Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs
Golden chicken with a creamy mushroom sauce makes an inviting dinner to sit down to. Garlic and herbs run through the sauce, with Parmesan giving it a savory finish.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 15 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
A few quick notes
1. Dry and trim the thighs
Pat chicken dry, trim excess fat and coat evenly in the combined dry seasoning before its first pan stage.
2. Brown in batches
Sear thighs in batches until browned and no longer pink inside, adding remaining oil if needed before removing them to keep warm.
3. Mushrooms before garlic
Soften mushrooms in butter before garlic and herbs join, giving those aromatics a short fragrant stage before the cream.
Get to know the ingredients
Fresh herbs are allowed
You can use two teaspoons each of fresh herbs instead of dried, with basil, oregano or tarragon as other herb choices.
Freshly shredded Parmesan
Stir the shredded Parmesan into slightly thickened cream and let it melt through for two minutes, stirring occasionally before returning chicken.
Cream choices
You can use evaporated milk, reduced-fat cream or half-and-half instead of heavy cream. There are also dairy-free options below.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Return thighs and taste
Bring cooked chicken back to the sauce, taste for salt and pepper, garnish with parsley and serve immediately from the skillet.
A little more help as you go
An optional wine stage
You can use a third-cup dry white wine with mushrooms, reduced by half before garlic and cream are added.
Dairy-free thickening option
For the suggested dairy-free milks, stir in a slurry of two teaspoons cornstarch and one tablespoon water until thickened.
A few questions you might have
Can cashew milk replace cream?
Cashew milk is preferred among the dairy-free options; almond or rice milk can also be used with the slurry finish.
Does the chicken finish cooking in the sauce?
Cook it through during the initial sear, keep it warm aside, then return to the finished mushroom sauce at the end.
Should the cream stay at a full boil?
Bring it to a simmer, then reduce heat and continue until slightly thickened before stirring in the Parmesan.
When does fresh parsley go in?
Some cooks with garlic, thyme and rosemary after mushrooms soften, and more is used to garnish the finished chicken.
Can I use herbs other than thyme and rosemary?
You can use basil and oregano, or tarragon, when you prefer those flavors instead of the thyme and rosemary.
Any more cooking tips?
You CAN use fresh herbs if you have them! 2 teaspoons each of fresh herbs is fine. If you don’t like Thyme or Rosemary, substitute with Basil and Oregano, or use Tarragon. **Heavy or thickened cream is used for low carb/high fat purposes. If counting calories and/or fat macros instead, use evaporated milk, reduced fat cream or half and half. For a dairy free option, I find Cashew milk the best in flavour. You can also use almond milk or rice milk. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry (2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water, mix to blend well and add to the sauce, stirring quickly, until thickened) Optional: For even more amazing flavour, add in 1/3 cup dry white wine with your mushrooms and cook it down to half before adding in your garlic and cream!
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: cafedelites.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.