Chicken Marsala is an Italian dish, named after the city in Sicily for which it was named. Any way you cook it, the chicken bubbles away in a sauce made up of Marsala wine and mushrooms; and when it's done in the slow cooker, you get especially tender fall-apart chicken.
I like using cremini mushrooms, as I find they give even more depth to the rich sauce, but find one you like and run with it. And when chicken's on the menu at our house, I usually tend to go for thighs over white meat. Not only are they usually a cheaper cut of meat, their higher fat content gives them way more flavor.
Slow cooker chicken marsalaPrep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 7 hours
Serves: 4 - 6
Ingredients6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup (250 ml) sliced cremini mushrooms
1 cup (250 ml) dry Marsala wine
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 ml) chicken stock, divided
1/4 cup (65 ml) cornstarch
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons (45 ml) freshly chopped parsley
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions1. Place all-purpose flour into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. One by one, toss the chicken thighs in the flour, shake off excess, and place in a 6-quart slow cooker that's been greased with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the Marsala wine, 1/4 cup chicken stock, garlic, and cremini mushrooms. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir to incorporate all ingredients. Pour over the chicken in the slow cooker.
3. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken from the slow cooker and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch together with the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock and add to the sauce in the slow cooker. Add parsley and stir. Taste sauce, and add more salt or pepper, if necessary.
5. Place chicken back into the slow cooker. Replace the lid and turn heat to high. Cook for another 30 - 40 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken has warmed back through.
Pro tip: When using Marsala wine, you can choose either sweet or dry Marsala. I use dry Marsala wine in this recipe because I prefer dry wine, but sweet Marsala would work just as nicely.
