Pork chops used to be the dinner I overcooked. Now I pound them to a quarter-inch, sear them fast, and finish them in a creamy Marsala mushroom sauce. It's an easy pork chop dinner, ready in 35 minutes.
Spoon the sauce over mashed potatoes or pasta, and make sure the mushrooms get onto every plate.
If a creamy mushroom sauce is what you're after, Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pork Chops is the same one-pan idea with a garlicky sauce and no wine. Creamy Garlic Pork Chops in White Wine Sauce is the closer cousin if you'd rather keep the wine.
All the Marsala Flavor in One Skillet
Chicken Marsala gets all the attention, but pork chops are just as good here. A quarter-inch cutlet cooks in minutes, so there's no waiting around for a thick chop to cook through. Pounding also gives you more surface to brown, and that browning is where the sauce gets its flavor.
The sauce comes together in the same pan. The pork leaves browned bits behind, and the mushrooms add more as they cook. When the Marsala hits the pan, it loosens all of it. Chicken broth stretches the sauce, and the cream rounds it out so it coats the pork instead of running off.
For a boozier version, the Irish Pork Chops in Creamy Whiskey Sauce sear the chops, cook mushrooms in the same pan, then make a cream sauce with whiskey and Worcestershire
Recipe Success Tips
- Pound the pork to about a quarter-inch. Put each chop between two layers of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet. Even thickness means every piece is done at the same time, and it cooks fast without turning tough. If you buy thin-sliced chops, you can skip the pounding. Just don't start with anything thicker than ¾ to 1 inch.
- Heat the pan before the pork goes in. Turn the burner on, add the oil, and wait until the pan is hot. Pork added to a cold pan sticks. Pork added to a hot pan lifts off easily once it's browned.
- Brown the mushrooms properly. Cook the baby bell mushrooms until they're golden before the shallot and garlic go in. Pale mushrooms give you a pale sauce.
- Use a drinking-quality Marsala. Either semi-sweet or dry works, but never "cooking" wine. Cooking wine is salty and flattens the flavor. If you want a more savory sauce, go with dry.
- Check the temperature. Pork is done at 145°F. A digital thermometer gives you a quick, accurate reading, so you aren't cutting into a chop to check.
- Pick the right skillet. A seasoned cast-iron skillet heats evenly. Stainless steel works too. If you use a nonstick pan, stay away from metal utensils so you don't scratch the coating.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Pork chops: I use boneless chops because they pound out thin and cook in minutes. If you want to cut your own, buy a pork tenderloin and slice it into chops. Bone-in works too, but they need more time in the pan.
- Flour, salt and pepper: The flour gives the pork a light coating that browns nicely and helps the sauce cling. For gluten-free, rice flour or a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour both work.
- Olive oil: This is for searing the pork. Avocado or grapeseed oil are good swaps because they handle high heat.
- Salted butter: I add butter for the mushrooms. It browns them and adds richness that oil alone doesn't.
- Baby bell mushrooms: These give the sauce its savory, earthy flavor, and they brown well. White button mushrooms or shiitake work if that's what you have. White button may come out a little less tender than baby bell.
- Shallot: It's milder and sweeter than onion, so it softens into the sauce without taking over. If you only have an onion, use a small piece of it.
- Garlic: Five cloves may sound like a lot, but it mellows in the sauce. Jarred minced garlic works too: use 2 ½ tablespoons.
- Marsala wine: This is the star, so it matters. Dry or semi-sweet both work. Buy a bottle you'd be happy to drink, and don't use "cooking" wine, which is salty and covers up the flavor of the wine.
- Chicken broth: It thins the sauce and stretches it so there's plenty to spoon over the plate. Chicken stock or mushroom stock both work.
- Heavy cream: A little makes the sauce silky and keeps it from tasting thin or sharp. It also helps the sauce coat the pork instead of pooling at the bottom of the pan.
- Parsley: It's mostly for color and a bit of freshness on top. If you don't have any, leave it off and the dish will still be good.
How to Make Pork Marsala: Step-by-Step Photos
Pound the pork: Place the chops between plastic wrap and pound to about a quarter-inch thick.
Dust both sides with the flour, salt and pepper.
Sear the pork: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the pork 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden, then move it to a plate.
Brown the mushrooms: Melt the butter and cook the mushrooms until golden. Add the shallot and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
Build the sauce: Pour in the Marsala and simmer 1 minute. Stir in the broth and cream.
Finish the dish: Return the pork to the pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens. Garnish with parsley.
Pork Marsala with Mushrooms in Creamy Sauce
Equipment
- Plastic wrap
- Meat mallet or rolling pin
- Large plate
- large skillet
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Digital meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 8 ounces sliced baby bell mushrooms
- 1 shallot minced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup marsala wine
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Place the pork chops between two layers of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet to pound them until they are about a quarter-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the pork and cook until both sides are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a plate and set aside.
- Melt butter in the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook until they turn golden brown. Then, add the shallots and garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes, until the shallots soften. Deglaze the pan with Marsala wine and let it simmer for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream. Return the pork to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens and the pork is warmed through. Garnish with parsley.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or pasta and enjoy.
How to Serve Pork Marsala
Plate the pork over mashed potatoes or pasta so the sauce has something to soak into. For vegetables, roasted carrots or sautéed green beans both work. A simple side salad adds something crisp next to the creamy sauce.
What Can I Substitute?
- Pork chops: Cut your own from a pork tenderloin. Bone-in chops also work but need a longer cook time.
- Flour: Use rice flour or a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour.
- Olive oil: Avocado or grapeseed oil both handle high heat.
- Baby bell mushrooms: White button or shiitake mushrooms work. White button may come out less tender.
- Garlic: If you use jarred minced garlic, measure 2 ½ tablespoons.
- Chicken broth: Chicken stock or mushroom stock both work.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover Pork Marsala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, put it in a skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, flipping the pork halfway through, until it's heated all the way through. The sauce thickens in the fridge, so add a splash of broth or water as it warms.
Try These Next
- Easy Pan-Seared Pork Chops: Start here if you just want a plain, well-seared chop with no sauce.
- Honey Balsamic Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Glaze: A sweet-and-savory option when you want something other than a cream sauce.
- Apple Cider Pork Chops with Butter-Browned Apples in Cream Sauce: A fall dinner with another creamy sauce.
- Creamy Low Carb Pork Chops (Gluten Free): A gluten-free creamy wine sauce, if you're cooking for someone who avoids flour.
Pork Chop Resources
- Pork Chop 101: How to Get Juicy Pork Chops Every Time: A guide to cuts, temperatures and doneness that works with any pork chop recipe.
- Boneless vs. Bone-In Pork Chops: Helpful if you want to swap in bone-in chops here.
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