If you’re hungry, chicken thighs are a great answer to the age-old question, “What’s for dinner?” You can get this chicken and mushroom skillet recipe from walk in the door from work to ready to eat in about half an hour.
And, it only requires one pot! Less clean up is a good thing, in my book. You don’t have to marinate the chicken, or leave it overnight, or fuss with it. Pan fry the chicken, slice the mushrooms, onions, and garlic, and let it simmer.
There’s no separate gravy to prepare either. It creates its own sauce right in the pan.
The funny thing is, I “invented” (or thought I’d invented) this recipe one night from ingredients I had lying around. It turns out that it’s nearly identical to a recipe in one of Jacques Pépin’s cookbooks. I don’t pretend to be his equal, but if you’re going to “borrow” an idea from someone, start at the top!
Although, I will say that his recipe requires two pots and mine only needs one. Yes, I do count the washing up necessary to make something (it makes a difference when you don’t have a dishwasher).
Serve the chicken with rice or crusty bread to sop up the sauce. The vegetables in the photo were just some frozen mixed vegetables that I microwaved with salt and lemon pepper.
Chicken and Mushroom Skillet Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 chicken thigh, bone-in
- salt and pepper
- 1-2 T olive oil
- 2 tsp flour
- 1/3 C chopped onion
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 2-3 sliced mushrooms (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/4 C chicken broth (plus one or 2 T if needed)
- pinch dried thyme
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a small skillet on medium heat.
- Put the chicken in the pan and cook five minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook another five minutes.
- Add the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Sprinkle everything with the flour and stir to distribute it evenly.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pan and sprinkle the thyme over the chicken and vegetables.
- Cover the pot and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and set it on a plate. Stir the remaining vegetables and scrape up the brown bits at the bottom. If it's too dry, add another tablespoon or two of chicken broth. This should deglaze the pan and create a sauce. Cook for another few minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the mushroom sauce over the chicken.
Chicken and Mushroom Skillet Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- stir a splash of dry white wine into the sauce (or use the wine instead of the chicken broth)
- add 1/3 cup of frozen broccoli to the mushroom mixture
- cut up the chicken and serve it over noodles
- add some sliced bell peppers
More Chicken Recipes
Crispy Lemon Chicken Thigh Recipe for One
Crispy (like fried without the frying), citrusy, and wonderful either hot or cold. Perfect for a picnic (make extra).
Quick Chicken Mango Stir Fry Recipe
Asian-inflected with lots of colorful veggies and sweet mango. This is a quick stir fry that takes only a short time to prepare. If you can’t get the mango, use pineapple instead.
Chicken Thigh Recipe with Peaches and Ginger
Sweet, juicy peaches offset by warm/spicy ginger and summery basil. Toss it all in a pan and bake. Super simple (and delicious).
Single Serving Chicken Recipe with Tarragon and Mushrooms
Creamy, rich, and tastes super-indulgent (but it isn’t). It’s like going out to a fancy restaurant (without actually having to go out).