Stuffed Chicken Marsala (Olive Garden Copycat) (2024)

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4.93 from 142 votes

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Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Published: May 9, 2021Updated: January 27, 2022

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Stuffed chicken marsala is a delicious Olive Garden copycat dish featuring mozzarella, parmesan, and sun dried tomatoes, smothered in savory marsala mushroom sauce – ready in just 45 minutes!

Stuffed Chicken Marsala (Olive Garden Copycat) (1)

If you are fan of this Stuffed Chicken Marsala, you’ll love Honey Lime Garlic Chicken, Creamy Parmesan Chicken and Mushrooms, and Three Cheese Balsamic Stuffed Chicken.

There’s a big fat fusion of flavors happening right here right now and I’m SO EXCITED about it. Good ole’ chicken marsala meets Italian stuffed chicken breast and it is so darn good.

If you thought you liked chicken marsala before, you’re going to go nuts for this version. An extra 5-10 minutes is all it takes to transform a classic into the best weeknight meal you’ve had in ages. I feel like from this day forward we should just all agree that chicken marsala should always be stuffed. Everybody on board?? Excellent.

Why This Recipe Works

Stuffing the chicken — This chicken marsala dish comes across elegant and sophisticated, even though it is incredibly easy to make with simple ingredients. If you haven’t stuffed chicken before – don’t fret! – it’s a walk in the park. Simply cut a horizontal slit in one side of the chicken, being sure not to cut quite all the way through the other side, to make a pocket.

Cheese, cheese, cheese — This creamy chicken marsala uses both mozzarella and parmesan cheese and the combo is pure heaven! Don’t be afraid to add extra cheese if that’s your thing — because it’s my thing and I totally get it! I even like to throw some finely grated parmesan cheese on top at the end for that last little punch of YUM.

Sauce — The key here is to not clean that pan after searing the chicken. You want to deglaze (get off from the bottom of) the pan with the marsala cooking wine, garlic, mushrooms, salt and pepper, and heavy cream. The browned “bits” leftover from cooking the chicken mix into the sauce and give it extra flavor.

Sun dried tomatoes — Tasty and tart, sun dried tomatoes really elevate this easy chicken marsala into a whole other world. You can find them jarred and are so easy to finely chop and add to just about any recipe.

Stuffed Chicken Marsala (Olive Garden Copycat) (2)

Here’s How You Make It

Making this fancy-sounding stuffed chicken recipe with marsala sauce couldn’t be easier!

  1. First, turn the oven on to preheat to 400 degrees. Then, cut a slit horizontally along one side each chicken breast with a sharp knife. Take care to not cut all the way through the chicken so that you have a “pocket” in which to put all the yummy fillings.
  2. Now fill each chicken pocket with the following: 2 slices of mozzarella cheese, 1/4 of the sun dried tomatoes, and 1/4 of the shredded parmesan cheese.
  3. Seal the open chicken edges together by pinching and add toothpicks to secure. Drizzle the chicken with oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste as well as Italian seasoning. Rub the spices in with your fingers.
  4. Add the chicken to a large, oven-safe skillet and brown the chicken on both sides over medium-high heat. This will take about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken and put it on a plate while you make the marsala sauce.
  5. Using the same pan, add the wine, garlic, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and heavy cream. Stir this all together (and scrape up those browned chicken bits too) and bring to a boil, cooking for about 3-4 minutes. Now add the chicken back to the pan and spoon some of the sauce over it.
  6. Put the skillet into the preheated oven and allow it to bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the cheese has melted. Spoon more marsala sauce over the top and top that with grated parmesan and fresh herbs and serve.
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Ideas For Serving this Recipe

This Olive Garden copycat chicken marsala is so good all by itself but there are also so many ways to serve this yummy stuffed chicken.

  • I love serving this creamy chicken marsala over white or brown rice. Or use riced cauliflower if you want a low-carb option. Place one stuffed chicken breast on a scoop of rice and then cover in more of that delicious marsala sauce.
  • This stuffed chicken is also really good over pasta — wide egg noodles are my favorite choice, but any kind of pasta will do.
  • This chicken is great with a side of mashed potatoes. Add extra marsala sauce on top of the mashed potatoes, you won’t regret it.
  • Serve the chicken in a bowl with lots of sauce, a side salad, and rolls or crusty French bread for dipping up all that yummy sauce.

Expert Tips

  • I use sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and lightly rinsed. If you can’t find them julienned you can buy sun dried tomato halves and thinly slice them yourself.
  • For best results, use chicken that’s all about the same size to ensure even cooking.
  • If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, cook as directed, then add the sauce and chicken to a baking dish before baking in the oven.
Stuffed Chicken Marsala (Olive Garden Copycat) (4)

More Delicious Chicken Recipes

  • Greek Avocado Chicken Salad
  • Chicken Salad with Grapes
  • Best Broccoli Salad (without mayo!)
  • Strawberry Pasta Spinach Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing
  • Greek Lemon Rice

Did you try this amazingly easy and tasty grilled chicken recipe? YAY! Please rate the recipe below!

Stuffed Chicken Marsala (Olive Garden Copycat) (5)

Stuffed Chicken Marsala (Olive Garden Copycat)

Seasoned and stuffed chicken marsala is a delicious Olive Garden copycat dish featuring mozzarella, parmesan, and sun dried tomatoes, smothered in savory marsala mushroom sauce.

4.93 from 142 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 8 slices mozzarella cheese
  • 1 12-ounce jar julienned sun dried tomatoes - see note
  • cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Marsala Sauce

  • 1 ½ cups marsala cooking wine - (may sub chicken broth)
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon salt - or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper - or to taste
  • grated parmesan cheese and parsley or thyme for topping (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a sharp knife to cut a slit horizontally along one side of the chicken breast, being sure not to cut all the way through the chicken – the goal is to make a “pocket”.

