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This Cream of Mushroom Chicken is an easy skillet dinner made with tender chicken breasts, fresh mushrooms, and a rich, savory cream of mushroom sauce. If you need a cozy chicken dinner with cream of mushroom soup that’s simple enough for a busy weeknight but still tastes homemade, this one checks every box.
What makes this version stand out is how much flavor gets layered into such a simple recipe. Fresh mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, Better Than Bouillon, and a splash of sherry give the sauce a deeper, more from-scratch taste than the average shortcut version, while the thin-sliced chicken breasts cook quickly and stay tender in the skillet. It’s creamy, comforting, and exactly the kind of family-friendly dinner you’ll want to keep on repeat.
If you’re looking for more quick and delicious chicken dinner recipes, be sure to try my No Peek Chicken, Chicken Francaise, and Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken. And if you want even more easy, family-friendly meal ideas, my Chicken Dinner Recipes collection is packed with cozy favorites, from creamy skillet meals to baked casseroles and comforting classics.
Let’s make this!
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Slice the chicken evenly. Cutting the chicken breasts in half lengthwise helps them cook faster and more evenly, which is especially helpful in a skillet recipe like this one.
✨ Let the mushrooms really cook down. You want them to release their moisture first, then continue cooking until that liquid mostly evaporates. That deeper mushroom flavor makes the sauce taste much richer.
✨ Use low-sodium ingredients when possible. Since the condensed soup and Better Than Bouillon both bring salt, low-sodium broth helps you keep the final sauce balanced.
✨ Keep the simmer gentle. Once the chicken goes back into the sauce, you want a soft simmer, not a hard boil. That helps the chicken stay tender and keeps the sauce smooth.
✨ Have your sides ready. This is one of those easy “serve it hot” dinners, so it’s great to have rice, noodles, or bread ready to go before you finish the skillet.
Cream of Mushroom Chicken Ingredients + Key Notes
This is just a quick glance at what you’ll need. For exact measurements and the full ingredient list, head down to the recipe card below.
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Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are sliced in half lengthwise to create thinner cutlets that cook quickly and stay tender.
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Salt + black pepper: A simple seasoning base that lets the creamy mushroom sauce shine.
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Olive oil + butter: Olive oil helps sear the chicken, while butter adds richness and flavor to the mushroom base.
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Onion: Finely chopped onion adds sweetness and savory depth to the sauce.
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Fresh mushrooms: Even though this recipe uses condensed cream of mushroom soup, fresh mushrooms are still worth it. They add better texture and a deeper, earthier mushroom flavor.
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Garlic: Fresh garlic wakes up the whole sauce and gives it that cozy, homemade flavor.
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Condensed cream of mushroom soup: This is the shortcut ingredient that gives the sauce body and creaminess fast, making this a great pantry-friendly dinner.
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Chicken broth: Helps loosen the soup into a smooth, spoonable skillet sauce.
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Better Than Bouillon: This adds a deeper savory flavor and helps the sauce taste less flat and more homemade.
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Sherry: Just a splash adds depth and keeps the sauce from tasting one-note. It doesn’t make the dish fancy — it just makes it taste better.
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Dried thyme: Thyme pairs beautifully with mushrooms and gives the sauce a warm, savory finish.
🥣 How To Make Cream Of Mushroom Chicken
Cook the chicken. Start by slicing the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have four thinner pieces. Season them with salt and pepper, then sear them in olive oil until golden on both sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked through yet — they’ll finish in the sauce.
Build the mushroom sauce. In the same skillet, melt the butter and cook the onion and mushrooms until the onions soften and the mushrooms release their liquid. Keep cooking until that extra moisture cooks off and the mushrooms deepen in flavor, then stir in the garlic.
Simmer everything together. Add the condensed soup, broth, Better Than Bouillon, sherry, and thyme, stirring until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then return the chicken and any juices from the plate to the skillet. Let it simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is creamy and savory.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Don’t skip slicing the chicken thin
Thin cutlets cook much more evenly than full chicken breasts, and they’re less likely to dry out before the sauce is ready.
⭐ Let the mushrooms cook past “soft”
Mushrooms hold a lot of water. If you stop too early, that moisture ends up thinning the sauce. Let them cook until their liquid releases and mostly cooks away.
⭐ Stir the sauce until completely smooth
Before the chicken goes back in, make sure the soup, broth, and Better Than Bouillon are fully dissolved. That gives you the smoothest, creamiest sauce.
⭐ Simmer gently after adding the chicken
A gentle simmer helps the chicken stay juicy and keeps the sauce from reducing too fast or turning overly salty.
⭐ Taste before serving
Depending on the broth and soup you use, the sauce may need only a tiny bit more salt — or none at all. A quick taste at the end helps you get it just right.
🔬 Cooking Science: Why This Sauce Tastes Better
Condensed cream of mushroom soup is a great shortcut because it gives the sauce body and creaminess quickly, but on its own it can taste a little flat. That’s why the extra flavor-building steps matter here.
