Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala (WW Friendly)

Here’s my lightened-up version of the classic Italian-American chicken dish, made easy in the slow cooker. With just a few minutes of prep, the crock pot transforms simple ingredients into a savory, comforting dinner with rich mushroom and wine flavors.

I love that this slow cooker chicken marsala feels special enough to serve to guests but is also easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Just toss everything into the slow cooker, and in about four hours, dinner is ready.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• WW Friendly: A lighter take on the classic dish, with the WW points already calculated.
• Hands-Off Cooking: The slow cooker does the work while you go about your day.
• Versatile: Impressive enough for entertaining, but simple for everyday family meals.
• Lighter Comfort Food: Keeps all the flavor of chicken marsala without being heavy.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders – Using tenders helps prevent dryness.
• Marsala wine – Sweet marsala is traditional, but dry marsala works too if you prefer.
• Chicken broth – Balances the richness of the wine.
• Garlic – Adds depth of flavor.
• Mushrooms – A must-have for marsala, giving the dish an earthy note.
• Onion or shallot – Adds sweetness and flavor.
• Flour – For coating chicken & thickening the sauce.
• Cornstarch – For thickening the sauce, if desired.
• Seasonings – Salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.

Substitutions & Variations

• Wine Too Strong? Use just 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup of marsala wine and substitute the rest with chicken broth.
• Creamier Sauce: Stir in a splash of half-and-half or a spoonful of light cream cheese at the end.
• No Chicken Breasts? Thighs will stay juicy and tender.

Calories and WW Points

According to my calculations, each serving has about:

• Calories: 235
• WW Points: To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
  (You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
• Old Plan: 5 PointsPlus

How to Make WW Friendly Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala Step by Step

Step 1: Prepare the slow cooker

Grease the inside of a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker.

Step 2: Add the chicken

Trim the chicken breasts (or tenders) and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Step 3: Add remaining ingredients

Top the chicken with mushrooms, garlic, and onion. Pour in the marsala wine and chicken broth.

Step 4: Cook

Cover and cook on LOW for about 4 hours. Chicken breasts cook quickly in the slow cooker, so check for doneness early to avoid dryness.

Step 5: Adjust sauce

If you find the sauce too thin, whisk together a small amount of cornstarch and water, then stir it into the slow cooker during the last 15 minutes.

Step 6: Serve

Taste, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve the chicken with the mushrooms and sauce spooned over the top.

Recipe Notes

• Chicken breasts can easily overcook in the slow cooker. Check for doneness at 3 ½ to 4 hours.
• Using chicken tenders instead of whole breasts often gives juicier results.
• Sweet marsala is the more traditional choice, but if dry marsala is all you have, it still makes a delicious dish.

Serving Suggestions

This dish is versatile and works well with:

• Mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash to soak up the sauce.
• Roasted carrots done any number of ways is a personal favorite.
• Brown rice, orzo, or egg noodles for a makes for a classic combination.
• Steamed green beans or roasted asparagus for a fresh, light side.
• A leafy green salad, like this fig arugula salad, to round out the meal.

Ways to Use Leftovers

• Chicken Marsala Bowls: Serve leftover chicken and sauce over quinoa or rice with extra veggies.
• Marsala Wraps: Shred the chicken and tuck into a wrap with spinach and mozzarella.
• Next-Day Pasta: Toss leftovers with cooked pasta for an easy reimagined dinner.

If you’ve made this Low Fat Crock Pot Chicken Marsala, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

4 from 94 votes

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala Recipe

By Martha McKinnon | Simple Nourished Living

Simple and delicious slow cooker chicken marsala, lightly coated chicken breasts slow cooked with with Marsala wine and mushrooms, is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, and impressive enough to serve to company.

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Total: 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6

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Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Chef Knife
• 4-Quart Slow Cooker

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)
• ▢ 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• ▢ 3/4 cup Marsala wine (Note: The recipe didn’t specify whether to use dry or sweet marsala. Betty Crocker suggests sweet marsala, but I inadvertently used dry. Several commenters have complained that the flavor of the wine was overpowering for them. If in doubt, I would use 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/4 cup marsala instead.)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ▢ 2 teaspoons chopped parsley, for garnish, optional

Instructions 

• Ideal slow cooker size: 4-Quart.
• Coat slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the olive oil, shallot and garlic in bottom of slow cooker.
• In a shallow dish stir together the flour, salt and black pepper. Pound the chicken to an even thickness and coat it with the flour mixture and add to the slow cooker. Scatter mushrooms over chicken and add the Marsala.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or until the chicken is tender.
• To thicken the sauce, turn the slow cooker up to HIGH. Combine the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water and stir it into the chicken mixture. Cover and cook until the sauce has thickened 10 to 25 minutes.
• Stir in parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

Serving size: 1 chicken breast + 1/4 cup mushroom sauce

WW Points: 3

Check your WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app.
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)

5 SmartPoints (Green plan)

3 SmartPoints (Blue plan)

3 SmartPoints (Purple plan)

5 PointsPlus (Old plan)

Cooking chicken breasts in the slow cooker can be tricky. They are usually done in four hours or less. If you overcook them they will be dry and stringy.

A few commenters have stated that they found the flavor of the marsala wine overpowering and ended up throwing out the entire recipe. If you are concerned about the alcohol flavor being too strong, I would suggest cutting way back on it. Use a couple of tablespoons to 1/4 of a cup and substitute the rest with chicken broth.

According to Betty Crocker you should use sweet marsala to prevent the dish from being too acidic.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chicken breast + 1/4 cup mushroom sauce, Calories: 235kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 331mg, Potassium: 634mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 35IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving or tag #simplenourishedliving!

Source: adapted from September 2014 Family Circle

More Easy Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes for Weight Watchers

If you enjoyed this Chicken Marsala, you might also like:

• Low fat Slow Cooker Chicken with Gravy is a family favorite especially with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans.
• Simple 2-Ingredient Creamy Crock Pot Chicken — weeknight cooking doesn’t get easier than this.
• Cheesy Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken is a simple dump and go recipe that comes together with just six ingredients!
• Greek-inspired Slow Cooker Chicken with Feta and Tomatoes — light, fresh, and delicious.

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