Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Table of contents
Intro
My husband is one of those people who will eat almost anything I put in front of him, but mushrooms are where he draws the line. And there is absolutely no sneaking them past him either. I once made something with cream of mushroom soup thinking he wouldn’t even notice, and he knew immediately! If you have someone like that in your household, you should try this Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken! My husband begs me to make this one!
When my oldest son and daughter still lived at home, they both liked mushrooms, so dinners like this Creamy Mushroom Chicken made an appearance a lot more often. These days, it’s more of a special treat that I make for myself. The upside? I get to save the leftovers and enjoy them for the next couple of days!
And trust me, this one is worth keeping all to yourself. Thin-sliced chicken breasts are seasoned and pan-seared until golden, then served with a homemade creamy mushroom sauce filled with baby bella mushrooms, onion, garlic, Parmesan and just a hint of thyme. I like to serve mine over a big scoop of garlic mashed potatoes so they can soak up all that extra sauce.
And check out these other great recipes while you are here!
One Pan Creamy Lemon Chicken Linguine
Spicy Rigatoni with Crispy Chicken Cutlets
One Pot Creamy Shrimp Linguine.
One-Pot Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Orzo
Creamy Boursin Chicken Orzo Bake
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Mushroom Chicken
This is one of those dinners that feels a little special but doesn’t require anything complicated. Everything comes together in one skillet, and because we’re using thin-sliced chicken breasts, it cooks pretty quickly.
The mushroom sauce is completely homemade—no canned soup here! Sautéing the mushrooms and onions in the same skillet used for the chicken means all of those browned bits become part of the sauce. A little heavy cream and Parmesan give it a creamy finish without needing a huge amount of either.
It’s also an easy recipe to pair with whatever sides you have around. Mashed potatoes are my favorite, but rice, pasta or even some crusty bread would all work.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts – You’ll need about 1 to 1½ pounds, or four thin-sliced pieces. Using thinner chicken helps it cook quickly and evenly in the skillet.
- McCormick Umami Seasoning with Mushrooms & Onion – Adds an extra layer of savory mushroom and onion flavor to the chicken.
- Chicken seasoning – Use your favorite all-purpose chicken seasoning blend. Since seasoning blends vary quite a bit in saltiness, I recommend starting conservatively.
- Black pepper – Seasons the chicken without adding additional salt.
- Oil – Helps the chicken brown without the butter burning. I use about one tablespoon.
- Butter – You’ll use one tablespoon to cook the chicken and another two tablespoons for sautéing the mushrooms and onion.
- Yellow onion – Half of a diced yellow onion adds flavor and a little sweetness to the sauce.
- Baby bella mushrooms – An 8-ounce package, lightly chopped. Baby bellas have plenty of savory mushroom flavor and hold up well in the creamy sauce.
- Garlic – About four freshly minced cloves go in after the mushrooms and onions have softened.
- All-purpose flour – Two tablespoons create the base that thickens the mushroom sauce.
- Chicken broth – One cup loosens all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and forms the base of the sauce.
- Heavy cream – Half a cup gives the sauce its creamy consistency without overpowering the mushroom flavor.
- Dried thyme – Just ¼ teaspoon is plenty. Thyme and mushrooms are great together, but I don’t want the thyme taking over the sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce – One teaspoon adds another savory layer and a little depth to the sauce.
- Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese – I use ¼ cup of the freshly shredded Parmesan you can find in the refrigerated section. You can also shred Parmesan straight from a block.
- Fresh parsley – A couple teaspoons stirred into the sauce adds a little freshness. I also like to sprinkle more over the finished plates.
A Note About Salt
You’ll notice there isn’t any additional salt in this recipe. Both the umami seasoning and chicken seasoning contain salt, and you’re also getting saltiness from the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan.
Taste the finished sauce before adding any salt. Mine didn’t need a bit more.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Season and Cook the Chicken
Pat the chicken dry if necessary and season both sides with the umami seasoning, chicken seasoning and black pepper.
Heat one tablespoon of oil and one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken. Cook for approximately 4–5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness, until nicely browned and the center of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely tent it with aluminum foil to keep it warm while you make the sauce.
Sauté the Mushrooms and Onion
Keep all those browned bits in the skillet—they’re going to add a ton of flavor to the sauce.
Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the diced onion and chopped baby bella mushrooms.
Season with a little black pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and the mushrooms have cooked down.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, just until fragrant.
Make the Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Sprinkle two tablespoons of flour over the mushrooms and onions. Stir until everything is coated, then let the flour cook for about 2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet as you go.
Stir in the heavy cream, dried thyme, Worcestershire sauce and about ¼ teaspoon of chicken seasoning.
Let the sauce gently simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened to your liking.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan. Continue stirring until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Stir in about two teaspoons of freshly chopped parsley.
Give the sauce a taste before adding any additional salt. Depending on your chicken seasoning, broth and Parmesan, you may not need any at all.
How I Like to Serve It
Garlic mashed potatoes are hands-down my favorite with this one.
Add a generous scoop of mashed potatoes to each plate, place one of the pan-seared chicken breasts on top, and spoon plenty of creamy mushroom sauce over the chicken and potatoes. Finish with a little extra fresh parsley.
I also sautéed asparagus and zucchini in butter with a few seasonings when I made the dinner pictured here, but just about any simple vegetable would work.
