Golden chicken, beautifully browned mushrooms and a rich, glossy Marsala pan sauce. Restaurant-level flavor without turning your kitchen into a restaurant.
Butterfly the chicken breasts if needed, then place them between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment and pound to about ½-inch thick. Season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
Put the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge each piece of chicken and shake off the excess. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden, then transfer to a plate. Leave the browned bits in the pan. That's flavor, not a cleaning problem.
Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the same skillet if it looks dry. Add the 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms in an even layer and let them brown before stirring. Add ¼ cup diced shallot and cook until softened, then stir in 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 heaping tsp fresh thyme leaves for about 30 seconds.
Pour in ¾ cup dry Marsala wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer until the wine reduces by roughly half. Less liquid. More flavor.
Add ¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Return the chicken and its resting juices to the skillet. Simmer gently until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Timing depends on thickness.
Transfer the cooked chicken to serving plates. Take the skillet off the heat and swirl in 2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter until the sauce turns glossy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Spoon the browned mushrooms and glossy Marsala sauce over the chicken. Finish with chopped fresh parsley and serve while hot. The sauce is the star—don't leave it in the pan.
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