I’m sharing my Creamy Mushroom Chicken that pairs tender chicken breasts with a mushroom sauce enhanced by an unexpected ingredient and a time-saving shortcut.
I never planned to make something this impressive but here we are. My Creamy Mushroom Chicken started as a weeknight fix with chicken breasts and cremini mushrooms and somehow it turned into a show stopper.
The sauce is silky and deep enough that people ask whats in it, I usually just say come back tomorrow and I might tell you. It lives in my Chicken Dinner Recipes folder but feels fancy when company shows up.
Give it a try if you want dinner that looks hard but really isnt, you might get addicted. Totally worth it.
Try it soon.
Ingredients
- Lean protein keeps you full adds a savory base soaks up flavors
- Earthy low calorie add umami and texture provide some fibre and minerals
- Rich makes sauce silky and creamy high fat so use sparingly
- Sharp aromatic boosts savory depth has antioxidants and immune friendly perks
- Adds bright acidity deglazes pan and lifts flavors without much sweetness
- Salty umami punch melts into sauce small amount goes a long way
- Herby subtle lemony notes pairs with chicken not overpowering but fragrant
- Healthy fat that browns chicken and carries flavors adds richness
- Milder onion taste sweeter than onion gives delicate depth to sauce
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1 1/2 lb
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms sliced
- 1 small shallot minced or 1/2 small yellow onion minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine optional
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese optional
How to Make this
1. Pat the 4 chicken breasts dry, pound to even thickness if needed, then season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high, add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter. When hot, sear chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and almost cooked through, then transfer to a plate. Dont crowd the pan or you wont get a good crust.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp butter. Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms and cook until browned and most liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Add 1 small minced shallot (or 1/2 small minced yellow onion) and 3 smashed or minced garlic cloves, cook 1 to 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.
5. Sprinkle 1 tbsp all purpose flour over the veggies, stir well to coat and cook 1 minute to get rid of raw flour taste.
6. Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine if using, scraping up browned bits from the bottom, and let it reduce by about half, 2 to 3 minutes. If you skip the wine, just add a little extra chicken broth instead.
7. Add 1 cup low sodium chicken broth, bring to a simmer and let the sauce thicken slightly.
8. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh). Simmer gently until the sauce is silky and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
9. Return the seared chicken to the pan, nestling it into the sauce, spoon sauce over the breasts and simmer until chicken reaches 165 F in the thickest part, about 5 to 8 minutes. Let the chicken rest 3 to 5 minutes off the heat before slicing.
10. Finish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan if you like. Serve over rice, pasta or mashed potatoes and spoon extra sauce on top.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy bottomed skillet 12 inch for searing and simmering
2. Meat thermometer to check the chicken hits 165 F
3. Tongs for flipping the breasts and moving them in the pan
4. Cutting board for the chicken and veggies
5. Chef knife for slicing mushrooms and mincing shallot and garlic
6. Meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to even thickness
7. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, wine, broth, cream and seasonings
8. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir and scrape up browned bits
9. Plate and paper towels to rest the chicken and absorb moisture
10. Microplane or fine grater for the Parmesan optional
FAQ
Creamy Mushroom Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Heavy cream -> 1 cup half-and-half + 2 tbsp melted butter for almost the same richness, or 1 cup full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version, it will taste a bit coconutty.
- Dry white wine -> 1/2 cup extra chicken broth + 1 tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar to add acidity, or use a nonalcoholic white wine.
- Cremini mushrooms -> button, shiitake, oyster or baby portobello all work, canned mushrooms in a pinch but theyre softer and a bit waterier.
- Parmesan -> Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano for similar umami, or 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for a vegan twist, note its less salty.
Pro Tips
1) Quick brine and room temp chicken. If you have time, soak the breasts in a quick brine (1 tablespoon kosher salt per 2 cups water) for 15 to 20 minutes, rinse and pat dry. It helps keep the meat juicier. Also take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking so it cooks more evenly.
2) Get a real crust by not crowding the pan and browning in batches. If the pan is full the chicken and mushrooms will steam not brown. Brown well, set things aside, then deglaze the pan so you use all those browned bits for more flavor.
3) Finish the sauce gently. Add the cream slowly and keep the heat low, simmer not boil, or the cream can split. If you want a silky shine stir in a small cold pat of butter or a handful of grated Parmesan off the heat right before serving.
4) Use an instant read thermometer and rest the chicken. Pull the breasts when they hit about 160 F, cover and rest 3 to 5 minutes so carryover heat brings them to safe temp and they stay juicy. Slice against the grain for the best texture.
5) Brightness and fixes. If you skip wine, add a splash of white wine vinegar or lemon at the end to brighten the sauce. Too thin? Reduce it a bit or whisk in a tiny cornstarch slurry. Too salty? A squeeze of lemon or a spoon of cream will tame it.
Creamy Mushroom Chicken Recipe
I’m sharing my Creamy Mushroom Chicken that pairs tender chicken breasts with a mushroom sauce enhanced by an unexpected ingredient and a time-saving shortcut.
4
servings
679
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy bottomed skillet 12 inch for searing and simmering
2. Meat thermometer to check the chicken hits 165 F
3. Tongs for flipping the breasts and moving them in the pan
4. Cutting board for the chicken and veggies
5. Chef knife for slicing mushrooms and mincing shallot and garlic
6. Meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to even thickness
7. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, wine, broth, cream and seasonings
8. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir and scrape up browned bits
9. Plate and paper towels to rest the chicken and absorb moisture
10. Microplane or fine grater for the Parmesan optional
Ingredients
-
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1 1/2 lb
-
1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
-
1/2 tsp black pepper
-
2 tbsp olive oil
-
2 tbsp unsalted butter divided
-
8 oz cremini or white mushrooms sliced
-
1 small shallot minced or 1/2 small yellow onion minced
-
3 garlic cloves minced
-
1 tbsp all purpose flour
-
1/2 cup dry white wine optional
-
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
-
1 cup heavy cream
-
1 tsp Dijon mustard
-
1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
-
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
-
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese optional
Directions
- Pat the 4 chicken breasts dry, pound to even thickness if needed, then season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high, add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter. When hot, sear chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and almost cooked through, then transfer to a plate. Dont crowd the pan or you wont get a good crust.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp butter. Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms and cook until browned and most liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add 1 small minced shallot (or 1/2 small minced yellow onion) and 3 smashed or minced garlic cloves, cook 1 to 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp all purpose flour over the veggies, stir well to coat and cook 1 minute to get rid of raw flour taste.
- Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine if using, scraping up browned bits from the bottom, and let it reduce by about half, 2 to 3 minutes. If you skip the wine, just add a little extra chicken broth instead.
- Add 1 cup low sodium chicken broth, bring to a simmer and let the sauce thicken slightly.
- Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh). Simmer gently until the sauce is silky and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Return the seared chicken to the pan, nestling it into the sauce, spoon sauce over the breasts and simmer until chicken reaches 165 F in the thickest part, about 5 to 8 minutes. Let the chicken rest 3 to 5 minutes off the heat before slicing.
- Finish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan if you like. Serve over rice, pasta or mashed potatoes and spoon extra sauce on top.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 410g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 679kcal
- Fat: 42.6g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.4g
- Monounsaturated: 10g
- Cholesterol: 222mg
- Sodium: 783mg
- Potassium: 575mg
- Carbohydrates: 8.5g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Sugar: 1.5g
- Protein: 59g
- Vitamin A: 700IU
- Vitamin C: 1.5mg
- Calcium: 83mg
- Iron: 2mg
