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This creamy mushroom chicken is a weeknight staple in my house. One pan, 30 minutes, and a sauce so good you will want to put it on everything. I skip the heavy cream and use light cream cheese instead so it stays rich and creamy without being too heavy. Serve it over rice, pasta, or cauliflower rice and dinner is done.
I prepare chicken alot for my family and this tender and juicy pan-fried chicken breasts is one of our favorite meals. It is made in a creamy garlic mushroom sauce that’s simple, easy to make, and ready to serve on your dinner table in just 30 minutes. You can serve it with a side of potatoes like this Garlic roasted potato skillet, pasta like this lemon ricotta pasta, oven-roasted veggies , rice or quinoa, or for a low carb option serve it with cilantro lime cauliflower rice.
I do not like to cook heavy meals, so I decided to lighten this dish up by using cream cheese instead of heavy cream and a small amount of cornstarch to thicken it up. As a certified nutrition coach and mom of five, that kind of swap matters to me.
Recipe Overview
Key Ingredients
Here is everything you need to make this recipe. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts: I used boneless and skinless chicken breasts. Try to pick pieces that are close to the same size so they cook evenly. Chicken thighs work too if that’s what you have.
- Button mushrooms: The star of the sauce. Cremini or baby bellas work great if you want a deeper, earthier flavor.
- Light cream cheese: This is what makes the sauce creamy without heavy cream. It melts right into the broth and gives you that rich, velvety texture with a lot less fat.
- Chicken broth: Builds the base of the sauce. Vegetable broth works too. In a pinch, water with a bouillon cube is fine.
- Fresh garlic: Do not skip this. It is what makes the sauce taste like something. Pre-minced works but fresh is better.
- Cornstarch: Just a small amount to help the sauce thicken up. If you want a thicker sauce, add a little more.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Chicken
- First, cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken breast and cook until each side is golden-brown, about 5 minutes per side. Once done, remove from heat and set aside, covered to keep warm.
- Next, make the creamy mushroom sauce: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and add mushrooms and cook until slightly golden brown. Next, add garlic, sauté until fragrant for another minute. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water until fully dissolved. Pour the broth and cornstarch mixture. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, cook until liquid starts to bubble. Stir in cream cheese and whisk well, until sauce is smooth and thickened.
- Finally, combine the chicken with the sauce: Return chicken breast back into the pan, and spoon over with the hot sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Recipe tips
- Chicken: Pat the chicken dry before cooking. This helps it get a nice golden sear instead of steaming in the pan. Do not skip this step.
- Sauce too thin? Half a teaspoon of cornstarch is a light thickener. If you want a thicker sauce, mix an extra half teaspoon with a little cold water and stir it in. Let it simmer for another minute or two.
- Cream cheese: Make sure it is softened before adding it to the pan. Cold cream cheese takes longer to melt and can leave lumps in the sauce.
- Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook the chicken in batches if needed. Crowding the pan traps steam and you lose that golden crust.
- Rest the chicken. After searing, let it sit covered while you make the sauce. It stays juicy and finishes cooking through gently when you add it back in.
Variations
- Add Parmesan: Stir in a few tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan right before serving. It makes the sauce richer and more flavorful.
- Make it dairy free: Swap the cream cheese for full fat coconut milk. The sauce will be a little thinner but still creamy and delicious.
- Add spinach: Stir in a few handfuls of fresh spinach during the last few minutes of cooking for a nutritional boost.
- Spice it up: A pinch of red pepper flakes or a little Cajun seasoning in the sauce goes a long way if you like some heat.
- Use chicken thighs: Boneless skinless thighs stay even juicier than breasts and work perfectly in this recipe. Just add a couple extra minutes of cook time.
- Make it a pasta dish: Toss the finished dish with cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce. It turns into a full one pan meal.
Common Questions
You can certainly be frozen and served later. Place in an airtight container before storing it. It may be easier to store individual servings for easier reheating when you only need to serve 1-2 servings at a time. Freeze the mushroom chicken for up to 3 months and reheat in the microwave when ready to serve
Yes. Heavy cream or coconut milk both work. The cream cheese version is lighter and makes it just as creamy.
Half a teaspoon of cornstarch is a small amount. If your sauce feels thin, whisk in a little more cornstarch (another 1/2-1 teaspoon) mixed with water and let it simmer for another minute or two.
Button mushrooms are easy to find and work great. Cremini or baby bellas have a deeper flavor if you want something richer.
Yes. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat slowly on the stovetop or in short microwave intervals so the sauce stays smooth.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the chicken, which can make it dry.
- Crowding the pan, which will prevent the chicken from browning properly.
- Adding the cream cheese while it’s still cold, this can create lumps.
- Skipping the mushroom browning step. Browning adds so much flavor to the sauce.
- Using too much cornstarch, which can make the sauce overly thick. If you do, you can always add more milk or water to thin it out.
Meal Prep and Storage Tips
- Meal prep: This recipe is excellent for meal prep because the flavors continue to develop after a day in the refrigerator. Store portions with rice, potatoes, or vegetables for easy lunches and dinners throughout the week.
- Storing: The chicken can be refrigerated for up to 4-5 days in an airtight container and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More chicken recipes
- Easy Chicken Stroganoff
- Honey Garlic Chicken Meal Prep
- Healthy Grilled Chicken and Mango Salad
- Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Chicken Shawarma Bowl
- Grilled Lemon Garlic Chicken
What to serve it with
- Cooked Rice
- Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Garlic Butter Mashed Cauliflower
- Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
- Garlic Hasselback Potatoes
- Roasted Smoked Sweet Potatoes
Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and ⭐️ rating below.
Easy Creamy Mushroom Chicken (No Heavy Cream!)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, avocado oil
- 1.5 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, halved
- 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounces Light cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped curly parsley
Instructions
- Heat one tablespoon of the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the 1.5 pounds chicken breasts to the skillet and cook until each side is golden-brown, about 5 minutes per side. Once done, remove from heat and set aside, covered to keep warm.
- Heat the remaining one tablespoon of oil, add the 8 ounces button mushrooms (sliced), and cook until slightly golden brown. Then add the 3 garlic cloves (minced), and sauté until fragrant.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water until fully dissolved. Pour the 1 1/4 cup chicken broth and cornstarch mixture into the pan.
- Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook until the liquid starts to bubble. Stir in the 4 ounces Light cream cheese and whisk well until the sauce is smooth and thickened.
- Return the chicken breast back into the pan, and spoon over with the hot sauce.
- Garnish with 1 tablespoon fresh chopped curly parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Pat chicken dry before cooking for a better sear.
- Softened cream cheese melts smoother into the sauce. Cold cream cheese can leave lumps.
- For a thicker sauce, mix an extra half teaspoon of cornstarch with cold water and stir it in. Let it simmer for a minute or two.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat slowly on the stovetop or in short microwave intervals.
- Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I SERVED IT ON RICE. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you!
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Thank you Marcia
It was OK, I love a good sauce but I feel this is lacking something.
Exactly what I wanted!
I added some broccoli and some onions. SO so yummy!
Absolutely loved this! I came across this recipe after an internet search for recipe with chicken and mushrooms without white wine. I didn’t have any white wine on hand and was in the mood for something like this. This is a keeper! All of my family enjoyed it! Thank you for posting it!
Good recipe but takes forever to thicken. I added more cornstarch. 1/2 tsp just doesn’t do the trick.