What To Serve With Chicken Marsala: 16 Tasty Side Dishes

With this collection of tasty sides, you’ll never wonder what to serve with Chicken Marsala again!

Chicken Marsala is a tender caramelized chicken dish made with a creamy Marsala wine sauce. This Italian dish is beloved for its subtle sweetness and decadent rich flavor.

Marsala wine is a wine fortified with brandy that comes from the Sicilian town of Marsala. Chicken Marsala is believed to be influenced by French chefs in Sicilian high society in the 1800s.

This dish has continued its reputation as an upscale dish in modern Italian-American cuisine. The sauce is made from rich ingredients like butter and cream, with aromatics like thyme and shallot.

The unique sweet and savory sauce lends itself to so many side dishes. Pasta and polenta are traditional Italian chicken marsala sides that you can never go wrong with.

But we’ve also included side dishes that will help you serve up a balanced, healthy meal. As a bonus, all of the side dishes in this collection are quick and easy too!

Don’t let that delicious Marsala sauce go to waste. Soak up all those flavors with one of these simple, classic side dish recipes.

01. Green Bean Almondine

A side of green bean almondine can transform any dish into something special.

Green bean almondine is a French classic, made with savory garlic green beans and toasted almonds. This recipe adds shallot for extra savoriness, and a squirt of lemon to heighten the flavors.

Buttery toasted almonds add just the right amount of texture. Although this dish looks and tastes fancy, it comes together in a matter of minutes.

02. Mashed Potatoes

Buttery mashed potatoes are the perfect comfort food to pair with rich and savory Chicken Marsala. The best part is that they’re inexpensive too!

This side dish is made with fluffy yellow potatoes whipped to perfection. Roasted garlic gives the potatoes an infusion of mouthwatering savory flavor.

Fresh herbs like parsley and dill help balance out the richness. These herbs also tie in nicely with the aromatic Chicken Marsala sauce.

03. Mushroom Risotto

If you’re feeling fancy, there’s no better way to serve rice than in this classic mushroom risotto.

Mushrooms, garlic, and vegetable stock fill this dish with earthy, umami flavor. A hint of white wine gives the risotto depth of flavor, with notes similar to Chicken Marsala.

Serving this dish up for date night? Add a tablespoon of black truffle oil to the risotto after cooking for extra fragrance.

04. Parmesan Roasted Carrots

Even picky eaters are bound to enjoy these sweet and savory roasted carrots.

Carrots make an excellent side for rich meat dishes like Chicken Marsala. Roasting the carrots in butter helps bring out their sweetness, while garlic and parmesan add flavor.

The carrots turn out supremely tender, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. And if you use baby carrots, there’s no peeling or chopping required!

05. Orzo

If you’re tired of the same pasta night after night, give this orzo a try instead.

This orzo pasta soaks up the flavors of chicken broth and lemon beautifully. Lemon zest helps brighten the dish, making it an excellent choice for spring and summer dinners.

You can even freeze this orzo for a quick and easy side dish solution. Since orzo absorbs liquids, you may have to add more chicken broth when you reheat it.

06. Egg Noodles

Egg noodles are one of my go-to pairings for saucy dishes!

These chewy, textured noodles are the perfect starch to soak up that tangy Chicken Marsala sauce. They’re so easy to prepare too, all you need is butter, broth, and seasonings.

Keep in mind that egg noodles cook quicker than traditional wheat pasta. They’re best served hot, or else they tend to clump together!

07. Sweet Potatoes

Their unique sweet and earthy flavor puts baked sweet potatoes in a league of their own.

Sweet potatoes are rich in B vitamins, making them a healthier alternative to white potatoes. Their natural sweetness is a perfect pairing for savory meats like pork, chicken, and beef.

You can serve sweet potatoes mashed, or make them into fries like in this recipe. Coating them in cornstarch will help make them crispy and perfect for dipping.

08. Caprese Salad

It seems only right to pair this Italian-American chicken dish with a classic Italian salad!

Fresh ingredients are pivotal to this Italian summer salad. Whole or cherry tomatoes, freshly picked basil and good quality olive oil are a must!

Soft, fresh mozzarella balances all those tangy, acidic flavors from the balsamic glaze. This simple but elegant appetizer is sure to impress your guests.

09. Garlic Bread

When you’re short on time, quick and easy garlic bread can be a lifesaver!

Once you try this homemade garlic bread, you’ll never buy the frozen stuff again. Minced garlic, parsley, and butter are all you need to transform a loaf of bread into a tasty side.

If you don’t have a french baguette on hand, you can use regular sliced bread too. Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese before baking for extra flavor!

10. Brown Rice

Add nutrients and fiber to your Chicken Marsala by serving it on a bed of brown rice.

Unlike white rice, brown rice contains the bran and germ. These parts of the grain give brown rice its nutty flavor and a deliciously chewy texture.

If you have a rice cooker, cooking brown rice is as easy as pressing a button. Simply fluff the rice with a fork and spoon your Chicken Marsala sauce overtop.

11. Sauteed Spinach

This one-pot garlic spinach takes just minutes to cook.

There’s no reason why healthy can’t taste good, and this spinach proves it. As the spinach cooks, it absorbs all the savory butter and garlic flavors.

The result is a simple, aromatic vegetable side dish that can go with almost anything. There are so many ways to make this dish your own, like adding goat cheese or chili flakes.

12. Broccoli Salad

Unlike lettuce salad, this broccoli salad won’t wilt!

With cheese and bacon as toppings, it’s hard to go wrong. A creamy sweet mayonnaise dressing ties the ingredients of this crunchy salad together.

It’s best to let broccoli salad marinate in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. This will allow the broccoli florets to absorb the dressing and mellows out their bitterness.

13. French Bread

The classic French loaf is a must-have side for any saucy dishes.

This is the perfect bread recipe for a crispy crust and a soft fluffy inside. Nice spongy bread will help soak up that delicious Chicken Marsala sauce.

You can place cooked bread in the oven for 1-2 minutes to warm it up before serving. You can use this recipe to make a traditional loaf, or make breadsticks to change things up.

14. Homemade Almond Noodles

A grain-free pasta with a distinct nutty flavor!

Using almond flour in place of wheat flour makes this chewy homemade pasta safe for your gluten-intolerant guests. The chewiness comes from ingredients like tapioca flour and xanthan gum, which are also gluten-free.

You’ll need a pasta roller to make these noodles, but it’s worth it! The taste of fresh pasta versus dry is incomparable and makes any dish extra special.

15. Polenta

Swap out typical mashed potatoes with this irresistibly cheesy polenta.

Polenta has a mild flavor, which makes it a great side for flavor-filled dishes like Chicken Marsala. This recipe pairs polenta with cream, parmesan, and butter for a smooth, rich taste.

Use coarse ground cornmeal to get a creamy texture without the polenta becoming stodgy. If you want an extra flavorful dish, prepare the polenta with chicken stock rather than water.

16. Citrus Jasmine Rice

This bright, aromatic rice is the perfect way to add balance to rich, savory dishes.

Fragrant ingredients like lemongrass and ginger give this rice freshness. I prefer to use jasmine rice, as it has a slightly floral scent that adds to the aroma of the dish.

This rice goes great with curries and savory meat dishes. The ginger is an amazing complement to the herb seasonings in Chicken Marsala.