Chicken marsala is a classic Italian dish made with chicken breast, mushrooms, and a marsala wine sauce. It’s a delicious and popular meal, but is it a good choice for those with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)? GERD is a condition where stomach acid frequently flows back up into the esophagus, causing symptoms like heartburn, nausea, and regurgitation. Certain foods and drinks can trigger or worsen these symptoms, so it’s important for those with GERD to choose meals carefully.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at chicken marsala and how its ingredients may impact GERD. We’ll cover:
- What is chicken marsala?
- Common triggers for GERD
- Potential concerns with chicken marsala ingredients
- Tips for making GERD-friendly chicken marsala
- Other GERD-friendly chicken recipes
Understanding how this savory dish may affect your GERD will help you decide if it’s a good option for you.
What is Chicken Marsala?
Chicken marsala is an Italian-American dish made by sautéing chicken cutlets in a pan with mushrooms, garlic, herbs, and marsala wine. Here are the key ingredients that give this dish its distinct flavor:
- Chicken breast – Typically cut into thin cutlets before cooking.
- Mushrooms – Sliced or quartered mushrooms like cremini, button, or portobello.
- Garlic – Minced or sliced garlic sautéed with the chicken and mushrooms.
- Fresh herbs – Such as parsley, oregano, or thyme.
- Butter and olive oil – Used to cook the chicken and mushrooms.
- All-purpose flour – Lightly coats the chicken before sautéing.
- Marsala wine – A fortified wine originally from Sicily. The sauce reduces as it cooks.
- Salt and pepper – For seasoning.
The chicken is lightly dredged in flour then sautéed in the butter and oil until golden brown. Garlic, mushrooms, and herbs are cooked along with the chicken. The marsala wine is added and reduces down to a glossy sauce.
This quick cooking method keeps the chicken breasts moist, while the sauce takes on deep savory notes from the pan drippings, marsala wine, and mushrooms.
Common GERD Triggers
When deciding if a meal or food is suitable for GERD, it helps to know what ingredients typically aggravate symptoms. Common triggers include:
- High-fat foods – Greasy, fatty, or fried foods can relax the lower esophageal sphincter and delay stomach emptying, allowing more reflux.
- Spicy foods – Chili peppers and black pepper may irritate the esophageal lining.
- Tomatoes/tomato sauce – High acid content. Raw tomatoes are especially problematic.
- Onions – A common reflux trigger vegetable.
- Chocolate – Contains methylxanthines and cocoa butter that may loosen the esophageal sphincter.
- Caffeine – Found in coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks. A known relaxant of the lower esophageal sphincter.
- Alcohol – Red wine, beer, cocktails. Can directly irritate the esophagus.
- Citrus fruits/juices – High acidity. Grapefruit, orange, lemon, and lime juice are frequent culprits.
- Carbonated beverages – The bubbles expand in the stomach, increasing pressure.
Of course, triggers can vary by individual. Keeping a food journal to track your own reflux triggers is recommended. But this list gives an overview of ingredients that commonly provoke GERD symptoms.
Potential Concerns with Chicken Marsala Ingredients
Based on typical GERD triggers, a few ingredients in chicken marsala stand out as potential concerns:
Wine
The marsala wine sauce is the namesake ingredient in chicken marsala. Unfortunately, alcohol is known to relax the lower esophageal sphincter and aggravate reflux symptoms in many GERD sufferers. Red wine tends to be most problematic, followed by white wine, champagne, and beer.
Even cooked alcohol retains some of its relaxation effects. The good news is marsala wine is a fortified wine, meaning it contains less alcohol than regular table wine (around 15-20% ABV compared to 9-15%). Still, even in the reduced sauce, it may trigger symptoms in some.
Tomatoes
Some chicken marsala recipes call for the addition of tomatoes like canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato paste. Raw tomatoes are highly acidic (pH around 4) and a well-known trigger food. Cooking helps reduce the acidity somewhat. But for those sensitive to tomatoes, even cooked or canned tomato products may potentially stimulate reflux.
Onions
Onions are a common GERD trigger vegetable. Even though onions are usually sautéed in chicken marsala, some people may still experience irritation from cooked onions. Using a smaller amount of onions or cooking them thoroughly may help reduce this effect.
Garlic
A clove or two of garlic adds big flavor but can cause bloating, gas, and belching in some people prone to reflux. For those sensitive to garlic, omitting it from the recipe or using a smaller amount may prevent problems.
Butter and Oil
Chicken marsala is cooked in a mix of butter and olive oil or vegetable oil. Fats and oils can potentially relax the lower esophageal sphincter and delay stomach emptying, allowing more opportunities for reflux. Opting for healthier fats like olive oil over butter may help minimize irritation.
Tips for Making GERD-Friendly Chicken Marsala
With a few simple modifications, traditional chicken marsala can be adapted to be more GERD-friendly:
- Use less or no marsala wine – Replace with low-acid chicken or vegetable broth.
- Skip tomatoes – They add acidity and aren’t a necessary ingredient.
- Reduce or omit onions – Caramelized onions are tasty but a known reflux trigger.
- Limit garlic to 1/2 clove or less – Or use garlic-infused oil instead of raw garlic.
- Use olive oil instead of butter – Healthier than butter and less likely to cause issues.
- Choose skinless chicken breast – The skin adds saturated fat that can aggravate reflux.
- Simmer the sauce gently – High heat and reduced wine can make the sauce too acidic.
- Balance with bland starches – Serve chicken with rice, pasta, or potatoes to help soak up acidity.
With these simple tweaks, you can still enjoy the wonderful flavor of chicken marsala in a way that’s unlikely to trigger unpleasant GERD symptoms.
Other GERD-Friendly Chicken Recipes
If chicken marsala doesn’t seem like an ideal choice for your acid reflux issues, there are many other delicious GERD-friendly chicken recipes to try instead. Here are a few tasty yet gentle options:
Baked Chicken Breast
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts baked plain, or with a light coat of olive oil, herbs, and lemon. Serve over rice with roasted vegetables. The simplicity avoids common trigger ingredients.
Chicken and Brown Rice Soup
Chicken soup made with brown rice instead of noodles or pasta provides comforting flavor without irritation. Use low-acid veggies like carrots, celery, and zucchini.
Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
Quickly cooked with olive oil and reduced soy sauce over brown rice. Tailor the veggies to avoid your personal triggers.
Chicken Fajitas
Marinated chicken, sautéed peppers, and onions wrapped in soft corn tortillas. Top with fresh cilantro and guacamole. Avoid trigger toppings like sour cream.
Chicken Salad
Made with diced chicken, mayo or Greek yogurt, celery, carrot, and spring greens. Serve between two slices of good quality bread.
Grilled Chicken Kebabs
Chicken and veggies like zucchini, bell pepper, and mushrooms grilled on skewers. Chunky and flavorful with healthy ingredients.
The Bottom Line
For those with GERD, traditional chicken marsala has a few potentially problematic ingredients like wine, tomatoes, onions, and butter. However, with some simple modifications like using reduced alcohol wine, eliminating tomatoes, reducing onions and garlic, and choosing healthier fats, chicken marsala can likely be enjoyed without issue. Sticking to the modified recipe and balancing the meal with bland starches like rice or pasta can further help minimize acid reflux symptoms. While everyone’s trigger foods vary, adjusting this savory favorite can allow many with GERD to savor chicken marsala again.