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My Mushroom Chicken Recipe Is A Creamy One-Pan Wonder
Many of you know I’m a big fan of creamy chicken recipes — it’s one of my favorite ways to dress up a basic healthy chicken breast — and this creamy mushroom chicken is no exception. Here’s what made me fall in love with it:
- Juicy chicken with mushroom sauce – I created this recipe as a variation on my standalone creamy mushroom sauce, cooked together with the chicken this time. And beyond “just” the ultra tender chicken, the sauce takes this dish firmly into comfort food territory. It’s rich, cheesy, and velvety smooth, with major flavor from mushrooms, bacon, and a kick of Cajun spices.
- Thick and creamy without thickeners – Many chicken and mushroom recipes use cornstarch or flour to thicken the sauce, but mine is naturally thickened with parmesan cheese. Most of you know this is my favorite way to thicken a cream sauce, and it’s gluten-free!
- Made in one pan – Which means fewer dishes.
- Special, yet simple – A.k.a. my jam. This creamy mushroom chicken feels fancy enough for guests, but it’s so fast and easy that I make it all the time for regular weeknights.
If you’re a mushroom fan and in the mood for comfort food, grab a skillet and make this mushroom chicken recipe with me in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken and mushroom recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken Breasts – Try to find ones of the same size, so they cook at the same rate. I’ve also made this with boneless chicken thighs, so go for it if that’s what you have.
- Mushrooms – I like cremini mushrooms (a.k.a. “baby bellas”) for mushroom chicken, but shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, or even chopped portobellos are great.
- Heavy Cream – The base of the sauce. I don’t recommend substituting any type of milk, because it won’t thicken, but coconut cream will work. When I want this sauce lighter, I replace half of the cream with chicken broth — just keep in mind it takes longer to reduce.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – Adds flavor and thickens the sauce. I recommend grated rather than shredded, and fresh grated parm will melt in more smoothly than the kind from a plastic can. It’s the same trick I use for Alfredo sauce, except this one tastes totally different because of the mushrooms.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are best here (we’ll peel and crush them), but 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Fresh Thyme – 3 sprigs came out to about half a tablespoon of leaves for me, or fresh rosemary is nice, too. You can also swap in 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or rosemary.
- Bacon – Optional, but adds so much flavor! You’ll need it precooked — my oven baked bacon is the easiest hands-off method.
- Cajun Seasoning – This spice blend (think paprika, onion powder, cayenne) adds a nice kick to the creamy mushroom chicken sauce. My kids prefer this dish without it though, so you may want to skip it if you have kids or like a milder flavor.
- Olive Oil, Sea Salt, & Black Pepper
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How To Make Creamy Mushroom Chicken
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season the chicken. Pat it dry with paper towels, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
- Sear until golden and cooked through. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides, then transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Cook the mushrooms. Toss them in the skillet along with the bacon (if you’re using it), garlic, thyme, and Cajun seasoning (optional). Cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned and any extra moisture has evaporated.
- Simmer the sauce. Pour in the heavy cream. Let the chicken and mushroom sauce come to a simmer before moving on to the next step.
- Thicken with parmesan. Stir in the parmesan cheese, until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Bring it all together. Add the chicken back to the pan, spoon the mushrooms and sauce over the top, and let it warm through. I like to serve this creamy mushroom chicken with a sprinkle of extra parmesan and fresh parsley.
My Recipe Tips
- Slice your mushrooms fresh. The pre-sliced ones tend to have less flavor, so I highly recommend slicing them yourself!
- Double the mushrooms if you love them. Multiple readers have told me they did and loved the result. I definitely see why.
- Why pat the chicken dry? This helps you get a better sear for that nice, golden crust. Don’t skip this step!
- Cook times can vary depending on your pan. I usually use a stainless steel pan like this, but cast iron or even nonstick works fine. Cast iron usually cooks faster, whereas nonstick takes longer.
- Cook your chicken to the right temperature. You want 165 degrees F for chicken breast. I actually remove it at 162-163 degrees F to keep it juicy, because it rises a few more degrees when you combine it with the sauce at the end. For chicken thighs, though, I highly recommend 170 degrees F because that’s when they get really tender. Use a meat thermometer like this to get it just right!
- Add more oil to the pan if needed. If your pan seems dry after searing the chicken, add more oil before adding the mushrooms. Sometimes I use butter for this step for extra richness.
