Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala – Easy Creamy Dinner

Chicken Marsala is one of those restaurant dishes that feels fancy but is secretly simple, and this slow cooker version proves it. Boneless chicken thighs simmer for hours in a savory bath of Marsala wine, cremini mushrooms, garlic, and thyme until the meat is fork-tender and the sauce is glossy and deep amber.

The real magic happens at the end, when a cornstarch slurry and a swirl of cold butter turn the cooking liquid into a velvety pan-style sauce. Serve it over buttered egg noodles, creamy polenta, or mashed potatoes, and dinner tastes like a Friday night splurge on a Tuesday.

I tested this with both chicken breasts and thighs, and thighs win every time because their collagen melts into the sauce and keeps them juicy through the long cook. If you only have breasts, the recipe notes below tell you exactly how to keep them from drying out.

About the Ingredients

2.5 lbs (1.13 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Thighs stay juicy through a long cook; if using breasts, reduce the cook time to 3 hours on low. Buy thighs that are similar in size so they cook evenly.

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Kosher salt seasons more gently than table salt; if using fine table salt, use only 3/4 tsp. Diamond Crystal and Morton differ, so taste the sauce before adding more.

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Fresh-cracked pepper blooms in the slow cooker; pre-ground works in a pinch but tastes flatter. Add a pinch more at the end if the sauce tastes dull.

2 tbsp olive oil

Any neutral high-heat oil works, but olive oil adds flavor; avocado oil is a good substitute if you want a higher smoke point.

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

Yellow onion gives sweetness; sweet Vidalia onions make the sauce even richer, while red onions turn it slightly pink and sharper.

10 oz (283 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Creminis (baby bellas) have more flavor than white buttons; if using buttons, add 1 tsp soy sauce for depth. Wipe with a damp towel instead of washing so they sear instead of steam.

4 garlic cloves, minced

Fresh garlic is best; 1 tsp garlic powder can substitute in a pinch but add it with the liquid instead of sauteing so it does not burn.

1 cup (240 ml) dry Marsala wine

Dry Marsala is essential; sweet Marsala makes the sauce dessert-like. If you cannot find it, dry sherry plus 1 tsp brown sugar is the closest swap.

1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth

Low-sodium lets you control the salt; if using regular broth, skip the added salt until the end. Vegetable broth works for a lighter sauce.

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)

Fresh thyme is woodsy and bright; dried thyme is stronger, so use a third as much. Rosemary or tarragon are good substitutes.

2 tbsp cornstarch whisked with 2 tbsp cold water

This slurry thickens the sauce at the end; arrowroot or potato starch work the same way. Whisk again right before adding because it settles fast.

3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Cold butter swirled in at the end gives the sauce a glossy finish; vegan butter or a tablespoon of heavy cream works if you avoid dairy.

Tips & Tricks

Do not skip the sear

Browning the chicken for 3 minutes per side builds the fond that makes the sauce taste roasted instead of boiled.

Use dry Marsala, not sweet

Sweet Marsala turns the sauce syrupy and dessert-like, which clashes with the mushrooms and thyme.

Thicken at the very end

Cornstarch breaks down during long cooking, so add the slurry only after the chicken comes out and the slow cooker is on High.

Taste before serving

Wine, broth, and mushrooms vary in saltiness, so season the finished sauce with salt and pepper right before it hits the table.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Season and Sear

Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (375 F / 190 C) and sear the chicken in batches for 3 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown; the internal temperature will not be done yet, which is fine because it finishes in the slow cooker.

2. Soften Aromatics

Lower the heat to medium (325 F / 165 C) and add the onion to the same skillet, cooking for 4 minutes until translucent and lightly golden at the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more, until they release their liquid and it evaporates.

3. Bloom the Garlic

Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant; garlic burns fast and turns bitter, so pull the pan off the heat the second you smell it.

4. Deglaze the Pan

Pour in the Marsala wine and scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 2 minutes at a gentle bubble (about 200 F / 93 C) so the alcohol cooks off and the sauce reduces slightly.

5. Load the Slow Cooker

Transfer the chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker and pour the mushroom mixture and chicken broth over the top. Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours or High for 2 hours, until the chicken shreds easily with a fork and reaches 165 F (74 C) internally.

6. Pull the Chicken

Use tongs to move the chicken to a plate and tent it loosely with foil. Turn the slow cooker to High and let the sauce come to a simmer, about 5 minutes, with the lid off so steam escapes.

7. Thicken the Sauce

Whisk the cornstarch slurry again and stir it into the bubbling sauce. Cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and the edges bubble steadily.

8. Finish with Butter

Turn off the slow cooker and swirl in the cold butter cubes one at a time until the sauce is glossy and velvety. Return the chicken and any juices to the pot, spoon sauce over the top, and serve hot over noodles or polenta.

Delicious Variations

Creamy Marsala

Stir 1/3 cup heavy cream in with the butter at the end for a richer, lighter-colored sauce.

Mushroom-Forward

Swap half the mushrooms for sliced shiitakes and add a splash of soy sauce for an extra-savory, almost beefy depth.

Herb-Forward

Replace the thyme with 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage and finish with lemon zest for a brighter, more aromatic sauce.

How to Store Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

Frequently Asked Questions

Grab your slow cooker and a bottle of dry Marsala this week, then let the kitchen do the work while you relax. If you make it, come back and tell me what you served it over and how the sauce turned out.

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala delivers tender chicken in a rich, creamy mushroom wine sauce with almost no effort at all.

★★★★½ 4.8 (217 ratings)

15 minPrep time260 minCook time6Servings412 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 10 oz (283 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry Marsala wine
• 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch whisked with 2 tbsp cold water
• 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

📋 Instructions

1. 1Season and Sear — Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (375 F / 190 C) and sear the chicken in batches for 3 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown; the internal temperature will not be done yet, which is fine because it finishes in the slow cooker.
2. 2Soften Aromatics — Lower the heat to medium (325 F / 165 C) and add the onion to the same skillet, cooking for 4 minutes until translucent and lightly golden at the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more, until they release their liquid and it evaporates.
3. 3Bloom the Garlic — Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant; garlic burns fast and turns bitter, so pull the pan off the heat the second you smell it.
4. 4Deglaze the Pan — Pour in the Marsala wine and scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 2 minutes at a gentle bubble (about 200 F / 93 C) so the alcohol cooks off and the sauce reduces slightly.
5. 5Load the Slow Cooker — Transfer the chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker and pour the mushroom mixture and chicken broth over the top. Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours or High for 2 hours, until the chicken shreds easily with a fork and reaches 165 F (74 C) internally.
6. 6Pull the Chicken — Use tongs to move the chicken to a plate and tent it loosely with foil. Turn the slow cooker to High and let the sauce come to a simmer, about 5 minutes, with the lid off so steam escapes.
7. 7Thicken the Sauce — Whisk the cornstarch slurry again and stir it into the bubbling sauce. Cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and the edges bubble steadily.
8. 8Finish with Butter — Turn off the slow cooker and swirl in the cold butter cubes one at a time until the sauce is glossy and velvety. Return the chicken and any juices to the pot, spoon sauce over the top, and serve hot over noodles or polenta.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: If your slow cooker runs hot, check the chicken at 3.5 hours on Low; the sauce should taste rich, not boiled-down and salty, so add a splash of broth if it reduces too far.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: Italian-American

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 412 kcal · 34g protein · 11g carbs · 24g fat