# Dry or sweet wine for Chicken Marsala



## joycee

Hello from southern CA.  This site looks like fun and sometimes I need a cooking question answered.  I will be making Chicken Marsala this weekend and need to know should I buy sweet or dry Marsala wine?  Hoping one of you can help.  Thanks .....Joycee


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## keltin

Depends on what you like, but sweet Marsala isn’t *that* sweet. But dry Marsala does tend to be *that* dry. I’ve always used a sweet Marsala for this dish. DW loves it, and I tried dry Marsala once and was greeted with frowns. So, I’d suggest the sweet Marsala…….anyone who’s had it at Olive Garden or the likes was more than likely confronted with sweet Marsala.


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## Bilby

Never made the dish but I would always go for the sweeter of the two.


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## joycee

Keltin,  Thanks for your advice.  I am sure it will be delicious.


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## Andy M.

joycee, welcome to DC.  

The traditional recipe for chicken/veal marsala calls for dry marsala.  That's what I use as well.

Using sweet marsala will give you a different taste.   If you like sweetness in a chicken dish, you can go for that.  It will still be chicken marsala, just a different version.


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## Cajun Cook

I would love to find a good chicken marsala recipe.  I think the best I ever had was at at a Macaroni Grill.


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## GB

I always use dry for my chicken marsala. I find it much better than the sweet.


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## Andy M.

Cajun Cook said:


> I would love to find a good chicken marsala recipe. I think the best I ever had was at at a Macaroni Grill.


 

This is an excellent recipe from one of the best.


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## kitchenelf

Here is my recipe that ALWAYS turns out wonderful and moist - and VERY tasty too!

I also use dry marsala.


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## keltin

Interesting. America's Test Kitchen/Cooks Illustrated, Giada De Laurentiis, Tyler Florence, and many others all advocate sweet Marsala. And at one time, Kitchenelf advocated sweet Marsala by Superiore (check post #6 in that link). I've got to agree with Cooks Illustrated that the sweet has more depth of flavor and smoother finish.

Joycee, if you like Chicken Marsala, I’m sure you’ll make it or even Veal Marsala again, so if you can, try a sweet one time and then a dry the next and see what you think.


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## ChefJune

imho, DRY Marsala makes for a much better flavor for this dish.  Sweet Marsala IS a dessert wine. I use it for Zabaglione.  

Ran out of the dry one time and tried to sub out the sweet, and NO ONE ate it!  never made that error again.  I don't recommend the sweet at all.


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## keltin

ChefJune said:


> Ran out of the dry one time and tried to sub out the sweet, and NO ONE ate it!


 
Wow, how incredibly rude. You need to get better friends. Not even a bite? How pretentious to decline on smell alone. That must have made you feel pretty bad to be around people like that.


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## Constance

We use the sweet Marsala, and it's delicious. I can't imagine anyone not liking it.


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## GB

keltin said:


> Wow, how incredibly rude. You need to get better friends. Not even a bite? How pretentious to decline on smell alone. That must have made you feel pretty bad to be around people like that.





keltin said:


> I tried dry Marsala once and was greeted with frowns


Sounds like you might have some rude friends yourself.


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## keltin

GB said:


> Sounds like you might have some rude friends yourself.


 
Nah, it’s called a wife. She absolutely loves Chicken Marsala, and I cook it for her on request. Ran out of Sweet and used dry. She frowned and told me she preferred the sweet, but we both ate it.....unlike NO ONE ate it. There is a difference between a frown and flat out denial.


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## joycee

To all who replied to sweet or dry Marsala question.  You were so quick to respond and advise me with different opinions.  I am so glad I joined this group and will try one or the other and post my results.

Thanks thanks thanks


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## CharlieD

Hm, now that you mention, I better check what in the world I have been using all this time. Never occurred to me to even check kosher Marsala wine is not readily available here, so I used what I was able to find and never bother to check.


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## jennyema

Cooks Illustrated recommends sweet, even for savory dishes like chicken marsala.

Personally I prefer dry.

It's totally a matter of taste -- what do _you_ prefer?  If you like a decided sweet note in your sauce, than sweet may be right.  Remember that it will not be really sweet even if you use sweet marsala.


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## Uncle Bob

Well I just got back from my Bunker....My Marsala says....Dry. I wouldn't have known unless I looked. Sooo! Tomorrow, I will saddle up and ride into town in seach of "Sweet" marsala. I've always enjoyed the "Dry" but now my curiosity is up!


