On our first date in 2006, Tyler brought me to Olive Garden. I did not know then that the guy sitting across from me would ask me to marry him and we would have four fantastic kids. I was nervous, he was super handsome, and the butterflies in my stomach were jumping and flying like circus performers. What I do remember is the Stuffed Chicken Marsala. Till this day, Tyler requests it on our anniversary and his birthday. It is our favorite recipe. Maybe it brings us back to that night, when those two young people were fresh-faced and anticipating their future.
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Published on February 1, 2021
Updated March 3, 2022
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Our favorite meal
On our wedding anniversary in 2012, I decided to make Stuffed Chicken Marsala at home. That year Matthew was born in August, and in June I was kind of massively pregnant. So, I went online to see if there was a copycat recipe or some way that I could find the directions. Back in the early 2000’s, I remember finding the actual recipe on their website. This paper copy I have is stained, has a tear, has been folded and read at least two dozen times. Looking on their website just now, they do not offer recipes. Such a shame! However, I am SO glad I have my copy!
Shout out to Amanda Steinhauer for these amazing pictures from 2012!
Check her out on her Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/amandasteinhauerphotography/
We still love going out to eat at Olive Garden, but honestly with four kids and one income we cannot afford it. Honest. Our boys eat off of the adult menu and we will not inflict others to our crazy.
So last night I busted out this recipe for Stuffed Chicken Marsala and decided to play around with the recipe and make something that reminded us of that mouthwatering deliciousness with ingredients we have on hand. Marsala from Olive Garden has mushrooms in the sauce, and we did not have any in our fridge; I also did not have marsala wine.
What I did have was thyme, lemon and heavy cream. So, I made a lemon thyme cheesy cream sauce. And let me tell you, it was fantastic! All my guys asked me to write the recipe down and add it to the menu book.
Stuffed Chicken Marsala with Lemon Thyme Cream Sauce
Ingredients
2 lemons
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
5 chicken breasts
1 cup shredded Asiago
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp Thyme
8-oz heavy cream
1 cup sour cream OR Greek yogurt
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup shredded smoked Mozzarella or Provolone
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup kale chopped
1/4 tsp Red Pepper flakes
2 sweet peppers, diced
1/3 cup green onion, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced thin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Stuffed Chicken Marsala Directions
1. Pour sour cream or Greek yogurt into a large bowl. As I am trying to limit my fat, I used Greek yogurt for this recipe.
2. Rinse sweet peppers and dice, then add them to the bowl with the Greek yogurt.
3. Cut green onion and add to the bowl then stir with a spatula to combine.
4. Rinse kale and then remove the leaves from the hard stem. On a cutting board, roughly chop the kale leaves and add to the bowl. Stir with a spatula to combine. Adding kale is a way I get our kids to eat more vegetables. And it tastes amazing!
5. Shred mozzarella cheese and then add to the bowl. Watch out for adorable cheese snatchers!
6. Shred asiago cheese and then add to the bowl.
7. Cut or shred smoked provolone and add it to the bowl then stir to combine. However, I had sliced Swiss on hand and it worked great.
8. Add breadcrumbs to the cheese mixture and stir to combine, however, I did not have breadcrumbs, so I substituted it with saltine crackers that I smashed inside of a bag.
9. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes then stir with a spatula well to combine.
10. Mince garlic and then add to the cheese mixture in the bowl then stir to combine.
11. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then place a chicken breast on a cutting board and then use a large knife to butterfly the chicken breast at its thickest point making sure to not cut all the way through.
12. Place the cut chicken breast inside of a gallon zip lock back and then close. Use a mallet and pound the chicken until it is 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick. Remove flattened chicken from bag and then set aside on a plate. Pound the rest of the chicken and then set aside.
13. Place desired amount of cheese filling onto one side of flattened chicken and then gently press the stuffing down.
14. Fold chicken breast over cheese filling and then set aside. Finish filling the rest of the chicken. No need for the chicken to fully close or be sealed.
15. Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a large, ribbed pan over medium heat. Additionally, using a ribbed pan gives awesome grill-like lines on the chicken.
16. Place chicken breast in pan and sauté each side until golden brown, around 3-5 minutes.
17. Remove chicken breasts from pan and then place them in a 9 X 13 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until juices run clear and center of chicken reaches a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lemon Thyme Cream Sauce Directions
1. Cut an onion in half, remove skin, and then slice thin, then set aside.
2. Cut two lemons in half and then use a juicer to collect juice, then set aside. The fresh lemon juice really adds a zing to the sauce!
