Creamy Mushroom Chicken Skillet (Print version)

Tender chicken simmered in a luscious, herbed mushroom cream sauce for a cozy dinner.

# What you need:

→ Proteins

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5.3 oz each)

→ Vegetables

02 - 10 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)

→ Dairy & Liquids

06 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
08 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Herbs & Seasonings

10 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
11 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
12 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
14 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and evenly season both sides with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove from skillet and keep warm covered with foil.
03 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Sauté chopped onion for 2 minutes until translucent, then add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
04 - Stir in sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and excess moisture has evaporated.
05 - Sprinkle thyme, oregano, and optional red pepper flakes into the skillet. Pour in chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
06 - Lower heat to medium-low, add heavy cream, and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Return chicken breasts to skillet, spoon sauce and mushrooms over them, and simmer for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until heated through and creamy.
08 - Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dish and serve immediately.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in one pan, which means less cleanup when you're already tired.
  • The sauce is so silky and mushroom-forward that even people who claim they don't like cream will ask for seconds.
  • You can have it on the table in 40 minutes without feeling like you've been cooking all day.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the chicken, it will steam instead of sear, and you'll miss the golden crust that makes this dish taste restaurant-quality instead of rushed.
  • Don't skip browning the mushrooms properly, because that's where their whole flavor lives, and rushing them is the difference between delicious and forgettable.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust salt and pepper because that last little bit of seasoning is what wakes everything up.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness if some are thicker than others, so they finish cooking at the same time and you don't end up with dried-out and undercooked pieces on the same plate.
  • If the sauce seems too thin after you add the cream, let it simmer a bit longer instead of panicking, because it will thicken slightly as it cooks and the starches from the mushrooms release.

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