Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken (Print Version)
Golden chicken thighs simmered in a rich, creamy garlic and mushroom sauce with fresh herbs.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 10 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
07 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
→ Sauce
09 - 3/4 cup chicken broth
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Finishing
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Pat the chicken thighs dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and sear for 5–6 minutes until golden. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add butter, mushrooms, and onion. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until mushrooms are golden and onion is softened.
04 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
06 - Add heavy cream, Dijon mustard, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
07 - Return chicken thighs to the skillet, skin-side up. Spoon some sauce over. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
08 - Uncover and simmer for another 2–3 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.
09 - Sprinkle with parsley and chives before serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Bone-in thighs stay juicy and flavorful while the skin crisps up—you get the best of both textures without thinking about it.
- The sauce comes together while the chicken finishes cooking, so everything times out naturally without stress.
- It tastes like you've been simmering something for hours, but you're done in under 45 minutes.
02 -
- Don't skip patting the chicken dry—wet skin will never crisp, and that's the textural payoff of bone-in thighs.
- Mushrooms release water when they first hit the pan; let that liquid evaporate completely before they start to brown, otherwise you'll steam them instead.
- Keep the heat moderate when simmering the sauce—high heat can cause cream to break and look grainy, which tastes fine but looks sad.
03 -
- Buy whole mushrooms and slice them yourself—pre-sliced mushrooms dry out and lose flavor sitting in the package.
- If your sauce breaks or looks split after adding cream, turn off the heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold broth—it almost always comes back together.