel free to choose a common variety such as white button or cremini if you'd like to keep it simple. For a more robust flavor, opt for some chanterelle, oyster, or morel mushrooms.

Here are some of the best mushroom varieties for pasta.

• Cremini
• Portobello
• Chanterelle
• Oyster
• Porcini
• Morel

Ingredients For Chicken Marsala Pasta

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 2 Shallots (can sub ½ an onion)
• 1 lb. Chicken Breasts (boneless and skinless)
• 3 Tbsp. Gluten Free Flour Blend (or AP flour if not gluten free)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• ⅓ cup White Wine
• ⅓ cup Marsala Wine
• 2 8 oz. packages Mushrooms (any variety)
• 1 12 oz. package Gluten Free Spaghetti Noodles (or any spaghetti noodles if not gluten free)
• 1 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• ¾ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper (split)
• ½ cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• Fresh herb for garnish (optional)

How To Make Chicken Marsala Pasta

The first steps to making this pasta are to mince the garlic and shallots, slice the mushrooms, and cut the chicken breasts into chunks.

The chicken is then coated in flour before it's browned in a skillet. The chicken is then removed from the skillet, the garlic, shallots, and mushrooms are sautéed and combined with both white wine and marsala wine, along with chicken broth to create a rich and flavorful sauce.

The pasta is cooked separately, drained and rinsed, and then added to the sauce toward the end of the cooking time.

Coating the chicken in flour before sautéing it in a skillet helps to brown the chicken and the flour works to thicken the sauce once the chicken is added to it.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots (you can sub ½ an onion if necessary).
2. Wipe 2 8 oz. packages of mushrooms (any variety) to remove any excess dirt. Once cleaned, slice all of the mushrooms.
3. Cut 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into chunks. Try to make sure they are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.
4. Place the diced chicken in a bowl or onto a large plate and sprinkle with 3 Tbsp. of gluten free flour blend (or AP flour if not gluten free). Toss until the chicken is evenly coated in the flour.

How To Sauté The Chicken

It's important to use a large skillet when making this dish, so that all of the ingredients are able to fit inside of it.

If your skillet is large enough, all of the chicken may be added to it and sautéed at once. If not, add the chicken in batches, so that it doesn't crowd the pan and cooks evenly.

Make sure to add more olive oil in between batches, so that the chicken does not dry out.

Cooking times may vary slightly. It's important that the chicken is cooked after this step, but make sure not to overcook it. Overcooked chicken may become rubbery.

The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and may be checked using a food thermometer.

1. Heat a large skillet to medium high and add 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add the diced chicken to the pan along with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes per side. (The chicken should be cooked through).
2. If making the chicken in batches, remove the first half of the chicken once it's golden brown. Place on a plate and set aside.
3. Once all the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet and set aside.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and shallots to the skillet. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

What Is The Best Wine For Chicken Marsala?

Now is the point at which the sauce is created for the chicken marsala.

This dish is made with both white wine and marsala wine. The white wine adds a bright, tangy note and the marsala wine provides a nutty sweetness, which is characteristic to chicken marsala.

When it comes to white wine, I recommend a dry variety, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio when. However, any variety of white wine that you enjoy drinking will work just fine.

Marsala wine is a fortified wine from Sicily. It's often used in cooking and can be found in most liquor stores. Madeira may be used if you are unable to locate marsala wine.

1. Once the garlic and shallots are sautéed, add ⅓ cup each white wine and sweet marsala wine.
2. Return the heat to medium high and allow the wine to cook for 4-5 minutes. The liquid will reduce a bit and the alcohol flavor will dissipate from the wine.
3. Add the sliced mushrooms, along with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mushrooms will soften slightly and cook down a bit.

Love mushrooms? Check out these recipes!

• Roasted Mushroom Tapenade
• Mushroom Arugula Pizza
• Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
• Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms
• Mushroom Gruyere Tartlets

How To Make The Sauce

Chicken marsala is often made with heavy cream, but to keep things a bit lighter, this recipe is made without it.

The sauce is made with chicken broth and flavored with the reduced wines, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper.

The flour from the chicken helps the sauce to thicken as it cooks. After the sauce is cooked, it should coat the pasta nicely, creating a rich and tasty dish that's not overly decadent.

1. Prepare 1 12 oz. package of gluten free spaghetti noodles (or any spaghetti noodles if not gluten free) according to package instructions.
2. Cook the spaghetti noodles just until al dente. Once cooked, drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water.
3. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the chicken back to the skillet.
4. Pour 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth into the skillet and add ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
5. Cook the chicken and mushroom mixture for a few minutes over medium heat, allowing the sauce to thicken a bit.
6. Once the sauce is heated, add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet, along with ½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. Toss the pasta in the sauce until completely coated.
7. Continue to cook over medium heat until pasta is completely coated and heated through.

Tips For Making Gluten Free Pasta

This recipe is gluten free and calls for a brand of gluten free spaghetti noodles. Feel free to use any brand of spaghetti noodles if gluten is not an issue for you.

Gluten free pasta differs greatly depending on the brand used. I have found that some brands are superior to others in terms of texture and taste.

I recommend a high quality brand of spaghetti noodles, such as Tinkyada, Jovial, or Barilla. I have tested a lot of gluten free pasta over the years and have found these to yield the best results.

• I have found it to be very important not to overcook the noodles. Be sure to cook the spaghetti noodles just until al dente.
• As soon as the pasta is cooked to al dente, drain the noodles and rinse them immediately under cold water. This will prevent them from sticking together and helps the noodles retain their texture.
• Rinsing the noodles allows them to be tossed with all of the other ingredients in the skillet without falling apart or becoming mushy.

What To Serve With Chicken Marsala

Feel free to top this pasta with some extra shredded Parmesan cheese, or some fresh minced herbs.

Parsley, chives, or basil are all great options for garnish. The freshness of the herbs helps to brighten up a pasta dish like this one. It also adds some nice color.

I love to serve Italian dishes like pasta with a bright an flavorful salad to help balance out the richness of the noodles and sauce. It's perfect with a simple green salad, chopped Italian salad, or Caesar salad.

It's great with vibrant salads like balsamic green bean salad, marinated tomato salad, or fresh pea mint salad.

It's also nice with some toasted garlic bread or an appetizer with like bruschetta or Kalamata olive tapenade.

Pasta is perfect served with some roasted vegetables like garlic green beans or Parmesan roasted cauliflower.

Love Italian dishes? Check out these recipes!

• Garlicky Mushroom Shrimp Risotto
• Italian Short Ribs
• Spinach Walnut Pesto Pasta
• Lemon Pea Risotto
• Green Pasta Sauce
• Short Rib Risotto
• Italian Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

How Long Does This Pasta Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover pasta may be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Make sure to allow it to come to room temperature before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Can It Be Frozen?

For the best taste and texture, I do not recommend freezing this pasta.

Love pasta? Check out these recipes!

• Chicken Sausage Spaghetti
• One Pot Veggie Pasta
• Turkey Orzo Pasta
• Garden Vegetable Lasagna
• Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta
• Kale Pancetta Pasta

Looking for Italian desserts? Check out these recipes!

• Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
• Pistachio Panna Cotta

Looking For More Pasta Dishes? Don't Miss These!

Squash Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Sage

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce (Italian Sausage Marinara)

Grilled Chicken Pasta Primavera