  • Fill each pocket with 2 slices of mozzarella cheese, 1/4 of the sun dried tomatoes, and 1/4 of the shredded parmesan cheese.

  • Pinch together the open side of the chicken breasts and secure with toothpicks. Drizzle chicken with oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and Italian seasoning, rubbing in with your fingers.

  • Transfer chicken to a large oven-safe skillet and brown chicken over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Place chicken on a plate while you prepare the marsala sauce.

  • In the same pan (don’t clean it) add marsala cooking wine, garlic, mushrooms, salt and pepper, and heavy cream. Stir and bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes. Return chicken pan and spoon some of the sauce over the chicken.

  • Transfer skillet to preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked all the way through and cheeses are melted. Spoon sauce over the chicken, top with grated parmesan cheese and parsley or thyme if desired, and serve.

Notes

I use sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and lightly rinsed. If you can’t find them julienned you can buy sun dried tomato halves and thinly slice them yourself.

Nutrition

Calories: 722 kcal, Carbohydrates: 17 g, Protein: 45 g, Fat: 42 g, Saturated Fat: 19 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 173 mg, Sodium: 1054 mg, Potassium: 694 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 8 g, Vitamin A: 1018 IU, Vitamin C: 3 mg, Calcium: 524 mg, Iron: 2 mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Tiffany

Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @cremedelacrumb1 on Instagram and hashtag it #cremedelacrumb!

Stuffed Chicken Marsala (Olive Garden Copycat) (2024)

FAQs

Did Olive Garden stop making stuffed chicken Marsala? ›

Since then, chicken marsala has remained a constant on the Olive Garden menu, except for the brief moment it vanished in 2020. And though Olive Garden announced it was only coming back as a "limited offering" in fall 2020 (via Fast Food Post), as of May 2022, it still remains on the menu.

Is dry or sweet Marsala better for chicken Marsala? ›

Most tasters found sweet Marsala more palatable when sampled straight. However, when we tried both styles in recipes for chicken Marsala, mushroom stuffing, and zabaglione, tasters preferred the dry style in all instances.

How can I thicken my chicken Marsala sauce? ›

Flour plus fat (butter) = roux. A roux is used as a thickening agent in sauces. Sooo, with the butter from the pan and the butter the mushrooms have absorbed, plus the chicken cutlets coated in flour… This all means when the cutlets get added back to the sauce – that flour and butter combo is what thickens the sauce.

What's the difference between chicken piccata and chicken Marsala? ›

While both chicken piccata and chicken Marsala are cooked in the same way, there are a few key differences between the two dishes. Chicken piccata isn't creamy. It's cooked with white wine, chicken broth, capers, and lemon juice. It's tangy and bright instead of rich and creamy.

What is a good substitute for Marsala in a recipe? ›

What can I use instead of marsala wine? The best substitute for marsala wine is madeira, another kind of fortified wine with a similar flavour profile. Other alternatives include other fortified wines such as commandaria, sherry, vermouth, and port.

Why did Olive Garden get rid of never ending pasta? ›

Olive Garden decided to ditch the Never Ending Pasta Bowl in 2021, when its restaurants were busy and short-staffed. Same-store sales that quarter exceeded the same period in 2019, the last time the promo ran. This year is a different story.

Can you use regular marsala wine for Chicken Marsala? ›

If added after fermentation, the wine will be dry. Should you use sweet or dry Marsala in your Chicken Marsala recipe? It doesn't make a huge difference, and either option will produce delicious results, but I would go for dry because the sweet Marsala has a bit too much sugar for such a savory dish.

Is dry marsala wine the same as Marsala cooking wine? ›

Dry Marsala is typically used for savory entrées where it adds a nutty flavor and caramelization to beef tenderloin, mushrooms, turkey and veal. Sweet Marsala is typically used to make very sweet and viscous sauces. You'll commonly find it used in desserts such as zabaglione and main dishes with chicken or pork loin.

What's the difference between Marsala and Madeira? ›

Madeira (named after the Portuguese island where it is made) uses Sercial, Verdelho, Boal and Malvasia grapes. Marsala, the famed Italian fortified wine some consider one the world's best, is made in Sicily from Grillo, Inzolia (white), Catarratto and Nerello Mascalese (red) grapes.

Does butter thicken sauce? ›

Butter does not provide any thickening to a sauce, since it is made of just fat and water. But a chunk of butter, salted or unsalted, swirled into a sauce at the end, can temporarily emulsify a sauce, while adding richness and sheen, all of which are good things.

What does piccata mean in Italian? ›

Piccata, though, is an Italian word meaning larded. It seems to be a translation of the French word pique (sharp, as in piquant). When used in a reference to a way of preparing food (particularly meat or fish) it means sliced and sauteed in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices.

What is the difference between Chicken Marsala and chicken francese? ›

Chicken Francese shares the same basic preparation as Chicken Marsala, but foregoes the Marsala wine and mushrooms in favor of a white wine and lemon-butter sauce.

Can you get Chicken Marsala at Olive Garden? ›

20.49. Chicken sautéed with spinach and mushrooms in a creamy marsala mushroom sauce. Served over fettuccine.

Will Olive Garden bring back chicken giardino? ›

I liked the old pasta... I loved the Chicken Giardino Olive Garden use to have and removed from their menu for a few years. Well they have brought it back but the pasta is different. I liked the old pasta better but their new recipe is great.

Why did Olive Garden get rid of mushroom ravioli? ›

Stuffed Pasta On Limited Supply

The promos and the discontinuation of Olive Garden's giant stuffed shells are part of the chain tweaking its menu. In 2023, it discontinued its stuffed mushroom ravioli -- another stuffed pasta causality of the chain-shifting focus.

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