A quick 20-minute chicken dinner that’s simple enough for midweek but elegant enough for company, my versatile Creamy Mushroom Sauce served with a lightly crusted chicken breast. It’s as tasty as it looks and is very, very, very good!
Quick Chicken Breast recipe that’s good enough for company!
This is a recipe I shared on Good Food Australia last month which I saw made their list for the 20 Most Popular Recipes for September. Actually, it topped the class!
Thus I’ve deemed it a recipe I must also have on my own website!
The Creamy Mushroom Sauce is the real hero in this dish. It’s an excellent sauce option for lean chicken breast meat, adding richness and wow factor!
What goes in Chicken Breast with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
The creamy mushroom sauce in this recipe is an excellent sauce for chicken breast, adding richness to what is an otherwise very lean meat.
And it’s a notch above the usual basic mushroom sauce recipes, thanks to a splash of white wine, parmesan and chicken stock/broth. These are all well-established flavour enhancers / umami-boosters that I use regularly and I don’t hold back!
Chicken breast – just 2 which we cut in half horizontally to make 4 steaks (which will serve 4 if you used big breasts). Boneless thigh fillets work as well. If using thighs, I recommend pounding the meat to even out the thickness and for more flat surface area, so it pan-fries to a more even crispness;
Flour – this is to dust the chicken which gives it a light crispy coating and gives the sauce something to cling to. Without it, the sauce slips off the surface of the chicken. This is not a big deal as such, but it is nicer when the sauce stays on the chicken when you spoon it on!
Mushrooms – any type of small sliceable mushrooms will work here. Swiss/Cremini mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms are great – I’ve just used standard white button mushrooms;
Garlic – because where there are mushrooms, there is always garlic! (At least, in my world … )
Butter – because also in my world, where there are mushrooms and garlic, butter must make an appearance too. Butter is flavour (and so much more!) However olive oil, margarine and other alternatives will work just fine too because this sauce has other flavourings in it (ie. cream and parmesan);
Cream – because we’re making a creamy sauce here! Lower fat alternative: evaporated milk. This actually works better than low fat cream because the consistency is thicker, and is ~30% lower in calories than full fat cream.
White wine – Ah, the secret ingredient! A little splash of white wine goes a long way to add depth of flavour to simple sauces like this, especially when used to deglaze the pan. Deglazing is when you use a liquid (wine in this case) to dissolve the golden bits stuck on the base of the pan after pan serving the chicken. Those golden bits – properly called fond – are free flavour and underpins of the incredible taste in this otherwise simple creamy sauce!
Parmesan – the flavour turbocharger! Parmesan heightens the savouriness even further and adds another layer of flavour. Plus for this recipe, it helps thicken the sauce rather than needing gallons of cream; and
Chicken stock/broth – to add even more body to this creamy sauce!
How to make Chicken in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
This is a truly nice and quick chicken recipe:
4 minutes to cook the chicken to golden
5 minutes to sauté the mushrooms
3 minutes to finish the sauce
Split chicken: Cut chicken in half horizontally to give two thin steaks per breast so you have four steaks in total. Cutting the breast in this way is an excellent way to cook chicken breast on the stove as it cooks faster and more evenly. By contrast, a whole breast is much thicker, so the outer rim and the thin tail-end overcooks and dries out before the middle of the thickest part cooks through (unless you pound them to an even thickness);
Season and dust: Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, then flour;
Pan-fry chicken in butter until golden and crispy – just 2 minutes on each side will do because the chicken is now cut helpfully thinner;
Cook mushrooms: Remove the chicken, then melt some more butter to cook the mushrooms in until golden. Pro tip: Add the garlic towards the end otherwise it burns well before the mushrooms are done;
5. Deglaze pan: Add the wine – it will be bubble vigorously and be steamy! We’re going to simmer rapidly to cook out the alcohol and just leave behind the flavour. Also, as it simmers, all the brown stuff on the bottom of the skillet from browning the chicken AND mushrooms (this is called fond) will dissolve into the liquid which makes the sauce even tastier!
