This Mushroom Chicken with Rich Pan Sauce is a restaurant-quality dish that's surprisingly easy to make at home! Tender, pan-seared chicken breasts are smothered in a savory, umami-rich sauce made with browned butter, mushrooms, garlic, white wine, and a touch of cream. I love how this recipe is both elegant and comforting, making it perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight dinner. Get ready for a meal that's sure to impress!
Why You'll Love This Mushroom Chicken
- Rich and Flavorful Sauce: The combination of browned butter, mushrooms, garlic, white wine, and beef broth creates a deeply flavorful and savory sauce.
- Tender and Juicy Chicken: Pan-searing the chicken breasts creates a beautiful golden crust while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
- Easy Elegance: This dish looks and tastes impressive, but it's surprisingly easy to make.
- Versatile: Serve it with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, rice, or your favorite vegetables.
Ingredients for Mushroom Chicken
Here's what you'll need to make this delicious dish. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Chicken and Mushrooms
- Mushrooms (button or baby bella) (Fungi)
- Salted butter (Fat)
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts (Meat)
- Salt (Seasoning)
- Pepper (Spice)
- All-purpose flour (for dredging)
- Olive oil (Oil)
Sauce
- Beef broth (Liquid)
- Chicken bouillon cube or Better than Bouillon (Flavoring)
- Soy sauce (or Worcestershire sauce) (Condiment)
- Onion powder (Spice)
- Mustard powder (Spice)
- Dried thyme (Herb)
- Dry white wine (Liquid)
- Garlic, minced (Aromatic)
- Cornstarch (Thickener)
- Heavy cream (Dairy)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love this Mushroom Chicken as is, but here are a few ideas for variations:
- Different Mushrooms: Use cremini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, or a mix of wild mushrooms instead of button or baby bella mushrooms.
- Add More Vegetables: Sauté some sliced onions, bell peppers, or asparagus along with the mushrooms.
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Different Herbs: Use fresh rosemary, oregano, or parsley instead of thyme.
- Use Chicken Thighs: Substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts.
How to Make Mushroom Chicken
Let me show you how to make this flavorful and elegant Mushroom Chicken:
Prep Work
- I combine the beef broth, chicken bouillon (or Better than Bouillon), soy sauce, onion powder, mustard powder, and thyme in a bowl or measuring cup. I set it aside.
- I combine the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water in a sealable container and shake to combine. I set it aside in a cool place.
- I gently rinse the mushrooms and pat them completely dry. I slice them if needed.
- I slice the chicken lengthwise.
Cook the Mushrooms
- I melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
- I add the mushrooms and allow them to brown on each side for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed. I sauté in batches if needed, leaving space around them will allow them to crisp up more. I add a little more butter and/or a splash of olive oil during cooking if needed.
- I remove the golden brown mushrooms and set them aside on a plate.
Dredge and Sear the Chicken
- I lightly sprinkle each side of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- I dredge each chicken piece in flour and tap off the excess.
- I heat the olive oil in the same large pan over medium-high heat.
- I add 3 pieces of chicken, leaving room around each.
- I sauté for 4-5 minutes per side, until a golden brown crust has developed.
- I remove the chicken and set it aside.
- I repeat with remaining chicken
Deglaze the Pan
- I turn the heat off and remove any excess oil, but I leave the brown bits in the pan. (This is called "fond" and will give the sauce plenty of flavor!)
- I add the white wine and the minced garlic and set the heat to medium.
- I use a silicone spatula to "clean" the bottom of the pot, scraping up those flavorful browned bits.
- I let the wine bubble gently until it's reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
Finish the Sauce
- I add the beef broth mixture and increase the heat slightly to bring it to a gentle boil.
- I let it bubble and reduce for 10 minutes.
- I shake the reserved cornstarch mixture and slowly add it to the bubbling sauce, stirring continuously, until incorporated. The sauce will thicken pretty quickly. I reduce the heat to low.
- I slowly add in the cream, stirring continuously.
- I add the mushrooms back to the pan.
Add Chicken and Simmer
- I add the cooked chicken back to the pot along with any juices from the plate.
- I spoon the sauce on top of the chicken.
- I cover the pan partially and let the chicken heat through for 5 minutes or so.
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Mushroom Chicken
Here are my secrets for making this dish truly exceptional:
- Don't Overcrowd the Pan: Cook the mushrooms and chicken in batches if necessary to ensure they brown properly and don't steam.
- Brown the Butter: Browning the butter before adding the mushrooms adds a deep, nutty flavor to the dish.
