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Creamy Mushroom Chicken

Creamy mushroom chicken skillet with golden seared chicken breasts and a silky herb-flecked mushroom cream sauce that thickly pools around the edges. This creamy chicken dinner features deeply browned mushroom slices and a Parmesan-forward sauce that coats every bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Pat dry so they sear instead of steam.
Seasonings for chicken
  • salt Season generously on both sides.
  • pepper Season generously on both sides.
  • garlic powder Season chicken evenly.
  • onion powder Season chicken evenly.
Cooking fats
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For searing the chicken.
  • 2 tbsp butter For browning mushrooms and building flavor.
Mushrooms and garlic
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms Slice for visible mushroom pieces throughout.
  • 4 garlic cloves Minced.
Sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth Used to deglaze and create the base.
  • 1 cup heavy cream For a silky, thick mushroom cream sauce.
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese Grated.
  • 1 tsp dried thyme Stir into the sauce for herb flavor.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Adds savory, rounded seasoning to the sauce.
Garnish
  • fresh thyme Optional but recommended; scatter for aroma.
  • fresh parsley Optional but recommended; scatter for color.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove the chicken to a plate.
Brown mushrooms and build the sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same skillet, then cook the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes until deeply golden.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t burn.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
  4. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, dried thyme, and Italian seasoning, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the mushroom cream sauce over each breast, letting it pool around the edges.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme and fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

For best browning, pat the chicken dry and avoid moving it during searing until it releases easily from the pan. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freeze the cooked chicken and sauce up to 2 months, then reheat gently (the sauce may loosen slightly—stir while warming). For a lighter option, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream and simmer 1-2 extra minutes to help it thicken.