Creamy Mushroom Chicken

Why you’ll love it

Creamy chicken recipes are some of my readers’ favorites, and it’s easy to see why. I like to keep them simple with no fancy ingredients, and this creamy mushroom chicken is no exception. It’s ready in just 30 minutes for an upgraded family meal.

Juicy mushrooms and chicken just go together so well, and pairing them with a garlic cream sauce takes it over the top. Pantry essentials are transformed into a winning dish that’s special enough for company, but go ahead and eat it any old weeknight!

What you’ll need

• Chicken – as always, my trick for tender chicken is cutting the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so they cook faster and don’t get all tough. You could also pound them thin if you prefer.
• Flour – for dredging. The reason we use it is to get a nice crust on the surface of the chicken.
• Olive oil and butter – for sautéing and making the base of the sauce
• Mushrooms – cremini (or baby bellas), white mushrooms, or whatever you’ve got or the store has will be fine
• Italian seasoning – it’s a convenient mix of fragrant dried herbs that’s all in a single jar
• Garlic – use even more than suggested if you’re a garlic afficionado. I like to mince it with this garlic press so that peeling the cloves isn’t needed.
• Chicken broth – to infuse savory flavor into the sauce
• Lemon juice – a touch of acidity adds brightness
• Dijon mustard – my tried-and-true way to add extra depth of flavor to sauces. It doesn’t make it taste like mustard, so don’t worry about that!
• Heavy cream – for luxuriousness

How to make creamy mushroom chicken

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, then season and coat the cutlets in flour and sear on both sides in a skillet until golden. Transfer to a plate, and then sauté the mushrooms.

Take the mushrooms out of the pan and add the garlic, chicken broth, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Let it reduce, and then stir in the cream along with the mushrooms and chicken. Finish cooking the chicken through, and season with salt & pepper.

Substitutions and variations

• I don’t recommend subbing the cream for something like half-and-half or milk because the sauce will end up thinner and may curdle due to the high heat it’s cooked at. However, you may want to read through the comments if you do want to experiment as lots of readers have had success tweaking the recipe based on their diet needs.
• I love including Dijon mustard in recipes like this for extra flavor, but it’s not a dealbreaker. If you don’t have any, you can for sure leave it out.
• Another thing you can do is replace the chicken broth with dry white wine if you have some on hand. Try sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay.
• You could make this recipe with chicken thighs if you prefer, but keep in mind that you may need to adjust the cooking time a bit.