Creamy, rich and indulgent. This quick and easy comfort recipe takes about 30 minutes and makes a perfect midweek chicken dinner. The secret to a great chicken with creamy mushroom sauce is searing the chicken until golden and cooking the mushrooms until they are browned and nutty.
Love chicken? Try Oven Baked Lemon Chicken Thighs for a bright, juicy alternative or Panko Chicken Schnitzel for a crispy treat.
Let’s get cooking.
Ingredients
- Mushrooms: Chestnut (brown) mushrooms are my preference for their deeper, nutty flavour, but any variety will work.
- Baby spinach: Convenient and ready-to-use; English spinach is a fine substitute.
- Heavy (thickened) cream: Use heavy cream rather than pouring or light cream so the sauce is rich and clings to the chicken and mushrooms.
- Chicken breasts: They balance nicely with the rich sauce; slice in half horizontally for quicker, juicier cooking.
- Chicken stock or white wine: Deglazing with stock or wine adds depth and complexity to the sauce.
How to make chicken with creamy mushroom sauce
Pan-fry the chicken until golden brown
Chicken breast can dry out if overcooked. Cut each breast in half horizontally to make thinner cutlets so they cook quickly and stay tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken without overcrowding the pan until each side is golden and caramelised. When both sides are browned, remove the chicken to a plate — it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Make the creamy mushroom sauce
Key point: brown the mushrooms on high heat. Mushrooms release water as they cook; to develop nutty, caramelised flavour you need to let them sit and brown rather than constantly stirring. Cook on high heat and only turn them occasionally so they caramelise on each side.
When the mushrooms are nicely browned, add minced garlic and the spinach. Adding the garlic after the mushrooms prevents the garlic from burning and turning bitter.
Return the chicken to the pan
Deglaze the pan with chicken stock or white wine, scraping up any browned bits, and reduce the liquid by about half. These browned bits are full of flavour and make the sauce taste fantastic.
Lower the heat, stir in the heavy cream and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Return the seared chicken to the pan and simmer for about one minute, or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
That’s it — simple, fast and delicious.
Serving suggestions
This creamy chicken and mushroom dish pairs well with many sides. Try:
- Steamed green beans or broccoli
- Steamed rice
- Zucchini noodles
- Mashed potatoes or crispy duck fat potatoes
- Mashed cauliflower
- Crusty bread to soak up the sauce or cheesy garlic bread for indulgence
Tips and tricks
- Sear on high heat: A good brown crust on the chicken and mushrooms builds flavour.
- Don’t rush the mushrooms: Let them caramelise rather than stirring constantly so they become nutty and delicious.
- Season ahead: If you can, salt and pepper the chicken a few hours or the night before — it improves flavour and tenderness.
- Finish in the sauce: The chicken only needs about a minute in the simmering cream to finish cooking; overcooking will dry it out.
- Optional boosts: A teaspoon of Dijon mustard or a splash of lemon juice brightens the sauce if you want extra complexity.
Good to know (FAQs)
If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can use flour or cornstarch. For flour: sprinkle about ½ tablespoon of flour over the sautéed mushrooms and spinach, mix, then add the cream and stir until smooth and thickened. For cornstarch (gluten-free): dissolve ½ tablespoon cornstarch in ¼ cup cold water, add to the cream in the pan and stir until the sauce thickens.
Cut the thickest part of the breast: the flesh should be white with no pink. The juices should run clear. For a precise check, the internal temperature should reach 74°C / 165°F.
Made this Chicken with Creamy Mushrooms and Spinach? Leave a comment and let me know how it went — I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Happy cooking!
Gen
📖 Recipe
Chicken with Creamy Mushrooms and Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts (~500g/16oz)
- 1¼ cups brown mushrooms (~300g/10oz), sliced
- 2 cups baby spinach (~60g/2oz)
- ¼ cup chicken stock or white wine
- 1 cup heavy/thickened cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make thinner cutlets. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken without overlapping until golden on both sides, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt butter and add sliced mushrooms with salt and pepper. Sauté on high heat until mushrooms are golden and reduced, turning only occasionally (about 4 minutes).
- Add minced garlic and spinach, and sauté until the spinach wilts.
- Pour in chicken stock or wine to deglaze the pan and reduce by half.
- Lower the heat, add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for about 1 minute or until cooked through. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Browning mushrooms: Let mushrooms sit on high heat to caramelise; avoid constant stirring so they become nutty and browned.
Garlic: Add after mushrooms brown to prevent burning and bitterness.
Deglazing: Deglazing with stock releases flavour from the pan and enriches the sauce.
Checking doneness: Cut the thickest part of the breast — it should be white with clear juices, or use a thermometer: 74°C / 165°F.
Storage: Leftovers keep up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
More delicious chicken recipes
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Chinese Cashew Chicken
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Oven Baked Lemon Chicken Thighs
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Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks
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Panko Chicken Schnitzel
