In this homemade cream of mushroom chicken recipe, pan fried chicken breasts are cooked to golden-brown perfection and cloaked in the creamiest, easiest white wine, lemon, and thyme mushroom sauce with a hint of cream.
Pan Fried Chicken with Mushroom Sauce
Chicken breasts.
They can easily become the same-old, same-old. The same boring and blah, no-flavor piece of poultry.
Except for this from-scratch cream of mushroom chicken that’s simple? Yes. Flavorful? You know it. Boring? Hell no.
This 30-minute, weeknight chicken breast recipe makes all of your gluttonous, weekend brunches, boozes and binges merely a flash in the memory bank. In, yes, 30 minutes.
This chicken with creamy mushroom sauce brings you back to real-time when dinner needs to be up and on the table, to serve hungry eaters without stressing out the cook, nor the staving eaters.
But really…it’s all about the cook in the end, right?
There are several levels of flavors that layer the delicious quotient in this quick dish. Shallots, different types of mushrooms, chicken broth and wine. Ingredients that layer with fresh thyme and a squeeze of lemon. And let us not forget Real® Seal butter and cream to add extra lusciousness to the whole shebang, making for a perfectly easy, weeknight, on-the-go dinner.
And for leftover lunch the next day. Because isn’t that really the best kind of dinner?
What’s in Cream of Mushroom Chicken?
Don’t let the name of this dish fool you — there’s no pre-made cream of mushroom soup in this easy chicken recipe. Oh no, the creamy mushroom sauce for the chicken is totally homemade and is incredibly easy to make. Pinky promise.
Here’s what you’ll need to make from-scratch cream of mushroom chicken:
- Chicken breasts
- Mixed mushrooms
- Shallot
- Butter
- Olive oil
- White wine
- Chicken broth
- Whipping cream
- Fresh thyme
- Lemon zest
- Fresh parsley
How to Make Cream of Mushroom Chicken (From Scratch!)
Two chicken breasts in this recipe are all you need to make 4 servings. I halve the chicken breasts and then flatten them lightly meat mallet. Instead of a dredging of egg, milk and flour, a simple seasoning of salt and pepper is really all that’s needed.
Pan-frying the chicken in a combo of butter and olive oil gives the chicken breasts a golden glow. Sort of like a day at the beach. Who doesn’t love that?
White wine and chicken broth are simmered down to half, then a pat of butter and a dash of cream and a sprinkle of thyme makes for a creamy, easy sauce to drape on the golden browned breasts.
What Type of Mushrooms Should I Use?
Use as many varieties of mushrooms to complement the chicken that you crave. White, brown, portobello, cremini, oyster, shiitake or porcini. Use what you have, use what you can find. And if you can only find one variety, that works too.
What Type of White Wine Should I Use?
Any white wine will work, but be sure to buy a wine you’d happily drink. Skip anything labeled as “cooking wine” and buy a bottle of the real stuff.
Can I Omit the White Wine?
If you’re out of wine or you’re opposed to cooking with alcohol, you can likely use all chicken broth in the sauce. However, the alcohol in the wine cooks out while the sauce simmers and makes for a richly flavored sauce.
Is There a Whipping Cream Substitute I Can Use?
You may be able to get away with half and half instead of whipping cream, but I wouldn’t use anything with less fat than that. There’s only 2 tablespoons total in the sauce, but even that small amount makes it ultra creamy!
Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Breasts?
Most likely, yes! But note that chicken thighs may need to cook for a different amount of time than specified in the recipe below.
Do I Have to Pound the Chicken Breasts?
I highly recommend doing so, yes. Pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness ensures that the meat cooks uniformly throughout and it speeds up the cooking process.
Can I Use Dried Thyme Instead of Fresh?
Perhaps, but fresh thyme is best. If using dried, scale back the amount you add to the mushroom gravy for the chicken since dried herbs are more potent than fresh.
Can I Prep Cream of Mushroom Chicken in Advance?
If you’ll be serving this chicken with mushroom sauce to guests, I wouldn’t recommend doing so. But if you’re looking to make planned leftovers for yourself I think that’d be fine. I recommend gently reheating the chicken and creamy mushroom sauce in a skillet for best results.
Tips for Making Cream of Mushroom Chicken
After pan frying the chicken breasts, be sure to tent them with foil to keep them warm while you make the creamy mushroom sauce.
I also recommend salting the mushroom sauce for the chicken after stirring in the broth. Depending on how salty your broth is, you may not need to add much extra salt.
When serving this homemade cream of mushroom chicken, I like to keep things simple by enjoying it alongside steamed rice, buttered noodles, or a side salad. The creamy mushroom sauce pairs well with almost any carb or veggie!
What to Serve with Cream of Mushroom Chicken
Round out your chicken dinner with a couple of these sides and dessert to really make your meal.