6. Make it creamy: Add the cream and parmesan;
7. Simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce and thicken; and
8. Serve! Return the chicken to the pan to warm through and coat the base with sauce. Then serve!
Oh and just in case you were in any way concerned, this dish comes with plenty of sauce. Nobody has ever accused me of skimping on sauce! So rest assured that whatever starchy vehicle of choice you serve this with will be well-soaked with the creamy mushroom sauce.👌🏻
This rich, creamy Mushroom Sauce is particularly excellent with lean chicken breast!
What to serve with this dish
A sauce this good calls for something worthy of soaking and mopping up this liquid gold!
Creamy Mashed Potato rates highly amongst my picks (or here’s the low carb version – Creamy Mashed Cauliflower)
Pasta, polenta, mashed beans or plain rice (brown, white, jasmine, basmati – find them all here)
Crusty bread or soft dinner rolls are always good for mopping
Then something green and clean to complete your plate. The chicken is pictured with store-bought mixed greens with my reliable Everyday Salad Dressing (any vinegar, oil, mustard). Use for everything – and I really do. Fresh leafy greens, chopped juicy veg (cucumber, tomato), shaved raw veg (fennel, asparagus), or even steamed vegetables (broccoli, beans, peas!). Enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
CRISPY CHICKEN
- 2 chicken breasts, large (boneless skinless, ~600-700g / 1.2 – 1.4 lb total, Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 15g / 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Mushroom Sauce
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 300g / 10 oz mushrooms , sliced (button or Swiss brown)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (sub more chicken stock, Note 2)
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock , low sodium
- 1 cup thickened / heavy cream , full fat (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup parmesan , finely and freshly grated (Note 4)
For serving
- 2 tbsp chives , finely sliced (optional) – sub parsley, green onions, or omit
Instructions
- Split breast: Cut each breast in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks in total.
- Dust with flour: Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with flour and use your fingers to spread it all over the surface.
- Cook chicken: Melt 15g butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook each side for 2 1/2 minutes until golden brown and just cooked through. Remove from pan, cover and keep warm.
- Cook mushrooms: In the same frying pan, add remaining butter and increase heat to high. Add mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes, until starting to turn golden brown on the edges.
- Add garlic later: Then add garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, and continue cooking for another minute until both garlic and mushrooms are golden.
- Deglaze skillet: Add white wine – it will bubble and be steamy! Cook for 30 seconds, scraping the bottom of the pan, until wine is mostly evaporated and the alcohol smell is gone.
- Make creamy sauce: Add chicken stock, cook vigorously for 1 minute so it mostly evaporates. Then add cream, lower heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes until it reduces and thickens slightly.
- Add parmesan: Stir in parmesan, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Finish chicken in sauce: Return chicken to sauce for 30 seconds (to warm through slightly.) Garnish with chives and serve as-is in the pan, for people to help themselves (or transfer to serving platter, if you prefer). Alternatively, serve a portion of chicken onto each plate, spoon sauce over and garnish with more chives.
- Sides: Ideal served with mashed potato or rice – something to soak in that amazing sauce! See Note 5 for suggestions.
Recipe Notes:
- Creamy Mashed Potato rates highly on my list (and here’s the low carb version – Creamy Mashed Cauliflower)
- Pasta, polenta, mashed beans or plain rice (brown, white, jasmine, basmati – find them all here)
- Crusty bread or soft dinner rolls for mopping
Nutrition Information:
This is a recipe I originally created for Good Food Australia which I deemed too good not share on my own website!
Life of Dozer
Dozer on the job, using his highly developed palette to ensure the chicken is perfectly cooked. (He gobbled it down so fast he wasn’t sure, calling for another piece to try again… and again and again….)
Jax says
I made this last night for dinner and it got rave reviews all round!! Personally I could eat the sauce by itself, it’s so delish 😃
Nagi says
Yes I’m with you there Jax!! N x
Sue Dalitz says
I’m fiddling with this one today and melding it with your more recent Brussels Sprout recipe to make a one pot meal. So far so good and I’ll let you know!
