This hearty and flavorful dish of chicken and mushrooms is perfect for hosting because it looks so elegant, but it's also easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
Chicken and mushrooms are a classic combination. And when you cook them in a reduction of balsamic vinegar and finish the dish with butter, you have yourself a restaurant-style dish that you can proudly serve to guests, although it's easy enough to make regularly for your family. The leftovers are really good! In fact, they get better as the flavors meld and develop.
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- For the sauce: Aged balsamic vinegar, honey (real or sugar-free), kosher salt, black pepper, and dried thyme.
- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken thighs. You could use chicken breasts, but it won't be the same - they're not as juicy. If you opt for chicken breasts, slice them in half horizontally, as I do in this broiled chicken recipe, to ensure even cooking.
- Fat for frying: You can use olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee.
- Mushrooms: To make life easier, I use pre-sliced mushrooms. White mushrooms work, as do cremini mushrooms. When adding the mushrooms, you can also add about half a cup of chopped yellow onions.
- Garlic: I use minced garlic. You can also thinly slice a few garlic cloves.
- Butter: For finishing the dish. It greatly enhances the sauce and makes it creamier.
- Chopped parsley: This is used for garnish, so it's OK to skip it. Although it does greatly enhance the dish in terms of presentation.
Instructions
Making this recipe is truly easy, especially considering it's such an elegant dish. The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Mix the sauce and set it aside. Season chicken thighs and pan-fry them on both sides until cooked through.
Set the chicken aside, covering it with foil to keep it warm. Use the same skillet to cook the mushrooms and garlic. Add the sauce and simmer until it's reduced, add the butter, and then add back the chicken and heat through.
To serve, divide the dish between four plates, brush or drizzle each plate with the pan juices, and sprinkle with parsley.
Easy and quick recipe with common ingredients - great flavor and BOTH kids loved it, so it's a big winner in my books. I'll be adding it to the rotation 100%.
Nicole Scannell
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Easy and quick recipe with common ingredients - great flavor and BOTH kids loved it, so it's a big winner in my books. I'll be adding it to the rotation 100%.Recipe Tips
- The balsamic vinegar is very important in this recipe. It helps the dish to brown and caramelize. Please make sure you use it and don't try to replace it with any other vinegar. It won't work. It's also important to use aged balsamic vinegar - young vinegar is too sour.
- Storage tips: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and then reheat them in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this flavorful dish on its own. It's a complete meal of meat and vegetables.
Sometimes, I spoon it on top of mashed pumpkin, mashed cauliflower, or cauliflower rice (you can obviously use real rice if you wish). It nicely soaks up the juices.
You can also add a bit of color to the dish by serving it with a vegetable side. To make things easy, it's best to choose simple sides such as microwave broccoli, microwave asparagus, or glazed carrots.
Recipe Card
Easy Chicken and Mushrooms
Video
Ingredients
Sauce:
- ¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey - regular or sugar-free
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Chicken:
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs - 4-5 pieces
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ghee - or olive oil
- 1 pound mushrooms - sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons parsley - chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, kosher salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Set aside.
- Season the chicken thighs with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Heat the ghee in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat. Add the chicken thighs in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for 7 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces and cook until cooked through (their internal temperature should reach 165ºF), about 7 more minutes. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add the mushrooms to the same skillet with a splash of water (about 2 tablespoons). Gently stir the mushrooms while also scraping the bottom of the skillet to remove the tasty brown bits that have stuck to it.
- After the mushrooms have started reducing a bit in volume, stir in the garlic. Cook the mushrooms and garlic, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender and browned and the liquid that they have released has evaporated, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the sauce to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter until it melts.
- Add the chicken thighs back to the skillet, turning them to coat in the sauce. Cook for a couple more minutes to heat through.
- Divide the chicken and mushrooms between four plates. Drizzle or brush with the pan juices and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The balsamic vinegar is very important in this recipe. It helps the dish brown and caramelize. Please make sure you use it and don't try to replace it with any other vinegar. It won't work. Also, please use aged balsamic vinegar. A young vinegar will be too acidic. Aged balsamic vinegar is sweet.
- If using sugar-free honey, a serving has 349 calories and 7g carbs.
- You can use butterflied chicken breasts, but I highly recommend using chicken thighs for the juiciest results.
- You can vary the fat you use for frying. I tend to use ghee, but olive oil is delicious, too.
- When adding the mushrooms, you can also add about half a cup of chopped yellow onions.
- The leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
- You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and then reheat them in the microwave.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
jane shofler says
excellent
Amy says
Delicious! I will definitely be making this again! Thank you
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Amy! Thanks for the review.
Bjh says
Loved it!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad this was a success. Thanks for the comment!
barbara says
Easy recipe and so delicious!! I will make this again! Can I freeze leftovers?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Barbara,
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, you can freeze the leftovers.
Nicole Scannell says
Easy and quick recipe with common ingredients - great flavor and BOTH kids loved it, so it's a big winner in my books. I'll be adding it to the rotation 100%.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad this was a success, Nicole! Thank you for taking the time to write a comment.
Udi says
Brilliant and easy to follow recipe!
I tried both with chicken thighs and chicken breast. I liked it more with chicken breast! If using chicken breast, it's also advised to coat it with flour before frying.
I also substituted the tablespoon of butter with heavy cream.
Very delicious. I made it also for Rosh Hashana, everyone kept asking for the recipe 🙂
Will try more of your recipes soon!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Shalom Udi! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the detailed feedback.
DD says
Hi, I haven't tried making this yet, but I just wanted to ask if this could be made in advance as a meal prep kind of recipe. Look forward to hearing from you :).
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yes, definitely. This recipe makes four servings and lasts up to four days in the fridge, so it works as meal prep. You can reheat it in the microwave (covered) or in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes or until heated through. It tastes best when freshly made, but the leftovers are also excellent.
Roxane K says
That was easy and tasty.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Roxane!