Creamy mushroom sauces make me weak in the knees. Anyone else? The chicken here is purely a vehicle for the creamy, garlicky, heavenly mushroom sauce. And the crispy onions? Well that’s just icing on the cake! This Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Crispy Onions is a really simple and scrumptious dinner with plenty of customizable options that I’ll outline for you below. Tuck this one in your back pocket (browser bookmarks?) because I’m sure you’re going to be making it again and again. ;)
What Are “Crispy Onions”?
I’m not sure how popular crispy fried onions are outside the U.S. so I wanted to take a second to explain and link out to this product for those who are unfamiliar. They’re basically deep fried onions that you can buy in a carton and are often used to top the classic Thanksgiving recipe, Green Bean Casserole. The onions are super crispy, a little salty, and they just add a wonderful texture and flavor in contrast the to the creamy mushroom sauce. The only brand I know that makes them is French’s, but you might be able to find a generic version at some grocery stores.
Can I Use Chicken Thighs?
Yes, boneless, skinless chicken thighs will work beautifully for this recipe and, because they are already thin and flat, will not require the pounding step that I show for the chicken breasts below. I do not suggest bone-in chicken thighs or breasts for this recipe because they require a much longer cooking time.
Can I Substitute the Mushrooms?
Not a mushroom lover? No problem. This recipe would also be great with spinach. Simply make the sauce without the mushrooms by adding the garlic to the skillet after removing the chicken, then proceeding to deglaze the skillet with broth as directed below. After adding the cream, simmer for a few minutes to thicken the sauce, then stir in fresh spinach until wilted. Finally, add the chicken and warm through.
Make it Dairy-Free
Full fat coconut milk will work well here in place of the heavy cream, just as it does in my Vegan Creamy Mushroom Ramen. Make sure to use full-fat coconut milk in a can, not the kind in a carton, which is thinner and meant to be a substitute for dairy milk. Shake up the can well before measuring, to distribute as much fat throughout the liquid as possible. Also, use coconut oil or your cooking oil of choice in place of butter.
Pictured with Steamed Green Beans and mashed potatoes.
Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Crispy Onions
Servings 4Ingredients
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms ($1.69)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1.3 lbs. total) ($5.63)
- 1 pinch salt ($0.02)
- 1 pinch pepper ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp butter, divided ($0.26)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth ($0.07)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream ($0.39)
- 1/4 cup crispy fried onions ($0.37)
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish) ($0.05)
Instructions
- Rinse and slice the mushrooms. Set the sliced mushrooms aside.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Use a mallet or rolling pin to gently pound the chicken until it is an even thickness, about ¾-inch thick. Cut each chicken breast into two pieces, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add one tablespoon of the butter to a large skillet and heat over medium. Once the butter is melted and the skillet is hot, add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides (about 5 minutes per side). Remove the chicken to a clean plate and cover with foil or an upside down plate to keep it warm.
- Add the second tablespoon of butter and the sliced mushrooms to the skillet. Sauté the mushrooms until they release all their water and the skillet begins to dry up again. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about a minute more.
- Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and stir to dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon mushroom cream sauce over each piece. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for about 5 minutes more, or until the sauce is slightly reduced. Top the chicken with the crispy fried onions and serve.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Creamy Mushroom Chicken with Crispy Onions – Step by Step Photos
Wash and slice 8oz. baby bella mushrooms. Set the mushrooms aside.
Place two boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lbs. total) on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Use a mallet or a rolling pin to gently pound the chicken until it is an even thickness, about ¾-inch. This helps the chicken cook quickly and evenly in the skillet.
Cut each chicken breast in half to create four portions, then season each with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add one tablespoon butter to a large skillet and heat over medium. When the butter is melted and the skillet is hot, add the chicken and cook until golden brown on each side (about 5 minutes per side). Remove the chicken to a clean plate and cover to keep it warm (either foil or another plate turned upside down).
Add another tablespoon of butter and the sliced mushrooms to the skillet. Sauté the mushrooms until they release all their water and the skillet dries up again. Add four cloves minced garlic and continue to sauté for about a minute more.