Isabel says
Love Dozer!!!. Made this tonight for Sunday dinner. Absolutely delicious. Thanks for another great recipe.
Michael O'Briant says
This was simple and quick to prepare and oh so delicious!
Louise says
Absolutely delicious! 🥰
Nagi says
Thanks so much Louise! N x
Rebecca Smith says
Delicious!! Really easy. I used an 8 oz container of cream that Trader Joe’s sells and it worked perfectly. Used a Sauvignon Blanc for the wine and it tasted fantastic. Thanks so much for your wonderful recipes Naji.
Diane says
OMG! My new favourite recipe! You really knocked it out of the park, yet again, Nagi! This appeared in my inbox, and it looked so good I had to give it a try immediately. Before we even finished the meal, my daughter was asking for the recipe! I also really appreciate your tips. Thanks again!
Nagi says
I love hearing this! That’s awesome Diane! N x
Martin Bronks says
Delicious as usual. I have yet to be disappointed with any of your recipes. Thanks Nagi
Anne-Maree says
What a delicious meal we had tonight, and so easy! Thank you Nagi
Mike says
Nearly gave this one a miss. Don’t know why, just didn’t appeal. However had loads of mushrooms almost ready to bin and always have plenty of chicken breast frozen, so gave it a go. What a fantastic surprise , delicious. Well done Nagi. Loved it,
Nagi says
Wahoo! I’m so glad you gave it a go! N x
Kay. says
Hi, Have made your Creamy chicken with Mushroom sauce. Spot on for flavour and easy to make – Didn’t have a white wine open so used extra Chicken stock. Thank you for sharing.
Nagi says
Perfect Kay! N x
Kari says
OMG. This was simply amazing. And very easy. Rave reviews by family. Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful talents with us
Elaine says
OMG! This has to be my favorite chicken dish of all time. The chicken was so flavorful and tender. I served over rice with a salad with a loaf of your fresh warm bread.
Jenny says
Hi Nagi, I made this on Saturday night for myself as a treat. Wow – it was so tasty. I didn’t have any parmesan cheese so I used mature cheese. It had so much flavour. I have made enough for another meal this week. I definitely will be doing this one again!
Grambeau says
This recipe is so delicious! I used an enormous bone-in thigh and then followed your directions as closely as I could, browned the thigh, then browned the mushrooms, the garlic, the wine, the cream–and I have another meal for tomorrow. What a treat!
Nagi, I read your daily blog and try to create all your recipes–this one is an amazing winner.
Sheila Turner says
Loved it ❤ definitely will be making again
lorrie dougan says
This was delicious! I followed the recipe but used evaporated milk and better than bouillon for broth.
Nina says
Love Dozer… first things first! Fabulous recipe… do you think I could cook 2 whole (300g) chicken breasts coat as per recipe and fry until golden brown. Then make mushroom sauce and bake With chicken on top of sauce in oven later in the day? Thanks Nagi
Roselli S. says
So so good! I served this with cheese and spinach tortellinis and absolutely delicious! Definitely will make again! Thank you Nagi.❤️
Jolene says
What a fabulous idea. Those flavours would rock together!
Kimi says
Prepared as written , umami bomb , delicious! 🙏🏻
Vera G says
This time I’ll join Dozer in tast test, you think I’ll get some?I love this kind of food cos it’s not heavy on tummy. I season my flour with Vegeta, smoke paprika, yum. Magi, thank you kindly for talking about Vic and brought me to tears for number of reasons and yes it has been hard and way too long. Back in August needed Iron infusion but wasn’t allowed to go to Hispital as they had 90’s+ y and staff with Covid19, Dr’s had to worke hard and around to find the way keep us safe. And back in July just before lockdown Dr’s were workinguntil9 Pm as many surgeries as possible, we do not know what is going on behind closed doors. And both times my neighbours and my self had falls out in street due to lack of Oxygen / only ONE HR per day allowed to be out, shocking let’s hope there is no repeat ever never ever again.