FranceI add a small amount of Dijon mustard to the sauce — half a teaspoon. It doesn't taste like mustard, but it adds something in the background that makes the sauce stop being just creamy and start being interesting. Try it once and you probably won't want to make it without.
The chicken goes back into the pan as the very last step. A lot of people leave it in the sauce while they prepare the rest of the meal — it dries out. Pour the sauce over the chicken at the table, not on the stove.
Chicken and Mushroom in Creamy Sauce
By Sergei Martynov
Chicken cutlets seared until golden, then a pan sauce built in the same skillet — mushrooms, garlic, a splash of white wine, chicken broth, heavy cream, parmesan. The sauce is what this is really about. Chicken breast is lean and mild on its own; the sauce is where all the flavour lives. Thirty-five minutes, one pan.
What you'll need
Ingredients
- 700 g
See recipes with chicken breastschicken breasts
i - 400 g
See recipes with cremini or white mushroomscremini or white mushrooms
i - 4 piece
See recipes with garlic clovesgarlic cloves
i - 1 piece
See recipes with shallotshallot
i - 100 ml
See recipes with dry white winedry white wine
i - 200 ml
See recipes with chicken brothchicken broth
i - 200 ml
See recipes with heavy creamheavy cream
i - 40 g
See recipes with parmesanparmesan
i - 2 tbsp
See recipes with butterbutter
i - 2 tbsp
See recipes with olive oilolive oil
i - 2 tbsp
- 0.5 tsp
See recipes with dijon mustardDijon mustard
i - 1 tsp
See recipes with fresh thymefresh thyme
i - 1 tsp
- 0.5 tsp
See recipes with black pepperblack pepper
i - 1 tbsp
See recipes with fresh parsleyfresh parsley
i
How to make it
Instructions
- 1
Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make thin cutlets — this halves the cooking time and makes overcooking much harder. Season with salt and pepper on both sides, then dust lightly with flour and shake off the excess.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken cutlets without crowding — cook in two batches if needed. 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Transfer to a plate.
- 3
Turn the heat down to medium. Melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and leave them alone for 2 to 3 minutes before stirring — this is how they get colour. If you stir immediately they steam and go grey. Once golden, add the minced shallot and garlic, stir for 1 minute.
- 4
Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and thyme. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- 5
Take the skillet off the heat. Pour in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard, stir to combine. Return to low heat and simmer gently — do not boil. Stir in the parmesan until dissolved and the sauce coats a spoon.
- 6
Nestle the chicken cutlets back into the sauce. Spoon sauce over each piece and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just to warm through. Scatter parsley on top. Serve immediately over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes — something that will catch the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does creamy mushroom chicken sauce break or turn grainy — how to keep it smooth?
Three things cause a broken sauce. First: cream added to a boiling pan. At high heat the fat separates from the protein. Take the skillet off the heat before adding the cream, then return it to low. Second: cream with too low a fat content. Anything below 30% fat will often curdle when heated. Use heavy cream. Third: parmesan added while the sauce is still on high heat. It goes in at the very end, off the heat, stirred in slowly. If the sauce does break, add a splash of warm chicken broth and whisk vigorously — it usually comes back together.
Why does chicken with mushrooms in cream sauce come out dry and tough — how to keep the chicken juicy?
Chicken breast dries out fast. Two things prevent it. First: slice the breast in half lengthwise to make thin cutlets. They cook in 3 to 4 minutes per side instead of 8 to 10, and it's very hard to overdo them. Second: dredge in flour before searing. The flour crust holds the juices inside. After searing, the chicken goes on a plate while you build the sauce, then comes back for just 1 to 2 minutes at the end — only to warm through. Not to finish cooking.
Which mushrooms are best for chicken in cream sauce — cremini, white button, or something else?
Cremini give more flavour than white button. Portobello is richer still but releases a lot of liquid and turns the sauce dark brown. White buttons are milder but work well with cream and garlic. A mix of cremini and shiitake is a good option — the shiitake adds a faint smokiness. Whatever you use, the technique matters more than the variety: very hot pan, mushrooms in a single layer, don't stir for the first 2 to 3 minutes. A cool or crowded pan means they steam instead of browning.
Can you make chicken and mushroom cream sauce without heavy cream — what are the substitutes?
The closest result is creme fraiche or full-fat sour cream (at least 20% fat) — they add both acidity and creaminess. Add them off the heat, not into a boiling pan, or they will curdle. Coconut cream from a can gives a very creamy sauce without dairy, though with a faint coconut note — that either works for you or it doesn't. A chicken broth and butter roux gives something closer to a classic velouté than a cream sauce. Regular 10 to 15% cream is possible but the sauce will be thinner and more likely to break.
How to fry mushrooms properly for chicken and mushroom dish so they don't release water — the restaurant trick?
Three rules. Hot pan — a cool pan and the mushrooms immediately start steaming. Don't salt at the start. Salt pulls moisture out; season at the end of searing, not the beginning. Don't touch them. Stirring right away breaks the browning process and they steam. Lay them in a single layer, use high heat, and leave them until the undersides are golden — then flip. This is the only way to get mushrooms with caramelised edges instead of grey ones.
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Comments (1)
I use bone-in pieces for chicken and mushroom in creamy sauce whenever possible. The bones release gelatin during cooking, creating a richer, more full-bodied sauce. Boneless is faster but the depth of flavor isn't comparable.