- Deglaze the Pan: Deglazing the pan with white wine after cooking the chicken adds a lot of flavor to the sauce.
- Use a Heavy Skillet: A heavy skillet, like cast iron, provides even heat distribution and helps to create a nice sear on the chicken.
- Adjust Sauce Thickness: If the sauce is too thick, add a little more broth or cream. If it's too thin, simmer it for a few more minutes.
How to Serve
This Mushroom Chicken is delicious served with:
- Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are the perfect accompaniment.
- Buttered Noodles: Egg noodles or other pasta tossed with butter are also a great choice.
- Rice: Serve over white rice, brown rice, or rice pilaf.
- Roasted Vegetables: Roasted green beans, asparagus, or broccoli are all delicious options.
Make Ahead and Storage
Leftover mushroom chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
FAQs about Mushroom Chicken
- Can I use a different type of mushroom?
- Yes, you can use cremini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, or a mix of wild mushrooms.
- Can I make this without the wine?
- Yes, you can omit the wine. Substitute with additional beef broth.
- Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
- Yes, you can.
Enjoy this flavorful and easy-to-make Mushroom Chicken with Rich Pan Sauce! It's a perfect meal for any night of the week.
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Mushroom Chicken with Rich Pan Sauce
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Mushroom Chicken features pan-seared, golden-brown chicken cutlets in a rich and savory mushroom sauce. The sauce is enhanced with white wine, garlic, thyme, and a touch of cream for a truly delicious and comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 ounces mushrooms (button or baby bella), cleaned and sliced if large
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon chicken base)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or Worcestershire sauce)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce Base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the beef broth, chicken bouillon cube (or Better Than Bouillon), soy sauce (or Worcestershire sauce), onion powder, mustard powder, and dried thyme. Set aside.
- Prepare Cornstarch Slurry: In a small, sealable container (like a jar with a lid), combine the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water. Shake vigorously until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Prepare Chicken and Mushrooms: Gently rinse the mushrooms and pat them completely dry with paper towels. Slice them if they are large. Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create 2-3 thinner cutlets. If desired, pound the chicken cutlets to an even thickness (about ½ inch) using a meat mallet. This helps them cook more evenly.
- Cook Mushrooms: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet (cast iron recommended) over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms to the skillet. Cook, without stirring initially, for 3-4 minutes per side, or until they are nicely browned. If necessary, cook the mushrooms in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan (overcrowding will steam the mushrooms instead of browning them). Add a little more butter or a splash of olive oil during cooking if needed. Remove the cooked mushrooms from the skillet and set them aside on a plate.
- Season and Dredge Chicken: Lightly season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each chicken cutlet in the flour, tapping off any excess.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the floured chicken cutlets to the hot skillet, leaving space around each piece. Sear for 4-5 minutes per side, until a golden brown crust has developed. Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Remove the seared chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Adjust the heat as needed during cooking to prevent burning. Add an additional splash of olive oil between batches, if needed.
- Deglaze Pan: Turn off the heat under the skillet. Carefully remove any excess oil from the skillet, but leave the browned bits (fond) in the pan - these add a lot of flavor to the sauce.
- Add Wine and Garlic: Add the white wine and minced garlic to the skillet. Turn the heat back on to medium. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, about 4 minutes.
- Add Broth Mixture: Pour the prepared beef broth mixture (from step 1) into the skillet. Increase the heat slightly and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Reduce Sauce: Let the sauce bubble and reduce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Thicken Sauce: Shake the reserved cornstarch slurry again to recombine. Slowly pour the slurry into the simmering sauce, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add Cream and Mushrooms: Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Add the cooked mushrooms back to the skillet.
- Return Chicken: Return the seared chicken cutlets to the skillet, along with any accumulated juices from the plate.
- Simmer: Cover the skillet partially and let the chicken simmer gently in the sauce for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through and the sauce has reached your desired consistency.
- Serve
Notes
- Mushrooms: Button or baby bella mushrooms work well, but you can use any type of mushrooms you like.
- Chicken: Slicing the chicken breasts into thinner cutlets helps them cook more quickly and evenly.
- Searing: Searing the chicken creates a flavorful crust and helps to keep it moist.
- Deglazing: Deglazing the pan with white wine adds depth of flavor to the sauce. If you don't have white wine, you can substitute chicken broth or omit it altogether.
- White Wine: Choose a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay.
- Serving suggestions: Serve with mashed potatoes or Buttered Noodles and roasted green beans or asparagus.
