Are you thinking about the perfect accompaniment to your classic chicken marsala? Our tested side dishes will create some unforgettable magic.
Chicken Marsala is a signature Italian dish that combines chicken, mushrooms, and marsala wine in a perfect symphony. This rich, creamy, and savory sauce with a nutty flavor evokes memories of home and a warm hug.
Besides the classic Italian recipe, you can incorporate the sauce into other cuisines like Mexican tacos. Choosing what to serve with chicken marsala will become easy once you learn about these side dishes.
What to Serve with Chicken Marsala
While the individual chicken marsala ingredients can pair well with other dishes, the combination makes the marriage of flavors even better. The aim is to enhance the main chicken marsala dish while introducing new flavors that combine well with the semi-sweet marsala wine.
We’ve selected sides with high moisture content to balance the dryness of the tenderized chicken. From starches to vegetables, here are 13 unique dishes to serve with chicken marsala.
1. Rice
It’s our first choice of a side for many reasons, the chief of which is the simplicity and variation it brings. You can opt for plain white rice to better display the vibrant chicken marsala sauce or flavored rice. Adding butter and lemon zest on jasmine rice creates a perfect base for the creamy marsala sauce with the perfect zing.
Another spiced rice combination to get the party going is cumin and turmeric. If you’d like to increase the nutty flavor of chicken marsala, use a bowl of chewy brown rice. Rice is the go-to classic side dish when determining what to serve with chicken marsala.
2. Egg Noodles
If you need a quick solution when deciding on what to serve with chicken marsala, go for egg noodles. They’re more buttery and softer than traditional pasta and cook in just a few minutes.
Egg noodles might be a staple in Asian cuisine. Still, they’re also an excellent substitute for pasta, common in Italian cuisine.
3. Handmade Pasta
Chicken Marsala is best enjoyed as a homemade meal, and handmade pasta is just what it needs to complete it. It’s pretty easy to make even without a pasta maker.
Unwind from the day’s stress by flattening the pasta dough with a rolling pin while working up an appetite. You won’t regret the combined textures of your handmade pasta and the indulgent marsala sauce.
4. Almond Noodles
Seeing almond noodles as an option might surprise you when selecting what to serve with chicken marsala. But they complement the dish well and are easy to make.
Almond noodles are made with rice noodles, carrots, broccoli, sesame seeds, spinach, and a coating of almond butter dressing. This side is lighter, and the refreshing flavor complements the marsala sauce without overpowering it.
5. Risotto
Although risotto is a rice dish, it’s such a great pair with chicken marsala that it deserves special mention. Italy meets Italy when you serve chicken marsala with risotto, and they meld together like long-lost relatives. Risotto can be colorful and is often enriched with vegetables and herbs. This rice favorite fully embraces the savory marsala sauce.
The best part about using risotto as a side dish is choosing from a range of risotto flavors. Our recommendation is mushroom risotto. It has an incredibly creamy and smooth texture that ties in nicely with the chicken marsala.
6. Potatoes
We’re yet to unravel the mystery behind the magnificence that is potatoes. But we know they are the perfect side for almost any dish. Potatoes are the answer if you’re stumped on what to serve with chicken marsala.
For the best comfort combo, use mashed potatoes flavored with garlic. Twice-baked potatoes are also a great accompaniment, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. Depending on the occasion, you could cut your potatoes into wedges, quarters, or thin fries before boiling and deep-frying. Or you could air-fry them for a healthier option.
7. Polenta
When figuring out what to serve with chicken marsala, you may not think of polenta. But this side is like the corn cousin of mashed potatoes. And it also happens to be from Italy.
Polenta’s buttery corn textures and flavors go really well with chicken marsala. Just imagine the creamy polenta soaking up the marsala sauce. Bliss with every bite.
8. Bread Rolls
Leave no sauce behind by incorporating bread rolls as aside. Soft, buttery bread rolls are perfect for soaking up all that marsala goodness, and they’re also filling.
If you want to be quirky, split a bread roll, put a piece of chicken from your dish inside, and feast on it like a sandwich.
9. Asparagus
Diving into the green vegetables, we recommend long stalks of asparagus as an ideal side dish. They taste great with the chicken, caramelized mushrooms, and semi-sweet marsala wine. When seasoning vegetables to serve with chicken marsala, avoid pungent spices like curry powders and chili.
To maintain the necessary moisture, serve your asparagus steamed, sautéed, or slightly marinated before roasting. Add a lemon sauce, or grate some cheese over the crunchy stalks, to cement their position on the dinner table.
10. Spinach
If there’s spinach in your kitchen, you have something great to serve with chicken marsala. Spinach is a light vegetable side dish that balances the creaminess of chicken marsala.
Flavored with some parmesan and garlic, a bowl of spinach can do no wrong to elevate the hero chicken main. Spinach also brings a wealth of nutrients and color to your meal.
11. Roasted Broccolini
Broccoli is great, but its cousin broccolini is more delicious and better suited to pair with the classic chicken marsala sauce. Broccolini is slightly earthy, like the mushrooms in chicken marsala. They’re also mildly sweet, like the marsala wine.
You can roast and flavor the broccolini with salt and pepper or tread on the wild side with tamari and garlic. Tamari is a Japanese soy-based sauce that will infuse the roasted broccolini with a moreish flavor and excite your tastebuds.
12. Caprese
A traditional Caprese salad is another fantastic Italian side to serve with chicken marsala. The combination of earthy basil leaves, red tomatoes, and delicious mozzarella carries the sweet and savory marsala flavors well.
Top it off by drizzling some balsamic vinaigrette over the Caprese salad for a burst of flavor.
13. Green Bean Almondine
Another excellent vegetable side for chicken dishes is the French classic green bean almondine. This fresh, light side dish comprises sautéed green beans, butter, lemon juice, and sliced almonds.
Don’t let the fancy name fool you. Green bean almondine is relatively easy to make. And it will undoubtedly save you from agonizing over what to serve with chicken marsala. Like the spinach side dish, green bean almondine is packed with minerals and vitamins.
Conclusion
With these 13 side dishes, you’re sure to find a perfect fit for your chicken marsala meal. There’s no hard and fast rule about how to serve these side dishes. So, feel free to experiment with the ingredients, herbs, and spices to create new and exciting taste sensations.