This is such a perfect weeknight dinner. This easy and healthy chicken breast with mushroom pan sauce recipe will become one of your regular weeknight rotations! With just a quick sear and a few ingredients you have the most amazing dinner and mushroom gravy.
Why We Love This Chicken and Mushroom Gravy Skillet
This Chicken and Mushroom Gravy Skillet is one of my all-time favorite comfort food recipes—and for good reason. I’ve been making it for years, especially on rainy Seattle weeknights when I needed something quick, cozy, and full of flavor. I’d light a candle, put on some soothing jazz, and in under 30 minutes, dinner was served.
This easy one-pan chicken dinner checks all the boxes:
- Packed with savory flavor, thanks to the rich mushroom pan sauce.
- Uses simple, pantry-friendly ingredients you likely already have.
- Quick and easy to make—just 25 to 30 minutes from stovetop to table.
- Beginner-friendly, and perfect for home cooks of all skill levels.
- A healthier, homemade alternative to takeout with restaurant-quality taste.
Whether you’re looking for a weeknight dinner idea or a cozy Sunday meal, this skillet chicken recipe will become a regular in your rotation.
How to Perfectly Pan Sear Chicken Breasts
- Step 1: Pat dry your chicken. Add olive oil to the chicken itself and not to the pan. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. This will help the chicken form a crust.
- Step 2: Heat skillet to medium high heat. Place chicken into dry pan and leave it alone for 4-5 minutes.
- Step 3: Your chicken will tell you when it wants to be turned by releasing from the pan easily.
- If it is not releasing from the pan easily, then it isn’t ready! Continue to cook for another minute or two and turn.
- Step 4: Once your chicken is perfectly seared, remove to a plate and a cover with foil while you make the pan sauce.
Chicken Breasts are Fully Cooked at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Because we are making a simple pan sauce, the chicken breasts will not be submerged and finish cooking in the sauce, and so they need to be fully cooked before we make the mushroom gravy.
- Chicken breasts are fully cooked once they reach 165 degrees internally.
- Always measure chicken temperature at the thickest, most center point of the meat.
- We always recommend using an electronic meat thermometer for the most accuracy.
- This is my favorite meat thermometer. It’s less than $8 and I think every home cook needs one.
Mushroom Pan Sauce Recipe
Mushroom pan sauce is so, so good. It’s earthy, with restaurant quality flavor and it’s so easy, and you can use this recipe to go with pork chops, or even steak!
Mushroom Pan Sauce Instructions
- Using the pan we used to cook the chicken, turn heat to medium.
- Add butter to the skillet, and toss in the sliced mushrooms.
- Note: Do not salt the mushrooms. Salt can stop your mushrooms from reaching their full browning potential.
- Add garlic, and then flour.
- Add chicken stock, and whisk well to combine, eliminating any lumps.
- Cook until thick (about 3 minutes) and serve over your perfectly seared chicken!
TLDR: Chicken Dish with Mushrooms Recipe
If you just want to know how to make this quickly, here’s a quick snapshot of the instructions.
- Heat a non stick or cast iron skillet to medium high heat.
- Pat dry chicken, then rub with a few tablespoons of canola oil or extra light olive oil.
- Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
- Place chicken into hot pan and leave it alone for 4-5 minutes.
- After you have turned your chicken, and it is cooked through to 165 degrees, remove to a plate.
- Sauté the mushrooms, garlic and a bit of butter in the same pan.
- Add flour, and the chicken stock. Whisk.
- Spoon the mushroom sauce over the chicken breasts and serve.
This sauce is so good, you’ll want to slather it on everything. In fact this would be a great recipe for steak. Simply switch out beef stock for the chicken stock. If you want another pan sauce recipe, check out this Steak with Pan Sauce.
More Healthy Chicken Recipes:
- Roasted Lemon Chicken with Potatoes and Rosemary
- Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Rosemary Chicken
- Baked Blackened Chicken
- 30 Minute Chicken Puttanesca
- French Onion Chicken
- Easy Chicken in Tomato Sauce
Other Recipes with Mushrooms:
- Cauliflower Rice with Mushrooms and Feta Cheese
- One Skillet Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy
- Creamy One Pot Chicken and Rice with Mushrooms
- Make Ahead Mushroom Gravy
To easy chicken dinners with gravy! – Kathi and Rachel
What do you think about this recipe? Have questions? Comment below! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @Laughingspatula recipes with #laughingspatula, while you’re at it…We love to see your pics!
Chicken Breasts with Easy Mushroom Pan Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp canola oil or extra light olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves large garlic chopped
- 2 tbsp white flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Searing Chicken
- Heat large non stick or cast iron skillet to medium high.
- Pay chicken dry with a paper towel. Rub with oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
- Place chicken in pan.
- Let cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
- Remove from pan, cover with foil to keep warm.
Mushroom Pan Sauce
- Using the same pan chicken was cooked in, add 1 tablespoon of butter along with mushrooms. Turn heat to medium.
- Brown mushrooms for several minutes. Once mushrooms are browned as desired, add a big pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Whisk until fully combined.
- Serve sauce over seared chicken. Enjoy!
Alf says
” We love this one from OXO. It’s cheap, cheerful and really durable! ”
Which one and what from OXO?
