Mushroom Chicken
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This Mushroom Chicken recipe is made with chicken breasts and a creamy garlic mushroom sauce. The whole dish comes together in one skillet and in under 20 minutes, too!
Boy oh boy do I love one skillet meals, and this Mushroom Chicken is exactly that.
Any meal that requires minimal dishes is a meal I automatically add to my regular recipe rotation. Some of my favorites are my beef enchilada skillet, my cheesy cauliflower rice and my lentil ragu, and now this creamy mushroom chicken as well.
It’s made with tender chicken breasts to keep it light, and the sauce is a combination of mushrooms, chicken broth and half and half, so it’s extra creamy but not too heavy and packed with flavor.
Recipe features
- The entire dish is made in one skillet and ready in under 20 minutes!
- Incredibly flavorful, a good source of protein and a good way to use up mushrooms.
- A quick weeknight dinner the whole family will love!
Ingredients
Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but boneless chicken thighs work as well! You may just need to adjust the cook time slightly.
Olive oil – A combination of olive oil and butter is the way to go! Of course you can just use one or the other, but I like a little of both.
Mushrooms – I typically opt for baby bella, also known as cremini mushrooms, but white mushrooms would be a good option too.
Broth – Chicken broth is best since this is a chicken recipe.
Garlic – Opt for fresh garlic cloves over garlic powder.
Thyme – I used fresh thyme, but if you prefer using dried thyme, reduce the amount by half and then increase as needed.
Half and half – Or sub heavy cream.
Cornstarch – Or sub arrowroot or even all purpose flour; a thickening agent is necessary.
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the chicken. Start by heating one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the chicken smooth side down and pan-sear it for approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set it aside.
Step 2: Cook the mushrooms. Add the remaining oil and one tablespoon of butter to thee skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and one tablespoon of chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Sauté until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Then, add the remaining butter, garlic and thyme and sauté for 1 minute.
Step 3: Make the sauce. While the mushrooms are cooking, whisk the chicken broth, half and half and cornstarch together in a small bowl; set aside.
Step 4: Combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then pour the sauce into the skillet. Bring the sauce to a low simmer, then add the chicken back in and simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces a bit, 3-5 minutes. Garnish chicken with extra thyme (optional), salt and pepper and enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
- Adding a splash of white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc, to deglaze the pan instead of using chicken broth is an option if you have some on hand.
- I don’t recommend using canned mushrooms; simply put, the flavor won’t be the same.
- Besides fresh thyme, salt and pepper, feel free to garnish the whole dish with a little parmesan cheese as well.
- If you want to bulk this up, you could add veggies such spinach or kale into the sauce. Simply stir until they’re wilted.
- Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check if the chicken is done; chicken is cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Keep in mind, the chicken will continue to cook a bit as it rests, so remove it from the heat when it reaches 160°F and allow it to sit for a few minutes before serving.
Why isn’t the sauce thickening?
If the sauce isn’t thickening, you may need to turn the heat on the stove back up to medium, or even to medium-high heat, and that should do the trick.
What should I serve with this chicken?
This chicken pairs well with rice, potatoes, pasta, and of course roasted vegetables. Some examples include:
Storage
Refrigerator: Keep chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Wait for chicken to cool, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: To reheat, transfer everything to a deep skillet and heat over medium until warmed through. That way, the sauce stays the correct consistency.
More easy chicken recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced in half vertically
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil , divided
- 2 tbsp butter, divided
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken broth, plus more for deglazing the pan
- 1/4 cup half and half
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- If you haven't already, slice the chicken breasts in half to create 4 thinner breasts, then season them with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then pan-sear the chicken for about 4 minutes per side; remove the chicken.
- To that same skillet, add the remaining oil, along with 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once the butter melts, add the mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 minutes, then add 1-2 tablespoons of chicken broth and continue cooking until the mushrooms are soft.
- Next, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, along with the garlic and thyme and sauté for 1 minute. Meanwhile, whisk the chicken broth, half and half and cornstarch together in a small bowl or glass measuring cup.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, then pour the chicken broth mixture into the skillet and bring the sauce to a low simmer. Add the chicken back into the skillet, nestling it amongst the mushrooms. Continue simmering until the sauce thickens and reduces slightly, 3-5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh thyme, salt and pepper and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This was delicious! I would definitely make again. The sauce is rich and d creamy, the chicken very savory and tender.
Thanks Kathy! Glad you loved the chicken!
Absolutely DELISH! I sliced large chicken breasts crosswise in fat strips, holding sharp knife on the diagonal, to facilitate quicker browning and to minimize drying out.
This is an absolutely wonderful chicken dish — my protein of choice for which I am always on the search for perfection — this comes very, very close. THANK YOU Erin!
Thanks so much Sharon! Glad you loved the chicken!
Wow so good. I’m retired guy I’ve really enjoyed starting to cook some in the last few years. Sometimes I just see what we got sitting around and I’ll punch it in to Google and see what comes up. This recipe look good. Took me a little longer than 20 minutes. But I’m retired. My wife loved it and so did my mom who lives with us. Thank you so much we’ll make again would give a higher a higher than a five if I could.
Thanks so much Steve! I’m so glad you and the family loved the chicken!
This recipe is delicious…I will definitely being making this often…yummy !! TY
Thanks for the 5-star rating, Elizabeth!
Yep good recipe. Don’t skimp on the Thyme. For a non-dairy sauce try 1/4 cup almonds, soaked in half cup of boiling water, once cooled, waz it up in a blender/liquidizer.
Good suggestion!
I really enjoyed the ease of this recipe. Wish I doubled it so we would have leftovers!
Love that idea — I’m so glad you liked the chicken, Sarah!
I love this recipe. I did make a few changes. I used boneless chicken thighs, just because that is what I had. I don’t eat too much dairy so I used vegan butter and coconut milk. It is a great quick recipe. I served with a brown/wild rice blend and kale. I definitely will be making this again.
YUM — love the idea of serving it with wild rice. So happy you liked the chicken!
There is so much delicious flavor to this recipe and it was so easy to make. Just 20 minutes and dinner is all done and have leftovers for days. Loved it!