Fresh mushrooms add real texture and earthy depth, while onion and garlic create a more savory base underneath the sauce. Better Than Bouillon boosts the chicken flavor, thyme adds warmth, and the splash of sherry brightens the whole skillet so the sauce tastes more balanced and less heavy. The result is a quick weeknight dinner that still tastes fuller and more homemade than a basic canned-soup version.
Storing + Reheating + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips
Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken a bit as it sits, which is completely normal.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave in short intervals. Add a small splash of chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce.
Freezing
You can freeze this dish, but cream-based sauces can sometimes separate a bit after thawing. It will still be safe to eat, but the texture may not be quite as smooth. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make-Ahead
You can make this earlier in the day and gently reheat it before serving. For the best texture, avoid overcooking the chicken the first time around since it will warm through again later.
What to Serve With Cream of Mushroom Chicken
Fresh + Crisp Sides
A simple House Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, or Mediterranean Salad adds a fresh contrast to the creamy sauce.
Comforting Potatoes
This is especially good with Mashed Potatoes or Melting Potatoes, since both are perfect for catching every bit of that savory mushroom sauce.
Cozy Breads
Serve it with homemade Crescent Rolls, Practically No Knead Bread, or Garlic Bread to round out the meal.
Sweet Finishes
Finish dinner with a cozy dessert that fits the comfort-food feel of this meal. Chocolate Pudding Pie is creamy and easy, Texas Sheet Cake is always a crowd-pleaser, Toll House Cookies bring that classic homemade cookie feel, and Peach Cobbler is the kind of warm, old-fashioned dessert that always works after a hearty supper.
Frequently Asked Questions
✦ Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well here and stay especially juicy. They may need a slightly different cook time depending on thickness.
✦ Can I make this without sherry?
Yes. The sherry adds depth, but you can leave it out if needed. A small splash of extra broth works fine in its place.
✦ Do I need fresh mushrooms if I’m using cream of mushroom soup?
I really recommend them. The canned soup gives the sauce its creamy shortcut base, but fresh mushrooms add much better flavor and texture.
✦ How do I keep the sauce from getting too thin?
Let the mushrooms cook long enough for their moisture to evaporate, and keep the final simmer gentle so the sauce has time to come together. If needed, let it simmer for another minute or two uncovered.
✦ How do I keep the chicken from drying out?
Slicing the chicken into thinner pieces helps a lot. Also, don’t overcook it during the first sear — it will finish cooking in the sauce.
✦ Can I bake this instead of making it on the stove?
This recipe is designed as a skillet dinner, so the stovetop gives you the best sauce texture and flavor development. If you want a baked version, I’d treat that as a separate recipe rather than forcing this one into the oven.
✦ What should I serve with cream of mushroom chicken?
Rice, egg noodles, mashed potatoes, and crusty bread are all great choices. Anything that can soak up the sauce works beautifully.
✦ Can I make this ahead for meal prep?
Yes. It reheats well for a make-ahead dinner or lunch, especially with rice or noodles on the side.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
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Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken – A rich skillet chicken dinner with a creamy garlic sauce that feels a little special but is still weeknight-friendly.
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Chicken Francaise – Tender chicken cutlets in a bright lemony pan sauce for a dinner that feels classic and comforting.
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Creamy Lemon Chicken – A bright, creamy skillet chicken dinner that feels fresh, comforting, and perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
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Melt In Your Mouth Chicken – An easy, creamy baked chicken dinner with cozy flavor and barely any fuss.
Tried This Recipe
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Cream Of Mushroom Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 heaping teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, chicken flavor
- 1 tablespoon sherry
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Cut both chicken breasts in half lengthwise, creating 4 thinner pieces. Season with salt (1 teaspoon) and pepper (1/2 teaspoon).
- Heat olive oil (2 tablespoons) to a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers add chicken breasts then cook each side for 4-5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Melt butter (2 tablespoons) in the skillet. Add onions (1/2 cup) and mushrooms (8 ounces) and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms are soft and have released their liquid, about 7-9 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and continue to cook, stirring often, until garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in condensed cream of mushroom soup (1 can), chicken broth (3/4 cup), Better Than Bouillon (1 teaspoon), sherry (1 tablespoon), and thyme (1/2 teaspoon). Stir until soup and Better Than Bouillon is dissolved. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat and simmer.
- Return the chicken, along with the juices left on the plate, to the skillet and nestle it into mushrooms and sauce. Simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ºF (74ºC).
Notes
- Careful With Cooking Time: This recipe is simple and fast. Don't overcook the chicken, as you will add it back to the pan for a quick simmer.
- Slice In Half: To slice the chicken breast, use a sharp chef’s knife. Firmly place your hand on the breast and place your knife at 90 degrees at the thicker side of the breast. You may need to rotate the breast so that the thicker part is facing your knife. Keeping your knife level, slice across the width of the breast approximately halfway between your hand and the cutting board.
This was easy and delicious, like something you’d order in a nice restaurant. I served it with rice. I only made three pieces of chicken instead of four, so I made an amazing soup with the leftover sauce and rice. It was also amazing. Keep these recipes coming! Thank you.