Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

At a glance

What stands out: A rich, straightforward, and budget-friendly meal – it’s almost too good to be true! Creamy chicken and mushrooms is comforting, satisfying, and tasty. It’s a feel-good recipe that almost everyone likes.

How long it takes: 35 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large skillet
Servings: 4

Cold, blustery weather makes us want to warm up with something creamy, comforting, and straightforward to mix (of course!) and this recipe fits the bill. It’s somewhat similar to chicken à la King which you may be familiar with but without the extra vegetables like green peas and pimentos.

Here in Michigan, we currently don’t have much snow (can we find some wood to knock on?), but we know a lot of you were hammered with snow this weekend. Cold weather is a fact of life for most of us but it’s nothing some good comfort food can’t fix.

Straightforward Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms

Comfort food. Tender chicken, flavorful mushrooms, and a rich creamy cheese sauce make a warm, satisfying meal. (Not a fan of mushrooms? Try our chicken Florentine recipe made with spinach.)

Budget friendly. Chicken thighs are usually less expensive than chicken breasts although boneless skinless chicken breasts work evenly. We usually just buy what’s on sale. Mushrooms add more meaty texture with having to add a lot of extra chicken.

Lower in fat. Many similar recipes use heavy cream but we lightened it up with skim milk, reduced-fat cream cheese, and then of course, sharp cheddar. We love the sharpness of a good extra sharp cheddar because a small amount gives a huge punch of flavor. However, if you’re looking for a creamy sauce without cheese, be sure to try our cream of mushroom chicken. It’s pretty memorable, too!

Serving Ideas

We usually serve creamy chicken and mushrooms on brown rice but it also goes well with farro, whole wheat pasta, jasmine rice, or quinoa. Cauliflower rice is a low carb option. Creamy chicken can be served with mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes, too.

Include a vegetable, too, such as sautéed Brussels sprouts, German red cabbage, or roasted carrots. Be sure to check out our complete list of side dishes.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Place leftover chicken promptly in a covered container. Refrigerate for up to three or four days. We don’t recommend freezing leftovers.

Reheat: A standby way to reheat chicken with mushroom sauce is on the stove over low heat. Microwaving leftovers tends to toughen the chicken and the sauce may separate.

• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (or boneless skinless chicken breasts, if you prefer)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
• ½ cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (or another cheese of your choice)
• 3 tablespoons skim milk, more as needed
• cooked brown rice, for serving
• fresh parsley, for garnish

Method

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, salt and pepper; cook until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add onions. Cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until mushrooms are cooked. Add chicken back in along with garlic. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and milk. Continue to cook over low heat until cheese has melted and a creamy sauce has formed. Add more milk if desired to thin sauce. Season to taste.
4. Serve over cooked brown rice, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Nutrition information does not include rice or parsley.

If desired, substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Brown rice is more nutritious but if you prefer, substitute long grain white rice or jasmine rice. Quinoa or couscous are good substitutes, as well.