Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce is a simple dish that shines elegance. Seasoned chicken breast simmered in a cream sauce fortified by mushrooms, shallots, and traditional Creole seasonings. The mild chicken flavor is at home in this sauce that balances the creaminess of butter and cream with the acid tones of parmesan, lemon zest and Dry Sherry. A perfect Creole recipe with a touch of Italian, Spanish and French characteristics.

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Jump to:

• What Makes This Recipe Work?
• Here’s What You Need
• Here’s What You Do
• Serving Suggestions
• Hints and Tips (FAQ)
• Recipe
• Comments or Questions?

What Makes This Recipe Work?

If you are looking for fullness of flavor in a simple recipe, this is the one for you. Tender, juicy chicken breast prepared in a creamy sauce enhanced by a unique, savory umami flavor of mushrooms and parmesan cheese. In this sauce, butter and heavy cream provide a foundation of richness balanced by the acidic tones of lemon zest and dry sherry.

Creole recipes are known for their sauces and this one stands out. The use of Dry Sherry, as opposed to a dry white wine, imparts a deep, fullness to the overall flavor. It also recognizes the significant Spanish influence in Creole cuisine.

What is Umami? It's a type of flavor often described as "savory," "meaty" or "earthy". It is considered the fifth “core taste” which include sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. 

Here’s What You Need

Note on the Chicken: You can use chicken tenderloins or “thin-cut” breasts from the grocery store. You will likely still need to flatten the tenderloins to ¼ inch. You could also use breasts without flattening, just make sure to cook them long enough to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature.

Note on the Sherry: Sherry adds depth and richness to the entire dish. It provides a nutty or fruity undertone that won't be duplicated with other wines, except perhaps Madeira or Marsala.

Note on Creole Seasoning and Salt: This recipe was developed using Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning, which is salt-free. If you use a different Creole seasoning, make sure to check the salt content before adding any salt to the recipe. Other sources of salt in the original recipe are the butter, parmesan cheese and chicken stock.

Note on Substitues: Look in the Hints and Tips (FAQ) Section for suggested substitutes.

Equipment

Here is some of the equipment I used in making this recipe:

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Here’s What You Do

First…you have a beer. How do you make a simple recipe even more simple? Preparation. That's not only the ingredients, but also the cook. The first step of preparing yourself is to get in the right frame of mind. Have a beer while you read the recipe all the way through. You'll relax and learn what ingredients and equipment you will need and what you will do with each. Once you know that, perform your mise en place and you are ready to go!

Mise en Place

Thinly sliced Chicken Breasts cook quickly and easily:

• Lay the breast flat on a cutting board, skin side down.
• With the palm of your hand pressing flat on the breast, slice it horizontally, lengthwise starting at the thicker end.
• Cover the sliced breast in plastic wrap or a freezer bag and gently pound the breasts to a uniform ¼ inch thickness.
• When all the breast pieces have been flattened, season both sides with kosher salt and Creole seasoning and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Then dust both sides of the breast slices with AP flour, making sure to cover the entire breast on both sides.
• Shake off any excess flour and set aside for at least 10 minutes.

To Prepare the Remaining Ingredients:

• Mushrooms:
  • Clean the mushrooms with a soft cloth or soft vegetable brush.
  • Slice off the very tip of the stem, then slice or quarter the mushrooms.
  • Make sure the sizes are uniform.
• Chop the shallots, garlic and parsley.
• Zest the lemon and measure all the remaining ingredients.
• Combine the Herb and Spice ingredients into a small prep bowl.

Lightly Brown the Chicken Breasts

What happens in this step? The first layer of flavor comes from slightly browning the seasoned chicken, leaving some flavor adhered to the pan to flavor the remaining ingredients. 

Place a 12” skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, brown each breast for 1 minute on each side. This should be done in batches if necessary.

Remove the browned breasts and reserve.

Pro Tip: One minute on each side is enough time to just start getting color on the chicken. We are not trying to fully cook them in this step as they will finish cooking in the sauce at the end. 

Saute the Vegetables

What happens in this step? Here we complete the flavor base by adding more flavor on top of the first layer. Sautéing the onions and mushrooms in butter until slightly browned will intensify their flavor.

Maintaining a medium-high heat, add the butter to the same skillet. When it is bubbly, throw in the shallots and mushrooms.

Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt to the pan as you mix well. The mushrooms will released their water during this process. Continue to saute until the water has cooked off and the vegetables begin to brown. This should take 8 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the mushrooms.

At that point, add the garlic and the Herb and Spice Blend. Stir to combine all the ingredients and saute for about 2 minutes.

Pro Tip: Make sure to take enough time for the mushrooms to release their liquid and the liquid to cook off. The kosher salt is crucial for this process. If the liquid does not cook off, it will dilute the flavors of the recipe. 

Finish the sauce

What happens in this step? Now that we have constructed a flavorful base, liquids are added to construct a distinctive sauce.

Increase the heat slightly and add the sherry.

Stir well to combine and allow the mixture to simmer for about two minutes while it reduces slightly.

Next, mix in the Chicken stock. Bring it to a slight boil, then reduce the heat and simmer it until it reduces by about 25%, This should take about 10 minutes.

Now it’s time to add the heavy cream.

Increase the heat again and add the parmesan cheese and lemon zest.

When the mixture returns to a simmer, lower the heat and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.

Return the chicken

What happens in this step? Now we will finish cooking the chicken and infuse it with the sauce’s flavor. 

To the sauce, stir in the chopped parsley, then add the chicken breasts. Make sure to turn the chicken in the sauce to coat on both sides. Simmer everything for about 5 minutes. 

Serving Suggestions

This dish is excellent served over linguine or many other types of pasta. Try to use a wide pasta that the sauce will adhere to. You can remove the chicken breasts to a platter, then add cooked linguine to the mushroom sauce and mix to thoroughly. Alternately, plate the pasta and chicken. Top with mushroom sauce, parmesan cheese and some parsley.

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce is also excellent with rice or mashed potatoes.

Here are Perfect Side Dishes for Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce:

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Hints and Tips (FAQ)

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