- Side: Easy Lemon Orzo Faux Risotto
- Side: Roasted Asparagus with Browned Butter
- Side: Easy Parmesan Buttered Noodles
- Dessert: Easy Crème Brûlée
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.
Easy Chicken Breasts with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups mixed mushrooms , sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 4 tablespoons butter , divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 lemon , zested
- Chopped parsley , for garnish
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally. Pound the chicken breasts lightly with a meat mallet until about 1/2 inch thick.
- Season the breasts with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper then melt the butter in a large skillet with half of the olive oil. Add 2 of the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the rest of the olive oil to the pan then repeat with the remaining chicken breasts. Cook and transfer to the plate with the other breasts, then cover to keep warm.
- Add 1 more tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened, stirring often.
- Add the wine and chicken broth to the skillet, bring to a boil, and reduce to half. Add the whipping cream, thyme leaves and the last tablespoon of butter. Stir to combine and add the lemon zest.
- Serve the mushroom sauce over the chicken breasts. Garnish with chopped parsley, more fresh thyme leaves and additional lemon zest if desired.
Nutrition
More Easy Chicken Dinners You’ll Love
- Easy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
- Asian Glazed Orange Chicken
- Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Whole Wheat Pasta
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- 30-Minute Chicken Parmesan
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Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
Ooh yum! Mushrooms, chicken and shallots are one of my favourite flavour combos and in the middle of this snowstorm we’re currently having, this recipe sounds like a perfect dinner! If the snow plows ever get to our roads, I’ll be off to get the ingredients! :)
bev @ bevcooks says
Gooooodness gracious. This Friday. Doing it.
Becky Winkler says
This sounds great! I love anything with shallots and am so into shiitakes lately. I can’t wait to try it.
[email protected] says
This looks so good! I have avoided the canned cream of mushroom like the plague – and I’m thinking this would take care of my craving! :) Thank you!
heidi says
I’m trying to move away from the canned cream of mushroom too. We use this sauce on steaks and baked potatoes too. It’s one of my favorites.
Sarah | Broma Bakery says
Chicken and mushrooms go so wonderfully together. All that golden-brown goodness has my mouth watering, and it’s only 10am!
Liz says
Nice and simple. Thank you.
Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily says
Oh my goodness, just look at that gorgeous dish. Simple enough for a weeknight meal and yet fancy enough for a party. love.
Sara @ Cake Over Steak says
Aaaahhh mushrooms are my favorite! My husband kind of hates them, which is really his biggest flaw. This sounds delicious and is going on my list of “Recipes to Make When My Husband Is Out of Town.”
heidi says
I’m not sure I could be married to a man who doesn’t like mushrooms! He must have lots of other qualities to make up for it :)
Aggie says
This is far from boring, those chicken breasts thank you! And so does anyone who makes this, it looks so delicious! I love mushrooms paired up with chicken like this. Yum yum.
Shelley says
Heidi-
These chicken breasts look so delicious! Your photography is gorgeous and makes me crave everything you make, especially ANYTHING with mushrooms!
Thanks!
Senika @ Foodie Blog Stalker says
I’m LOVING this recipe!!! Such a perfect combination of flavors. Itching to get this made for din!
Arthur in the Garden! says
Yummy!
Jenny Flake says
Oh my, this looks AMAZING! Love!!!!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Is anything better than creamy mushroom sauce?! I think not!
Patti says
So delicious looking..the chicken looks juicy and tender covered with that fabulous sauce. A winner!
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
You’re right, Heidi, these chicken breasts are anything but boring. They look so good. The sauce looks so good. I avoid the canned cream of mushroom soup too and often just throw in a hunk of brie into sauces – it adds a creamy texture with zero fuss and no mystery ingredients. :)
Becky says
This is on my must make asap list. Seriously looks so good. And you even make step by step photos look good (which I think is impossible!!).
heidi says
I didn’t intentionally make the step by steps, but they were so pretty I couldn’t stop. :)
Nicole says
I made these last night. So delicious!
Candy says
made this tonite and my husband who does not like mushrooms said -Make this Again-.I only used one chicken breast for the 2 of us ,but kept the same amount of sauce and served it over angel hair pasta.The only change I made was putting the chicken back in the sauce before serving.Will definitely make this again !!!
Angela Bearden says
I did this, too, putting the chicken back into the sauce. So good!
sylvie amésée says
Nice photos, great tutorial !
Bailey Carver says
Made this over the weekend, amazing dish and super simple steps. So proud I didn’t burn anything!
heidi says
Nice job Bailey! So glad it made it’s way all the way to Australia! XO to you!
Tracy Swearingen says
Tried this recipe tonight and it was fantastic! My son said, “Kiss the chef!”