3. In the saucepan, add sliced onions, thyme, and 1 Tbsp butter and sauté until translucent around 5-7 minutes.
4. Slowly pour lemon juice into onions and then stir. It will steam and bubble as it mixes.
5. Add chicken broth to the pan and then stir to combine.
6. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
7. Add the heavy cream to the pan, stirring often, and then simmer on low for 3-5 minutes to thicken.
Mashed Potatoes
1. Add 1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese to the sauce and then use a whisk to combine.
2. Wash and peel potatoes, cut and then cook until tender.
When I cook potatoes for mashing, I use a steamer basket as it keeps the water away from the potatoes and keeps them from being water-logged.
To finish the potatoes, a potato ricer was used. To use a ricer, scoop cooked potatoes into the basket and close while pushing the handles together. Collect the potatoes in a large bowl. When done, stir potatoes together. To make creamy potatoes, you can add butter or milk and stir to combine.
When the Stuffed Chicken Marsala is done and fully cooked, remove chicken from oven. Make sure to temp check the chicken to make sure it is 165 degrees. Finally, serve with potatoes, drizzle with Lemon Thyme Cream sauce and enjoy!
Along with the mashed potatoes, we had steamed carrots as a side. Our kids all really loved this meal and did say they would eat it again. Typically, Stuffed Chicken Marsala does not have lemon or thyme in the sauce, but we did have those ingredients and decided to mix up the recipe a bit.
As it turned out, the sauce was so delicious, and I am glad to have tried making something new. Here’s to thirteen years with my husband, Tyler!
~Monica
Stuffed Chicken Marsala Recipe
Stuffed Chicken Marsala with the BEST Lemon Thyme Cream Sauce
Equipment
- Large Saucepan
- 9 X 13-inch bake dish
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 5 Chicken Breasts
- 2 Lemons
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 cup Asiago shredded
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 8 oz Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt OR Sour Cream
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Smoked Mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs plain
- 1 cup Kale chopped
- 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Sweet Peppers diced
- 1/3 cup Green Onion thinly sliced
- 1 Onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
Instructions
Lemon Thyme Cream Sauce
- Cut an onion in half, remove skin, and then slice thin. Set aside.
- Cut two lemons in half and use a juicer to collect juice, then set the juicer aside for later.
- In the saucepan, add sliced onions, thyme, and 1 Tbsp butter and sauté until translucent, around 5-7 minutes.
- Slowly pour lemon juice into onions and stir. This will steam and bubble
- Add chicken broth to the pan and then stir to combine.
- Bring the Lemon Thyme Cream sauce to a simmer to allow it to thicken.
- Add heavy cream to the pan, stirring often, and then simmer on low for 3-5 minutes.
- Finally, add 1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese to the sauce and use a whisk to combine, let the sauce simmer.
Mashed Potatoes Directions
- Add 1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese to the sauce and then use a whisk to combine.
- Wash the potatoes in a sink colander, then peel them and dice to 1/2-inch cubes.
- Place the potatoes into a steamer basket and cook until soft.
- When cooked, use a potato masher or ricer to mash the potatoes.
- To the mashed potatoes, add 4 Tbsp butter cut into chunks and then mix well.
- For creamier potatoes, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and then blend again.
Stuffed Chicken Marsala Directions
- Pour sour cream OR Greek yogurt into a large bowl.
- Rinse sweet peppers and then dice, then add them to the bowl with the Greek yogurt.
- On a cutting board, cut the green onion and add to the bowl, then stir to combine.
- Rinse kale and remove leaves from the hard stem, then roughly chop and add to the bowl. Stir to combine.
- Shred mozzarella cheese and then add it to the bowl with the Greek yogurt.
- Shred the asiago cheese and then add to the bowl.
- Cut or shred smoked provolone and add it to the bowl, then stir the cheeses into the Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- Add breadcrumbs to the cheese mixture and then stir to combine.
- Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Mince the garlic and then add to the cheese mixture.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butterfly the Chicken
- Place a chicken breast on a cutting board and then use a large knife to butterfly the chicken breast at its thickest point making sure to not cut all the way through.
- Place chicken breast inside of a gallon zip lock back and close, then use a mallet and flatten the chicken in the bag.
- Place flattened chicken breast on a plate and then place desired amount of cheese filling onto one side of chicken and gently press stuffing down.
- Fold chicken breast over cheese filling and set aside on a plate.
- Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Place chicken breast in pan and sauté each side until golden brown, around 3-5 minutes.
- Remove chicken breasts from the pan and then place them in a 9 X 13-inch pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
- Bake for 15-25 minutes or until juices run clear and center of chicken reaches a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Finally, serve the Stuffed Chicken on top of the mashed potatoes and spoon the Lemon Thyme sauce on top.
Ingredients
Stuffed Chicken Marsala Directions
Lemon Thyme Cream Sauce Directions
Mashed Potatoes Directions
When the Stuffed Chicken Marsala is done and fully cooked, remove chicken from oven. Finally, make sure to temp check the chicken to make sure it is 165 degrees. Serve with potatoes, drizzle with Lemon Thyme Cream sauce and enjoy!
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