Recipe sounds great gonna try it tonight.
PS.Canola and seed oils are very inflammatory and should be avoided. Youre correct about EVOO having a low smoke point, just good olive oil is fine.
Kathi & Rachel says
Hi Alf – the link must have broken. Here is the OXO meat thermometer that Rachel and I both use https://amzn.to/49Hp9q6. Thanks! Kathi
Alf says
Hi Kathi, thanks for getting back to me so fast, the link wasn’t there in the first place. It’s almost the same price in GBP on Amazon UK as it is in dollars!
I cooked a couple of breasts for my wife and I after I messaged you. They turned out great, in fact my wife even said they were the best she’s tasted even including restaurant meals! I must admit, they were fantastic even if I say it myself. They stayed lovely and juicy too.
I made a couple of changes though, I used corn flour; corn starch for any Americans out there, a few tbl spoons of double cream/heavy cream, some dried tarragon and a tbl spoon of good Dijon mustard which added a nice little subtle kick.
We liked hem so much I’m cooking them again tonight.
Kathi & Rachel says
I’m so glad you loved it Alf! I can see the link is in there, you may have to refresh your browser to get it but it sounds like your all set! Hope you come back and try and a few more recipes! Kathi
Leah says
Can you add a shallot before stock, or will it change the flavour too much? Can’t wait!
Kathi & Rachel says
Hi Leah – I think a shallot would be great!
Vicki Logan says
Hi thinking of making this tonight,any recommendations as to what to serve with it please
Kathi & Rachel says
I would do rice or baked potato and a simple veggie like steamed broccoli or asparagus. Keep it fresh and easy! Hope you love it! Kathi
Terry C says
Hi! Too tired to cook what I had planned for tonight so I googled chicken breasts and mushrooms. This recipe came up and not only was it easy, so much flavor!
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Kathi & Rachel says
Thank you Terry! We are so glad you enjoyed it!
Jessa says
I made this today and it’s delicious!
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
ellie says
okay I just want you to know I am very drunk right now but I skimmed your recipe like a week ago and read the words “chicken is so smart” and I thought it was somewhat funny and it’s been stewing in my brain since then and tonight i was just sobbing laughing thinking about the phrasing chicken is SO smart and I just want you to know you brought me so much joy btw good recipe
R Reed says
This was such an amazing find. I don’t like frying for various reasons. When I read your chicken sear tip. I couldn’t believe it.
It was that easy , very little clean up recipe. It’s changed everything about frying for me.
A succulent chicken and delicious sauce. We enjoyed every mouthful.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Best Regards
Rhonda
Kathi & Rachel says
So glad it worked for you Rhonda and thank you for the nice note!
Mary says
This. Was. Perfect! I added a splash of Marsala and some capers just because. I learned a few tricks about how to sear chicken in a hot pan, tell when it’s done and how to cook perfect mushrooms. A new family favorite has arrived!
Steve says
I’m going to try this tonight, but I wish i have to scroll through all the verbiage (three times for the same recipe!)
Kathi & Rachel says
Hi Steve – use the handy ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the post. It will take you right to the recipe card.
Yvette McCaughn says
Do you have to use a non stick pan? I have very heavy professional pans
Kathi & Rachel says
No you do not have to use non stick. In fact cast iron is a fave of mine.
Melissa I says
Chicken browned perfectly. I used GF flour and a touch of red wine with the chicken broth.
Kathi & Rachel says
Thank you for the note Melissa and the five stars! So glad you loved it!
Janet says
Such an awesome pan sauce! A great alternative to Chicken Marsala which I make a lot.’
Jacque says
This was amazingly easy and so good. Clean up a breeze as well!
Kathi & Rachel says
Everything we try to do for you guys! Thank you for the nice comment!
JoAnn Brengartner says
made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious, did corn starch in place of flour because I have celiac , and cannot have flour. Thank You for a wonderful recipe.
Susan says
Absolutely delicious and so easy! I had a gastric sleeve done back in August 2019. As a bariatric patient, I am always on the lookout for high protein, low carb dishes. I have had issues with hypersensitivity to smell/taste/texture since I woke up from surgery. My food choices have been very, very limited, especially with meats of any kind. I can usually eat a bite, maybe two, and then it tastes absolutely horrible to me. This dish was fantastic and although I could still only eat a few bites, due to my stomach size, I loved every bite and never got that “ick” taste that I’ve become so accustomed to for the last 6 months. I served it with some steamed asparagus. My boyfriend loved it as well! Thanks so much for helping me add another item to my food choices!
Kathi & Rachel says
Thank you for the nice review Susan! So glad you loved it. A few bites of something good is better than a whole plate of something not so good:). Good luck with your gastric sleeve!
Ken says
Easy to prepare but it took a bit of experimenting to bring out the flavor for the gravy. Either the stock I used wasn’t that great or the garlic was weak but it came out a bit bland. Then I added a bit of garlic powder salt and pepper and even tossed in a cup of beef stock to add some flavor then two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Finally it came around and bursted with flavor in the gravy. It’s a simple and very fast thing to make and I paired it with white rice and placed the chicken and mushroom gravy over the rice and served steamed broccoli with it. Good recipe. I’ll provably work with it some more to make it even better!