Creamy Mushroom Chicken

This Creamy Mushroom Chicken is one of my favorite skillet recipes for turning simple chicken thighs into a cozy dinner in about 35 minutes. I keep the spirit of a good pan sauce here, using browned chicken thighs, mushrooms, garlic, Parmesan, and half-and-half (instead of heavy cream) to make a creamy, savory sauce without driving up the cost. The mushrooms help stretch the meal a little further, and the garlic makes the whole skillet smell AH-MAZING. The sauce is garlicky, mushroomy, and perfect spooned over pasta or rice, or if you’re trying to curb the carbs, make a big ol’ beautiful salad to complement the rich flavors!

“Hands down the absolute best sauce I’ve ever made! And after I saved some in the fridge, and reheated it the next day, it only took a tiny bit of stirring with a fork to get it back to the perfect consistency of the first day! Thank you so much!”

Julee Bormet

A Creamy Mushroom Chicken Dinner

The base of this flavorful, creamy mushroom chicken recipe is a simple skillet pan sauce, which means all the flavor starts with the chicken. I brown the chicken thighs first, which leaves behind those little browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, then add broth and half and half to loosen them up so they can melt right into the sauce.

I use boneless chicken thighs here because they stay juicy and are usually one of the more affordable cuts. Then the mushrooms cook down until they’re browned and juicy, adding the most delightful umami (savory) flavor to the whole dish. The half-and-half also works well here because it has enough fat to stay smooth over gentle heat, especially once the Parmesan melts in and adds a little extra body to the sauce. It’s not meant to be a super thick gravy, but it should be silky enough to spoon over the chicken and whatever you serve underneath. That creamy sauce, though!