Add ½ cup chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve any browned bits off the bottom. Add ½ cup heavy cream to the skillet and stir to combine.
Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet and spoon the creamy mushroom sauce over the chicken. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and the sauce is slightly reduced.
Top the chicken with crispy fried onions (I used about ¼ cup total).
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired, then serve. This goes really well with mashed potatoes or pasta, so the creamy sauce can be spooned over top like a gravy.
Excellent meal. My kids prefer chicken thigh so I used those. I also added spinach, just wilted right near the end but kept the mushrooms too. The sauce was great over garlic mashed potatoes too
Holy cow this recipe is so delicious! I served with green beans because I was getting those “green bean casserole” vibes from the mushrooms and crispy onions. My husband told me I am a great cook after eating this, haha! Definitely going in the rotation. So easy!!!
Will make again. I think I need to pound the chicken a little more flat so it cooks up to 165 in the pan a little easier. Last night I had to cover it up and heat it longer than anticipated and I ended up losing a lot of the sauce. I’m a NOOB!
Do you have a suggestion on how to make a dairy free sauce?
I sometimes use full-fat coconut milk in place of dairy in rich sauces, but since this one has so few ingredients I’m not sure the coconut flavor will be masked. It tends to work better in dishes where the ratio of coconut milk to other ingredients is a little lower. That being said, I haven’t tried it, so it might work well!
Hello!
I made this the other night, using coconut milk. I definitely could taste the coconut, but it was pleasing.. Give it a try!
Thanks for sharing how it turned out for you! That really helps! :)
I made this for dinner today, and it was so delicious! I chopped the mushrooms a little smaller, because I am slowly trying to like them more. This recipe was perfect for a mushroom beginner! I used boneless skinless chicken thighs because they were what I had on hand, and they worked so well. I didn’t have to pound them.
I served this over roasted garlic mashed cauliflower and green beans.
Made this two nights ago and kicked myself because I forgot to add the crispy onions on top when I served it! It was so delicious I didn’t even notice! I topped it over rice and ate the leftovers for lunch this morning, with the onions and it was great! I actually didn’t even use heavy cream, I used almond milk and a dollop of sour cream just because it’s what I had at home, and it was great! Kind of stroganoff-esque
I made this a couple nights ago and it was amazing! And I loved how easy it was, I made it on a Monday when I had no motivation to cook. Every one of your recipes I have tried has turned out great. I really appreciate that since I hate to cook and spending the time to make something and have it not turns out makes me hate it so much more. Thanks for another awesome one!
You can also find crispy onions by the croutons. The smaller portion might be better for anyone who isn’t sure if they will like them or how else to use them.
I made it last night with rice pilaf and green beans and it was delicious and super easy. I’m looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today.
This is being added to our regular rotation by popular demand! I doubled the garlic and will double the mushrooms next time.
Made this for lunch and it was great. Really easy too! I didn’t have the crispy onions but I had crispy jalapenos and they worked perfectly. Thanks for another great recipe!
Crispy Jalapenos!!! I never heard of them! Love anything spicy.
Looking forward to trying this! I am not sure if it’s a seasonal Holiday item, but Trader Joe’s has carried fried onions.
This was indeed yummy. I’m thinking that by subbing green beans for the chicken, it will be that perfect Thanksgiving side dish minus the nasty cream soup
She has a FANTASTIC green bean casserole recipe on here, too! I make it just because, forget waiting for the holidays. So good!
THANK YOU for the dairy free suggestion – I will try it this coming week!
I love crispy onions, but fellow celiacs, beware: they may be drenched in flour for extra crispness.
One product you might not suspect not gf ;-)
Aldi has a house brand (Simply Nature) of organic gluten free crispy onions. The only gluten free one that I have found so far and they are really good. They used to sell them only around Thanksgiving but now carry them year round. So happy to have an option when making recipes that call for crispy onions. Can’t wait to try this recipe.