Thank you Heidi for the recipe.
Ana says
I made this tonight and it’s so delicious! We loved the thyme and lemon zest combination. I’ve already shared the recipe with my sister. Thanks for the recipe!
Kimberly Gorrell says
This was an absolutely delicious dish and very simple to make. Yum!!!!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Lovely recipe! I have been looking around for a good chicken mushroom dish – thank you!
Angelina says
I came across this chicken recipe earlier this year. It sounded good to me, so I prepared it exactly as it was written. Let me tell you, it was ‘amazing’! The chicken was juicy & tasty, and the sauce was very flavorful. I used a combination of Shitake & Portabella mushrooms, since I felt they would produce a lot of good flavor (which they definitely did). I plan to serve it to our company on New Year’s Day, but I’ll increase the recipe in order to (generously) feed 8 people. I also plan to serve ‘Twice Baked Potatoes’, ‘Spinach, Bacon, & Feta Cheese Salad’, and a ‘Blueberry Cheesecake’ for dessert. Thanks for such delicious recipe! Happy New Year to you and your family.
heidi says
Thank you for coming back around and sharing your success. I love your side ideas and of course, dessert!
Mike says
One of my friends posted this on Facebook this morning, and I made it this evening. It was quite delicious and very easy to make. The only thing I changed was to add some garlic with the mushrooms and scallions. Thanks for posting this, and great photographs!
heidi says
I’m so glad you liked it Mike. Garlic and scallions NEVER hurt anybody :) great idea!
Christina Whalen says
Thanks so much for posting this. Had mushrooms I needed to use up and realized I was out of Marsala wine. Googled chicken and mushrooms, and this delicious dish came up. Made 2x the sauce and added a little corn syarch to thicken sauce. Hubby absolutely loved it. Will definitely add to rotation.
heidi says
So glad you enjoyed it! I love the sauce too :)
Mel says
Oooh, good idea to use marsala here, though. I was out of white wine, so used a nice California red table wine. It worked well in the sauce. This cooking method for the chicken breasts was a tad long though, I turned them and took them out a few minutes sooner (when they look that brown and lovely, they tend to be too dried out for me). Thanks for a good recipe!
Carolina says
I just made this for dinner tonight and it was great! I used sweet onion instead of shallots and instead of cream I made a milk roux. Turned out splendidly! My mom loved it!
Kristara M says
Right, I’m looking for a good way to dress up tonight’s chicken, and I don’t have a lot of cream I think but I was planning on doing a roux as well.
K. says
Thanks for the recipe, I made it last night to rave reviews from husband and kids. I did cheat a little since the kids claim to not like mushrooms – I used an immersion blender to liquify the mushroom sauce. I left a handful of mushrooms whole so they would have something to pick out, but they gobbled up the rest!
Served the chicken and sauce over egg noodles and green beans.
zelda says
Please to clarify, Half of the butter used in first step, then 1 Tablespoon at a time?
Judy says
Delicious and fine for our low carb life style! I may add just a touch of brandy next time. And there WILL be a next time! Thx
Jen says
Just made this . it is absolutely delicious. The aroma of white wine shallots and butter is mesmerizing
RICHARD HARTMAN says
good evening…:-).i have this recipe slow simmering on my stove.smells soooo yummy good in my kitchen.i am making brown JASMINE RICE to go along with it,…crinkle cut carrots & grands biscuits….:-).i posted on FB that i was cooking this.i looove sharing what i am cooking for dinner.lol.TC,GOD BLESS & tyvm for this yummy recipe….
(RICHARD HARTMAN)
Dottie says
Can I substitute sour cream for the other cream?
Deonka says
Omg….I made this for my family and they was praising me, it was so delicious. Thanks for a his recipe!!!
heidi says
Thanks for letting us know Deonka, and so glad you and the family gave it a thumbs up!
Charlene Benoy says
What white wine is best?
Mel says
I’d think any white wine you enjoy drinking! I ended up using a California red table wine (blend of Cab, Merlot, Syrah, and Zinfandel) and it was great (mushrooms go well with red!)
Margaret says
Made this dish tonight. Delicious
Heidi says
So glad you liked it Margaret. Thx!
Shelly says
This recipe was sooo good, I just changed a couple of things.. like white wine w/lemon and used fresh chopped green onion and had lemonade w/pulp for dtinks
Julie says
It is rare that my whole family likes the same dinner…and this was enjoyed by everyone! Super easy and quick to make, yet felt like I was making something served at a fancy restaurant. You made this mom’s night with this recipe.
Heidi says
I’m so glad the whole family enjoyed!
Patricia Castello says
We made this tonight and it was fabulous! Thank you, thank you for a delicious Sunday dinner on a rainy evening.
Heidi says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!