- Adjust the heat as needed. If it’s too low, your chicken might not get golden brown, and your sauce can turn out watery if the liquid from the mushrooms doesn’t evaporate. If it’s too high, you risk burning.
- Don’t forget to deglaze the pan. That’s just a fancy term for scraping the bottom after adding the liquid. This releases browned bits from the bottom and makes your creamy mushroom chicken more flavorful.
- Don’t let the sauce boil, only simmer. You can scald the cream if it overheats.
- Stir often when heating the cream. This prevents a film from forming on top.
- Need to adjust the thickness of the sauce? You can add more parmesan to thicken more, or add an extra splash of cream if it ended up too thick, before adding the chicken to the pan. You can also simmer it very gently to reduce and thicken. I find it does thicken as it cools from hot to warm, so factor this in.
Creamy Mushroom Chicken (20-Min Recipe)
By
My creamy mushroom chicken recipe has juicy, golden chicken breasts smothered in creamy garlic parmesan mushroom sauce. Ready in 20 minutes!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
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Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 4-8 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
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Add the mushrooms, bacon (if using), garlic, thyme, and Cajun seasoning (if using) to the same skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are browned.
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Stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
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Stir in the parmesan cheese, until the sauce is smooth.
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Return the chicken to the skillet and cover with sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until warm.
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If you like, garnish with more parmesan and/or a sprinkle of parsley.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 of entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get juicy chicken with a golden crust, adjust the thickness of your sauce to your liking, and prevent issues with flavor or texture.
- Store: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop or microwave. Avoid high heat to prevent ruining the sauce.
- Freeze: The texture of this sauce changes a little after freezing, but I think it’s still quite good and freeze it all the time. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and stir the sauce often when reheating.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Serving Ideas
This chicken and mushroom recipe gives me all the comfort food vibes, but it’s also very rich. I recommend two types of sides to go with it:
- Starchy base – To soak up all that luxurious sauce! I went with mashed potatoes above, but make mashed cauliflower and mashed sweet potatoes more often. This creamy mushroom chicken would also be wonderful over roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, cauliflower rice, or your favorite pasta. My personal faves are zucchini noodles and baked spaghetti squash for lighter options.
- Lighter veggies – To balance out the richness. I like roasted green beans or roasted brussels sprouts to bring some greens to my plate, and this sauce is amazing over them. Or try one of my fresh side salads, like Caprese salad, spring mix salad, or wedge salad.
More Chicken And Mushroom Recipes
If you love the combo of juicy chicken and savory mushrooms as much as I do, I have lots more mushroom chicken recipes you can try:
45 Comments
Calla
1Just made this tonight for my husband and he literally said he felt like he ordered something off a restaurant menu. The mushroom gravy has tons of flavor. It says bacon optional, but trust me, you don’t want to leave it out! I used baby portabella mushrooms cut in quarters and doubled the mushroms because we love them and it was amazing! I could put that gravy on anything and it would taste fantastic! Definitely recommend everyone try it! So easy to make too!
Michelle Fisk
0Made this for dinner tonight. Delicious and easy. I did add the bacon and served over mashed potatoes!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m glad you enjoyed it, Michelle! Serving it over mashed potatoes sounds delicious!
Ceci
0This chicken dish was incredible! The flavor was salty, creamy, bold and umami all melded into one. We had some dried mushrooms needing to be used, so we rehydrated them and cooked the recipe accordingly. Thank you for the suggested sides…this chicken and sauce over spaghetti squash was a meal worth repeating! Yum!
Wholesome Yum D
0That sounds like such a delicious dinner, Ceci! I love that you used the dried mushrooms you had on hand, and serving the chicken and sauce over spaghetti squash sounds perfect. So happy you enjoyed it enough to make again!
Lisa Laniewski
0I used some very thin cutlets and after preparing them, I put them in my Ninja, rolled, for just 4 minutes. The baby Bella mushrooms add a nice flavor to the creamy mixture. I used dried rosemary before I remembered that I actually had fresh, but it was delicious just as it was. Next time, I’ll make extra sauce!!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Lisa! Those baby Bella mushrooms sound so good in the sauce, and I’m happy the dried rosemary worked out, too. And yes, extra sauce is always a good idea!