Other good options include steamed broccoli, roasted green beans or a simple side salad. And if you don’t want mashed potatoes, serve the chicken and sauce over rice, egg noodles or pasta.
Tips for the Best Creamy Mushroom Chicken
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet. You want the chicken to sear rather than steam. If your skillet isn’t large enough for all four pieces without overlapping, cook them in two batches.
- Don’t wipe out the skillet. Those browned bits left behind after cooking the chicken add flavor to the mushroom sauce.
- Give the mushrooms time to cook. Five minutes allows them to soften and release some of their moisture before you start building the sauce.
- Cook the flour before adding the broth. A couple of minutes is enough to remove that raw flour flavor.
- Add the broth slowly. Stirring while you add it helps the flour incorporate smoothly into the sauce.
- Keep the heat low after adding the Parmesan. High heat can cause a cheese-and-cream sauce to separate or become grainy.
- Taste before salting. I know I’m repeating myself, but this one matters. The seasonings, broth, Worcestershire and Parmesan already bring plenty of salt to the party.
- Don’t return the chicken to the skillet unless you want to. I prefer keeping that nice browned exterior on the chicken and spooning the sauce over it when serving.
Substitutions and Variations
If you can’t find thin-sliced chicken breasts, slice two larger chicken breasts horizontally to make four thinner cutlets. You can also gently pound them to an even thickness if needed.
White button mushrooms can be substituted for the baby bellas, although I prefer the slightly deeper flavor of baby bella mushrooms here.
Half-and-half could be used instead of heavy cream, but the sauce will be a little less rich and may take slightly longer to thicken. I wouldn’t recommend regular milk because the finished sauce won’t have quite the same consistency.
If you don’t have the McCormick Umami Mushroom & Onion Seasoning, you don’t have to buy it just for this recipe. Use a little extra chicken seasoning or your favorite savory all-purpose seasoning instead.
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
Can I Make Creamy Mushroom Chicken Ahead of Time?
You can, although this recipe is at its best right after it’s made. If you’re preparing it ahead, I recommend storing the chicken and mushroom sauce separately. That helps keep the chicken from soaking up too much sauce and losing its browned exterior.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover chicken and mushroom sauce in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
If you’ve already combined the chicken and sauce, that’s completely fine too.
How to Reheat
Cream sauces are happiest when reheated gently.
Warm the mushroom sauce in a small skillet or saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. If it has thickened considerably in the refrigerator, add a small splash of chicken broth or heavy cream until it reaches the consistency you like.
The chicken can be warmed gently in the sauce or reheated separately and topped with the warm sauce before serving.
Can You Freeze Creamy Mushroom Chicken?
Technically, yes, but this isn’t one of my favorite recipes to freeze. Cream-based sauces can sometimes separate after freezing and thawing, and the mushrooms will be softer.
For the best texture, I’d enjoy this one fresh or refrigerated rather than freezing it.
Video
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs
- 1 tsp McCormick Umami Seasoning with Mushrooms & Onion
- 1 tsp Chicken Seasoning use any kind you like
- 1 tsp Black Pepper, divided
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp Salted Butter, divided
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, Diced
- 8 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms, lightly chopped
- 4-5 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 tsp Dried Thyme Leaves
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/4 tsp Additional Chicken Seasoning or to taste
- 1/4-1/2 Cup Freshly Shredded or Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 tsp Freshly Chopped Parsley plus more for garnish if desired
- Salt Only if needed after tasting the final dish
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken with the umami seasoning, 1 teaspoon chicken seasoning and approximately half of the black pepper.
- Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken and cook for approximately 4–5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely tent with foil.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Add the onion and mushrooms, season with the remaining black pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture. Stir well and cook for about 2 minutes
- Slowly stir in the chicken broth, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in the heavy cream, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and ¼ teaspoon chicken seasoning.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the Parmesan and stir until completely melted.
- Stir in the fresh parsley. Taste the sauce and add salt only if needed.
- Serve the chicken over garlic mashed potatoes, if desired, and spoon the creamy mushroom sauce generously over the top. Garnish with additional fresh parsley.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition Information
Per serving, based on 4 servings and not including mashed potatoes or side vegetables: Calories: approximately 490Protein: approximately 47 g
Carbohydrates: approximately 9 g
Fat: approximately 30 g
Saturated Fat: approximately 15 g
Fiber: approximately 1 g
Sugar: approximately 3 g
Sodium: approximately 850 mg* *Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary significantly depending on the specific ingredients used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular chicken breasts? – Yes. Slice larger chicken breasts horizontally into thinner cutlets so they cook quickly and evenly.
What mushrooms are best for creamy mushroom chicken? – I like baby bella mushrooms because they have a deeper savory flavor, but white button mushrooms work too.
Can I make this without heavy cream? – Half-and-half can work, although the sauce won’t be quite as rich and may take a little longer to thicken. I don’t recommend regular milk for this recipe.
Why isn’t there salt in the recipe? – The seasoning blends, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan all contain salt. Taste the finished sauce first and add salt only if it needs it.
How do I thin mushroom sauce if it gets too thick? – Stir in a splash of chicken broth over low heat until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
Can I make creamy mushroom chicken without the umami seasoning? – Absolutely. Substitute your favorite savory all-purpose seasoning or use a little additional chicken seasoning.
What should I serve with creamy mushroom chicken? – Garlic mashed potatoes are my favorite because they’re perfect for catching the extra mushroom sauce. Rice, egg noodles or pasta are also great options.
