Mushroom Chicken – A French Classic

Mushroom chicken. A staple dish that keeps getting reinvented over and over in my kitchen.

I love chicken, but only chicken thighs. There is something about the richness of the meat.

Tender and so versatile. And then, to my family’s dismay, I also love the skin. Nicely crisp chicken skin has never been left unattended for long around me.

But I am getting away from the subject on hand: mushroom chicken.

A very sophisticated and delicious recipe that is prepared in two skillets and transferred to finish up into one. No fuss, no muss, as it can go from stove to your table in the skillet in which you prepared it.

If thighs are not your thing, you can substitute them with chicken breasts.

However, do add more wine to it to keep the breasts moist.

Before I start cooking, let me share a few tips about the mushrooms selected for this recipe.

Baby Bella Mushrooms

I love mushrooms, and baby Bella mushrooms are so flavorful, cost-effective, and easy to work with. Therefore, gracing my kitchen often.

Baby Bella mushrooms, also known as cremini mushrooms. Tiny edible fungi with a round top and a robust, savory flavor.

They are from the same variety of white-bottom mushrooms but are picked when they are more mature, which results in a deeper flavor.

Also, they are of the same variety of Italian portobello mushrooms but at an earlier stage.

Bella mushrooms have an earthier and meatier flavor which is excellent with wild game, stews, vegetables, and rich sauces.

Being a very tender mushroom, the stems are as delicate as the caps; thus, you can enjoy the whole mushroom when used in your recipes.

They can be enjoyed raw in a salad or cooked in this recipe.

Low in calories and rich in nutrients, they are the favorite in most popular diets.

If you cannot find baby Bella, they can be replaced by white mushrooms, although the flavor will not be as rich.

How to select and care for your mushrooms

When buying your mushrooms, ensure the cap is nice and soft with no bruising or dryness. They should feel firm, plump, and light. Never soft or spongy.

Turn the mushroom over and check the cap and stem. There should be no visual between the cap and the stem. This is a sign that your mushroom is fresh.

When you see the flesh or membranes, the mushroom has started to decompose, and you should be cautious about eating it.

Store the mushrooms in the original packaging or a paper bag to enjoy them for up to one week in the refrigerator.

We do not wash the mushrooms as they are sponges and will retain the water, which will not help with the cooking process and will not crisp up.

Gently rub the caps and stem with a paper towel to remove all the debris. You can moist the towel but ever so lightly.

When cleaning them with a cloth, part of the cap film will come away, do not worry; it will not compromise your dish, and it is an entirely regular occurrence.

Never freeze fresh mushrooms. However, you can sautee them and store them in the freezer for up to a month.

Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make this Mushroom Chicken recipe.

This is a quick introduction. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.

This chicken thigh recipe is straightforward and needs a few ingredients to prepare it.

Unsalted butter: gives you complete control of the overall flavor of your recipe, allowing the natural taste of your food to come through.

Chicken thighs: skin-on and bone-in. The skin prevents the chicken from burning and drying out once the cooking process has started.

Flour: a small amount to dredge your chicken, allowing a crisp coating to form one cooking.

White wine: Use the exact wine that you would drink. Wine plays such an essential role in cooking. Therefore it should be one that you like and full of body.

Mushroom: See above for how to select them for your cooking needs.

Equipment needed to prepare this delicious dish

I only recommend what I use and love.

Skillets: You will need two. One for the chicken with a well-fitting lid and one for the mushrooms.

Thongs: are my favorite kitchen tool. Easier to grab food and not poke it, which will facilitate all juices to remain inside your chicken and keep it tender.

Cooking tips and step by step to create this wonderful mushroom chicken recipe.

As with all cooking, have all your ingredients ready before cooking.

Start cooking the chicken, which takes the longest time to cook.

• Remove all extra fat from your chicken thighs while ensuring you do not split the skin from the thigh meat.
• Be very generous while seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Use all-purpose flour for dredging your chicken and shake off any excess.
• Melt unsalted butter and warm the oil in a skillet. You do not want to add extra salt to your dish. If you only have salted butter, be mindful not to oversalt the chicken.
• Add the chicken skin side down and state until golden.

We all want to move and touch the chicken when it is searing in the skillet. Please do not do so.

By moving it and picking it up, we stop the cooking process, which will not produce the beautifully crunchy crust we are looking for.

You will know that the chicken is ready to be turned over once you gently shake the pan and the chicken pieces move around.

Preparing and cooking the mushrooms.

• I removed the mushroom stems, but you can keep them. Just remember to cut off the bottom part that had contact with the soil.
• When the butter has melted, add the mushrooms.
• Cook the mushrooms at high heat to get them crispy. Do not add salt until the end of cooking so they will not become soggy.

Combining the chicken and the mushrooms for our final step of preparation

• Add the mushrooms to the chicken. Add the wine and lower the heat to low.
• Simmer for another 30 minutes.

Please do not make the below substitutions.

• White wine is a must, and the combination with the chicken is the perfect marriage.
• Do not substitute the wine with chicken broth. Not the same result and flavor.

What to serve with your mushroom chicken?

As a side dish white rice with butter and peas is a great combination, as well as mashed potatoes.

And, of course, you can never go wrong with steamed vegetables or green salad with vinaigrette.

If you enjoyed this recipe for mushroom chicken, look at some of my other recipes:

Mushrooms and Herbs Salad

Roasted Baby Beets With Salad and Feta Cheese

Pecorino Crusted Chicken with Arugula and Mixed Baby Green Salad

Moroccan Chicken and Prunes

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Originally published on May 11, 2022. Edited and updated the content and photos on March 25, 2023.