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## Cajun Cook

Awesome! Thanx Andy. Always looking to broaden my my horizons. Think I will pick up the stuff to make it this weekend.

Jim




Andy M. said:


> This is an excellent recipe from one of the best.


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## ChefJune

Cajun Cook said:


> Awesome! Thanx Andy. Always looking to broaden my my horizons. Think I will pick up the stuff to make it this weekend.
> 
> Jim


One of my all-time favorite things to make and to eat!  Veal Marsala!!!!


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## kitchenelf

joycee said:


> To all who replied to sweet or dry Marsala question.  You were so quick to respond and advise me with different opinions.  I am so glad I joined this group and will try one or the other and post my results.
> 
> Thanks thanks thanks



This goes to show you - it ain't rocket science - it's your taste buds and what YOU prefer.  So.......you can deduce that either will work and unless you try them side by side you'll never know which you prefer.  

I'm glad you joined us and we hope to see you here often!


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## keltin

kitchenelf said:


> you can deduce that either will work and *unless you try them side by side you'll never know which you prefer*.


 
How incredibly correct you are! I never even thought of that! Good one! 

That is to say, they could try either dry or sweet first, and to them that will be Marsala Chicken. They never need go any further. But they could......how profound!


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## Fisher's Mom

I made chicken marsala for the first time tonight and the family gobbled it up! I checked this thread before making it and was surprised and intrigued about the dry vs sweet marsala aspect. All I had was sweet so that's what I used. Everyone liked it but about half of my kids said they didn't care for the sweetness that was especially noticeable in the mushrooms. The rest of them love the sweetness especially! So next time, I think I'll make it in 2 pans - half with sweet and half with dry and we can compare them side by side.


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## kadesma

Fisher's Mom said:


> I made chicken marsala for the first time tonight and the family gobbled it up! I checked this thread before making it and was surprised and intrigued about the dry vs sweet marsala aspect. All I had was sweet so that's what I used. Everyone liked it but about half of my kids said they didn't care for the sweetness that was especially noticeable in the mushrooms. The rest of them love the sweetness especially! So next time, I think I'll make it in 2 pans - half with sweet and half with dry and we can compare them side by side.


Great idea FM I love Marsala both sweet and dry, but I prefer the sweet. I love that sweetness it imparts to the mushrooms..My whole family does as well..The sweetness is what got Ethan and Olivia into eating mushrooms...I've also used the dry and would not refuse it just because it's dry..I don't think what we use in a recipe should be set in stone..It should be what tastes good to us.I find myself getting tight lipped with someone who just can't bend and accept that we all have different likes and dislikes, and just because I like something different than you do, makes you wrong and me right..Nope we are both right

kadesma


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## black chef

i make chicken marsala all the time.

i recommend sweet marsala; namely lombardi or florio (my personal favorite).

brown the chicken & remove from the pan.
remove all but 1 T of the oil.
add-in the mushrooms with a dash of salt & cook til they release their water.
deglaze with the sweet marsala.
add-in about 1/3 cup chicken stock (optional)
reduce to a nice sauce consistency.
add-in the chicken and cover with the sauce.  

i eat it over spaghetti or with garlic mashed potatoes.

it doesn't get much easier than that.

lombardi or florio... either one is great for this dish.


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## Maverick2272

very good ideas! I think I will try half of each as well and do a taste test!


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## *amy*

black chef said:


> i make chicken marsala all the time.
> 
> i recommend sweet marsala; namely lombardi or florio (my personal favorite).
> 
> brown the chicken & remove from the pan.
> remove all but 1 T of the oil.
> add-in the mushrooms with a dash of salt & cook til they release their water.
> deglaze with the sweet marsala.
> add-in about 1/3 cup chicken stock (optional)
> reduce to a nice sauce consistency.
> add-in the chicken and cover with the sauce.
> 
> *i eat it over spaghetti* or with garlic mashed potatoes.
> 
> it doesn't get much easier than that.
> 
> lombardi or florio... either one is great for this dish.


 
Your playing my song  For the pasta, add some cream & top w Parm & parsley. Heaven! Love shrooms & pasta.

 Mushrooms and Marsala


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## ChefJune

*amy* said:


> Your playing my song  For the pasta, add some cream & top w Parm & parsley. Heaven! Love shrooms & pasta.
> 
> Mushrooms and Marsala


 I wouldn't put cream in the pasta to go with chicken marsala...  but if you're doing mushrooms and pasta, now that's a horse of an entirely different color!