Lisa Heil
0My husband and I really liked this. The kids were not as big of fans, but I think it might have been the thyme. Google told us 3 fresh sprigs should be about 1 ts, but that amount was a bit overpowering. I LOVE thyme, so it didn’t bother me, but one kid experienced it like an off taste. This is my picky eater, but he loves bacon and mushrooms, so I thought this would be a hit. I may make it again without the thyme or maybe try just a little fresh or way less dried. I think hub and I would still enjoy it that way and maybe create something the kids would like better as well!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m happy you and your husband enjoyed it, Lisa! Trying a little less thyme next time sounds like a good idea. Hopefully that does the trick for the kids, too!
Mary Beth
0I tried this recipe and it was a hit! Super easy and quick to make, too. I didn’t have any bacon on hand, but it was so delicious without it. I served it over a quinoa and brown rice blend. My daughter just started liking mushrooms and went back for seconds!
Wholesome Yum D
0Mary Beth, I love that this was such a hit! Serving it over a quinoa and brown rice blend sounds perfect. So glad it was an easy, quick dinner for you!
Jessica G
0I made this and it was so good! I didn’t have bacon on hand, and even without, it was so good! Even my pickiest eater liked it! I can’t wait to make it again!
Wholesome Yum D
0That’s awesome to hear, Jessica! Love that it was still a hit without the bacon and even the picky eater approved!
Veronika
0Wow, the bacon and mushrooms made this an amazing dish. Served this over buckwheat!
Wholesome Yum D
0That sounds delicious, Veronika! I love the combo of bacon and mushrooms, and serving it over buckwheat is such a great idea. So glad you enjoyed it!
Theresa
0The recipe was easy and delicious. 5⭐s!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Theresa, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 5 stars means so much! 🙂
Steve
0We made this last night and it was wonderfully delicious. We added extra mushrooms and extra cheese. We served it over rice and my wife was hoping that I would do the same with extra sauce and put over fetticini. So next week, I know what I am cooking.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you and your wife enjoyed it, Steve! Hope you both enjoy it just as much next week.
Kathy
0My husband and mother-in law really liked it. It was good!
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks, Kathy! I’m so glad it was a hit with both your husband and mother-in-law!
Frances Herman
0This recipe turned out so good. I put more mushrooms in it and yum. It was creamy and so easy and fast to make. Thanks for this keeper recipe.
Wholesome Yum D
0That sounds amazing, Frances! Love that you added extra mushrooms—yum! I’m so happy it was a hit and easy for you, too.
Summer
0My husband and I loved this dish. I have made it twice now. It is so easy and dinner is on the table in 30 minutes, maybe 45/with prep and sides. Thank you for all your hard work in putting this dish together and sharing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you and your husband loved it, Summer! Thank you.
Frances
0I made this recipe tonight and it was a hit. Absolutely delicious.My husband told me this is a keeper. Thank you very much for your recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m happy you and your husband liked this dish, Frances! Hope you make it again soon.
Jojo
0Delicious and easy! This recipe was delicious and the sauce was creamy and had a nice mushroom flavor (I used fresh baby bellas and doubled the amount). I also used a full cup of heavy cream and the consistency was perfect. My husband couldn’t stop raving about it! Will definitely make this one again
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jojo! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe.
deann.sewell
0This mushroom chicken was delicious! I love how rich and creamy it was. Very rich and full of flavor. We live in a small town and I couldn’t find fresh mushrooms so I used canned instead of fresh. I will make a point to have fresh mushrooms on hand next time and there will definitely be a next time. I used canned and they were fine but fresh would be so much more flavorful. Would be a great meal to fix for company. I will try to have the bacon cooked ahead of time.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
1Thank you, Deann! I’m glad to hear canned mushrooms worked well for you, even though yes, fresh is even better. Hope you make this again soon.
Kina
0Beautiful mix
Adele Gregory
0Hi, can this be cooked in a slow cooker?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Adele, I’ve only made this on the stovetop. There’s probably a way to make it in a slow cooker, but the sauce would be much thinner, and dairy is best added towards the end.
Dawn Newton
0Used chicken thighs and lactose free cream and turned out really well delicious and filling, easy to follow recipe thank you for sharing.
Wallice Amadeo
0Thank you for sharing your recipe. I made my family and now is our favorite. My daughter loves, I love and the ingredients blend beautifully well together. Yummy ? happy tummy