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.
The first time I tried it, I liked it but thought the sauce was a bit bland, maybe it was my ingredients. The second go-around I added a teaspoon of worcestershire sauce and a quarter of a red onion and it was much more flavorful.
Mild but flavourful weekday meal with a few simple ingredients. Would work well for families with kids. The crispy onion topping is a highlight/must!
The crispy onion and chicken recipe is great. We made this recipe at home. Excellent in terms of taste. Such a recipe can be easily prepared in every home. We all love it. Thanks
If I did use bone in Thighs how much do you project it would add to the cooking time?
Unfortunately, it’s too hard for me to estimate without testing it.
Made this and followed directions exactly, but used white button mushrooms instead of Bella. It was an easy to follow recipe and delicious! Served with egg noodles and a side of Brussel sprouts.
I make this with Better Than Bouillon’s mushroom base instead of the chicken broth and it’s screamingly good. I usually serve it with roasted sweet potatoes and carrots, which also go great with the sauce. This has become one of our favorite cold-weather dishes.
Could this be done with condensed cream of mushroom soup?
You could probably do something similar, yes. I wouldn’t be able to offer any specific instructions without trying it first, though.
This looks so good! I will make. 😍 😋 It’s nice to expand the things I know how to cook and have more variety. And less boring, repeat meals. 😁
Very good! I cooked this for my dad, husband, and brother in law and they all loved it. Very good recipe. I always cook recipes as written–no substitutions.
Delicious! I added a touch of chardonnay to the sauce (while drinking chardonnay of course) and it added an extra oomph!
I added 1/2 cup white wine and reduced it a bit after browning the mushrooms, plus added a scoop of sour cream at the end (another commenter suggested the sauce needed a bit of acid). I served it with (instant) mashed potatoes and (frozen) veggies. My husband freaked out. Even the kids ate it (minus the mushrooms). It came together super fast but was very delicious. Great recipe.
This was spectacular! I served with mashed potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts. Yum!
We swapped out the chicken broth for white wine. It was nice. If I were going to make it again, I’d double the gravy, add half an onion, and maybe chop the chicken into bite size pieces so it’s easier to serve over potatoes.
I added 1/2 a cup of white wine, thyme, red pepper flakes, and half an onion. So good! I will definitely make this again.
When i made this is was very shroomy and savory but was missing something. I had some yogurt on hand and stirred in a heaping spoonful. Made it 100x better. Strongly suggest adding a spoonful of either yogurt or sour cream as a finisher. It was missing a bit of acid.
Ooh, love it! Thanks for sharing!
Such a delicious recipe. Will definitely earn a spot on my regular rotation of dinners.
Made it three times this week for family. Love it with a side of mashed potato.
This was so good ! I used button mushrooms because that’s all I had. I was looking for a recipe that had mushrooms in it. To use up leftover mushrooms from making spaghetti. Next time I will use four small chicken breasts instead of cutting two in half as recipe states . There is plenty if sauce.