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## *amy*

ChefJune said:


> I wouldn't put cream in the pasta to go with chicken marsala... but if you're doing mushrooms and pasta, now that's a horse of an entirely different color!


 
My thinking was to add the cream to the sauce after removing the chicken to make the sauce _for _the pasta. Hope that makes sense. Read/heard some people don't care for mixing flavors (i.e. side dish); but on occasion, I do. 

Noticed Andy's link (veal marsala) uses cream in the sauce. Guess it's all a matter of taste. Posted a link for chicken marsala using lemon juice. Will try to locate it & repost.

Another take on CM (interesting read);

Chicken & Mushroom Marsala

CJ, since you're a shroom/pasta lover like me, here's one you might like as a main dish.  (Totally unrelated to chicken marsala, but we're just discussin' ):

Linguini with Mushroom Carbonara Sauce#

BC, thanks for the tips on brand names.


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## Fisher's Mom

*amy* said:


> Another take on CM (interesting read);
> 
> Chicken & Mushroom Marsala


This is the recipe I used last night. I googled quite a few and most I found had the cream added in the sauce. Is that not the usual way? I get a lot of recipes from that site because it always has lots of pictures of each step so I can see what it should be looking like. But I do know they have "unusual" takes on things sometimes, which makes sense since it's by and for engineers.


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## ChefJune

> Noticed Andy's link (veal marsala) uses cream in the sauce.


I don't use cream in my Veal Marsala, either.  never saw it done that way either here or in Italy, but that doesn't mean you can't do it if you want to.

imho, Americans complain about how rich so many foods are, but then add cream to recipes where none existed before.  Not casting aspersions, just making an observation.  I like cream as much as the next person...


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## Fisher's Mom

Thanks June. I would actually prefer _not_ to put the cream in but I didn't know if it was crucial. I can't wait to make it again.


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## jennyema

Count me in as one whose never seen cream in a veal marsala recipe, either.

But it might be good that way...


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## *amy*

ChefJune said:


> I don't use cream in my Veal Marsala, either.  never saw it done that way either here or in Italy, but that doesn't mean you can't do it if you want to....


 
Same here, CJ - particularly with veal marsala... cause I wanna taste the delicate flavors of the wine & veal (usually thin, in my experience - & politically incorrect ) or chicken. Guess, to each his/her own taste. And... no capers 

Think BC, nailed it for me re the brand - as cooking with wine/marsala can be confusing & not knowing what to choose.  Can one drink Marsala?  Shows you what I know, lol


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## black chef

i've had the best marsala results using the lombardi (sweet), but the florio is good. 

my favorite italian restaurant here in town uses versasi sweet marsala.

btw, i've also cooked the marsala with cream... i find it actually takes AWAY from the marsala flavor, and i believe that is what you want.


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## *amy*

black chef said:


> i've had the best marsala results using the lombardi (sweet), but the florio is good.
> 
> my favorite italian restaurant here in town uses versasi sweet marsala.
> 
> btw, i've also cooked the marsala with cream... i find it actually takes AWAY from the marsala flavor, and i believe that is what you want.


 
Thank you, BC. I'm taking notes.

Eureka. I found it - re the lemon juice recipe. Okay, I'd leave out the green onions & marjoram - maybe add a shallot? Or not, lol.

Lemon Chicken Marsala


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## QSis

Well, I'll be dipped! I didn't know that there WAS more than one kind of marsala! I always pick up my bottle in the same liquor store, on the same shelf, and never looked around.

Keltin (the banned, but missed, Keltin) was correct in saying that whatever you make or had first and liked is probably going to be the "marsala" you think of. 

I just looked at my bottle and its sweet! Hmmmph, I LOVE my chicken and veal marsala, but since I prefer to drink dry red wine over the sweet red, now I'm curious about trying dry marsala.

Learn a ton of new things every day!

Lee


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## black chef

i got a free bottle of colombo marsala (dry) today.  

i went to lunch with some friends and asked the chef, "what brand of marsala do you use to make chicken marsala?"  he told me that he likes the florio.

then, i noticed a NEW bottle of colombo marsala on his counter, and i asked, "well, who started cooking with the colombo?"  he said, "not me," and then asked his head waiter who put it there.

the head waiter said, "we ordered the wrong marsala," and this ticked off the chef.  he looked at me and said, "here, take this bottle home and tell me how it works for you.  i'm gonna replace these with the florio right now."


