Name: Julia Child's Creamy Chicken + Mushroom
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 each medium-sized chicken breasts (boneless and skinless); 1 teaspoon lemon juice (original recipe: 1/2 teaspoon); 1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon + As Needed salt; As Needed + As Needed Black pepper; 2 tablespoons reduced fat butter (original recipe: 5 tablespoons full fat); 1 tablespoon green onions (minced); 8 oz mushrooms (sliced); 1/4 cup chicken stock; 1/4 cup port wine (or dry white vermouth); 4 oz reduced fat cream cheese (at room temperature, original recipe: 1 cup whipping cream); 1/2 cup evaporated milk; 2 tablespoons parsley (minced); 2 cups broccoli (extra addition, cut into florets and steamed - optional)

Get to know the ingredients

Room-temperature cream cheese

Use cream cheese softened to room temperature, breaking it down into the warm sauce before gradually adding milk.

Evaporated milk

Use unsweetened evaporated milk. Check the can before adding it gradually to the cream cheese.

Optional broccoli

If using the optional broccoli, steam its florets first and add them to the finished sauce off the heat.

Let’s make it

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Servings

Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.

Estimating…

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How to make it

0 of 7 steps complete

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Rub the chicken breasts with lemon juice and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter in a heavy, oven-proof casserole (I used a skillet), about 10 inches in diameter until it is foaming. Stir in the minced shallots or green onion and saute a moment without browning. Then stir in the mushrooms and sauté lightly for a minute or two without browning. Season with salt.
Quickly roll the chicken in the butter mixture and lay a piece of buttered wax paper over them. Cover casserole (skillet) and place in hot oven. After 8-10 minutes, flip chicken and cook for another 8 minutes in the oven.
Remove the chicken to a warm platter (leave mushrooms in the pot) and cover while making the sauce.
To make sauce: Pour the stock and wine in the skillet with the mushrooms. Boil down quickly over high heat until liquid has reduced to half.
Add in the cream cheese, breaking it down with your wooden spoon. Cook over low heat until it turns into a thick cream. Gradually add in the evaporated milk, stirring through the cream cheese until thickened.
Take off heat and taste for seasoning. Squeeze over a little extra lemon juice to taste. Add in the broccoli (if including it) and pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Make room for Julia Child's Creamy Chicken + Mushroom

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

Taste then pour over

Off the heat, adjust seasoning and lemon, add optional broccoli and pour over chicken, finishing with parsley.

A little more help as you go

Wine alternative

Use an equal amount of low-sodium chicken broth instead of wine. At the end, add an extra squeeze of lemon juice or one teaspoon of white wine vinegar to balance the sauce.

Thin sauce if needed

You can whisk in a splash of chicken broth or water if the finished sauce is too thick.

A few questions you might have

Does the chicken stay in while sauce reduces?

No, keep it covered on a warm platter while the stock and wine reduce around the mushrooms.

Can I use sweetened condensed milk?

Use unsweetened evaporated milk. Sweetened condensed milk makes the sauce overly sweet.

When is parsley added?

The final directions garnish with minced parsley after pouring the finished mushroom sauce over the cooked chicken.

Can I omit the wine?

You can replace the wine with an equal amount of low-sodium chicken broth. Finish with an extra squeeze of lemon juice or one teaspoon of white wine vinegar.

Can I freeze the finished dish?

Freezing isn't recommended because the dairy sauce can separate and become grainy after thawing.

Any more cooking tips?

Check the can before you start: use unsweetened evaporated milk. Sweetened condensed milk makes this sauce far too sweet and can't be corrected once it's mixed in. Light or skim evaporated milk works, as does full-fat. Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature so it blends without lumps; if needed, microwave the block for 15-20 seconds until soft. You can replace the wine with an equal amount of low-sodium chicken broth. Add an extra squeeze of lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar at the end to replace some of the wine's acidity. Wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel or a soft pastry brush rather than soaking them under running water. If the sauce is thin, simmer it on low for another 2-3 minutes, remembering that it thickens as it cools. If it's too thick, whisk in a splash of broth or water. If it separates or turns grainy, take it off the heat and whisk in a splash of cold milk. For a gluten-free meal, check that the chicken stock and cream cheese are certified gluten free. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop. Freezing can make the dairy sauce separate and turn grainy, so it's best avoided.

Julia Child's Creamy Chicken + Mushroom

1. Keep the mushrooms pale

2. Leave mushrooms for sauce

3. Reduce wine and stock