Mushroom Chicken Recipe

I’m sharing my creamy mushroom chicken skillet with a rich, flavorful sauce that pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes and belongs in the Easy Mom Dinners rotation.

I thought mushroom and chicken was done to death, but this Creamy Mushroom Chicken still surprised me. I love the way boneless skinless chicken breasts get a little edge from the pan while cremini mushrooms soak up every bit of that silky sauce, and yet it never tastes heavy.

There’s a moment in the dish where you want to pause and wonder how something so simple can feel so composed, like it’s hiding tricks you havent figured out yet. If you need a quick pick for Meal Ideas With Mashed Potatoes, this one will make you rethink weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts: lean protein, filling, builds muscle, easy to overcook if youre not careful.
• Mushrooms: earthy umami flavor, low calorie, offer fiber and vitamin D when exposed.
• Garlic: pungent, adds savory zip and aroma, linked to heart health benefits sometimes.
• Heavy cream: makes sauce rich and silky, high in fat and calories though.
• Dijon mustard: sharp, tangy lift, small amounts add depth without sweetness.
• White wine: adds bright acidity and complexity, evaporates mostly while cooking.
• Thyme: fragrant herb, subtle lemony earth notes, pairs great with chicken and mushrooms.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3, trimmed and patted dry
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped or 1/2 small yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, optional
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

How to Make this

1. Trim and pat the 1 1/2 lb chicken breasts dry, pound them to an even thickness about 3/4 inch if you can, then season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter. When hot but not smoking, sear the chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown, don’t overcrowd the pan or they’ll steam. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

3. Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp butter to the same skillet and toss in 8 oz sliced mushrooms. Cook until nicely browned and most of the moisture is gone, about 5 to 7 minutes, seasoning with a little salt and pepper as they cook.

4. Add 1 small finely chopped shallot (or 1/2 small yellow onion) and 3 minced garlic cloves to the mushrooms, cook 1 to 2 minutes until softened and fragrant but not burned.

5. Sprinkle 1 tbsp all purpose flour over the veggies and stir for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste, this helps thicken the sauce.

6. Pour in 1/4 cup dry white wine if using, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom, let it reduce about 1 minute; then add 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth and stir to combine.

7. Stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, keep heat moderate so the cream doesn’t break.

8. Return the seared chicken to the skillet, nestle into the sauce and simmer 4 to 6 more minutes until chicken reaches 165 F or is cooked through, spooning sauce over the top to finish. If sauce gets too thick add a splash more broth.

9. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, turn off the heat and stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley. Let chicken rest a couple minutes in the sauce, then serve spooning plenty of creamy mushroom sauce over mashed potatoes or your favorite side.

Equipment Needed

1. 10-12 inch heavy skillet (stainless steel or cast iron works best)
2. Meat mallet or rolling pin plus a zip-top bag to pound the chicken thin
3. Cutting board
4. Good chef knife
5. Tongs (for flipping) and a spatula (for scraping)
6. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring the sauce
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Instant-read thermometer to check chicken temperature
9. Plate and aluminum foil to rest and tent the cooked chicken

FAQ

Mushroom Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Heavy cream: replace 3/4 cup heavy cream with 3/4 cup half-and-half plus 1 tbsp melted butter to get the same richness, or use 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk for a dairy free option.
• Dry white wine (optional): swap 1/4 cup wine for 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth plus 1 tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar for brightness, works great if you dont want alcohol.
• Dijon mustard: use equal parts whole-grain or stone-ground mustard, or stir 1 tsp dry mustard into a little water as a quick stand-in if thats all you got.
• Unsalted butter: sub with ghee or olive oil 1:1 for sautéing, or use a vegan buttery spread for a dairy-free swap.

Pro Tips

1) Let the chicken rest after searing, and check doneness with a thermometer instead of guessing, cause it’s easy to overcook and dry it out. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut into the thickest part just once to peek, then stop poking it so juices don’t run out.

2) Give mushrooms time to brown, don’t crowd the pan or they’ll just steam. Salt them part way through so they release moisture, then keep cooking until most of that moisture is gone and they start to brown for real flavor.

3) To keep the cream sauce silky and not broken, keep the heat gentle when you add cream and stir often. If it looks like it’s about to separate, take the pan off the heat for a minute, whisk, then finish; adding a splash more broth will bring it back together.

4) Use the pan fond, scrape it up good when you deglaze and you’ll get way more depth in the sauce. If you skip wine, a splash of sherry or even a little extra broth plus a tiny squeeze of lemon or vinegar will brighten it up.