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## sattie

I just made chicken marsala this evening... no cream... just marsala and mushrooms/pan drippings from the cooked chicken which was dredged with flour, salt, pepper, dried basil.  A bit sweet for my taste, but not too bad.


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## ChefJune

black chef said:


> i've had the best marsala results using the lombardi (sweet), but the florio is good.
> 
> my favorite italian restaurant here in town uses versasi sweet marsala.
> 
> btw, i've also cooked the marsala with cream... i find it actually takes AWAY from the marsala flavor, and i believe that is what you want.



why would you use Marsala if you didn't want the flavor of it?????? 

Lemon juice and capers with your veal/chicken makes Piccata.  I wouldn't use either with Marsala!  

So here's my recipe for Veal Marsala. Sometimes I sauté mushrooms in butter before I start with the veal, because they take longer to cook than the veal does.  (Talk about memories of my Dad! )

*Veal Scaloppine with Marsala*

I learned to make this dish early in life.  It’s one of my dad’s two or three favorite things to eat!  When you make it, you’ll understand why.  The major caveat here is that milk-fed veal is a very important ingredient in the success – and flavor – of this dish.   Make sure that’s what you use!

makes 6 servings

5 tablespoons olive oil (plus 2 more, if necessary) 
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5 to 6 twists freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds veal scaloppine, (6 scallops) very thinly sliced and pounded flat
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1.	Heat the oil over medium high heat in a heavy skillet.
2.	Mix salt and pepper with the flour and spread it on waxed paper, or a flat plate.  Dip the veal in flour, coating each piece on both sides, and shaking off any excess.  Put the scaloppine into the hot fat, and brown them quickly on both sides.  It should take less than a minute on each side if the oil is hot enough!  (Do not flour the meat until JUST before you are ready to brown it, or the flour may get soggy, and the meat will not brown properly.)  Transfer the browned veal to a warm platter.
3.	Tip the skillet, and with a spoon, remove most of the fat.  Turn the heat up to high, add the Marsala, and boil briefly, while you scrape any brown bits stuck to the pan.  Add the butter, and any juices from the veal that may have collected on the platter.  When the sauce thickens, turn the heat down to low, and add the scaloppine.  Turn them to baste with the sauce.  Serve immediately on a warm platter.

_Teacher’s Tip:_	Italians would serve this dish with a complementary vegetable and plenty of crusty bread to sop up the gravy.

_Wine Tip:_	I would choose a Chianti Classico Riserva with this dish.  Try one from Antinori, or Badia à Coltibuono.


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## black chef

chefjune, i think you misunderstood what i was trying to say...

i want the marsala flavor, no doubt.  what i tried to say in that post is that the cream takes away the marsala flavor (lightens it a little) BUT that's what you want... the marsala flavor.

sorry for the confusion...

but thanks for the recipe.


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## Maverick2272

I misunderstood you as well, now it makes sense 
You want the marsala flavor, the cream takes some of that flavor away, so cream - not as good as sweet or dry...less marsala flavor.
Y'all got me thinking about making some now.. LOL.


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## black chef

Maverick2272 said:


> I misunderstood you as well, now it makes sense
> You want the marsala flavor, the cream takes some of that flavor away, so cream - not as good as sweet or dry...less marsala flavor.
> Y'all got me thinking about making some now.. LOL.



not bragging, but i get compliments on my chicken marsala all the time.  

my secret = high heat.  high heat to sear and seal in the moisture in the chicken, and high heat to deglaze with just a little chicken stock first (1/2 cup) and then, a "slower" reduction with some good, sweet, lombardo marsala.

tonight, i made it using a little cream to "temper" the marsala flavor.  i added about 1/4 cup which proved to be too much vs the 1/2 cup marsala... so i added in another 1/4 cup marsala and cranked up the heat.

it turned out good... but i prefer the stronger taste of the marsala to come thru.


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## GB

High heat does not seal in moisture. The only thing it does is create flavor (not a bad thing of course).

I have never added cream to my marsala. I prefer the stonger taste too.


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## Andy M.

GB said:


> High heat does not seal in moisture. The only thing it does is create flavor (not a bad thing of course).
> 
> I have never added cream to my marsala. I prefer the stonger taste too.


 

I have done that.  The cream adds a different mouth feel and a softer taste.  I prefer it without but my daughters prefer the cream version.


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