CREAMY MUSHROOM CHICKEN WITH CRISPY ONIONS
The creamy mushroom sauces make me numb in my knees. Anyone else? The chicken here serves as an instrument for the delicious garlicky mushroom sauce. And those crispy onions? It’s all a bonus! The Creamy Mushroom Chicken served with Crispy Onions makes a simple and delicious dinner with plenty of customization options, which I’ll detail for you further down. Place this recipe into your pocket (browser bookmarks?) because you will likely make it repeatedly.
WHAT ARE “CRISPY ONIONS”?
I’m not sure how well-known crispy onions that are fried are outside of the U.S., so I wanted to take a moment to describe and provide a link to the product to those who don’t know about it. They’re deep-fried onions available in a carton. They are used to enhance the traditional Thanksgiving dish, Green Bean Casserole. The onions are incredibly crisp and salty and give a fantastic flavor and texture in contrast with the rich mushroom sauce. The only company I’ve heard of that produces the onions can is French, but you might be able to locate a generic variety at certain supermarkets.
CAN I USE CHICKEN THIGHS?
Yes, skinless, boneless chicken thighs are perfect in this recipe. Also, since they are slim and smooth, they will not need the crushing procedure as I have shown for poultry breasts in the following. I would not recommend bone-in chicken breasts or thighs in this recipe as they take much longer cooking time.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE MUSHROOMS?
Not a mushroom lover? It’s not a problem. This recipe is also excellent with spinach. Make the sauce without mushrooms by adding garlic to the pan after taking out the chicken. Then proceed to cook the skillet in broth according to the instructions below. Once you have added the cream, cook for a couple of minutes to reduce the sauce’s thickness, and then mix in fresh spinach until it has wilted. Add the chicken and let it warm.
MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE
Full-fat coconut milk can serve well instead of heavy cream, similar to how it works for my Vegan Creamy Mushroom Ramen. It is essential to choose coconut milk with total fat in a jar instead of the type found in a carton, which is less thick and designed to replace dairy milk. Shake the can well before measuring it, distributing as much fat into the liquid as possible. You can also use coconut or any preferred cooking oil instead of butter.
INGREDIENTS
Eight oz. baby Bella mushrooms ($1.69)
Two skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1.3 pounds. total) ($5.63)
One pinch of salt ($0.02)
One pinch of chili ($0.02)
2 Tbsp butter, split ($0.26)
Four cloves of garlic ($0.32)
1/2 cup chicken broth ($0.07)
Half cup thick cream ($0.39)
1/4 cup of crispy onion fried ($0.37)
One tablespoon of freshly chopped Parsley (optional garnish) ($0.05)
INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse and cut the mushrooms. Put the cut mushrooms on a plate.
Place chicken breasts on a cutting table and cover them with plastic wrap. Use a mallet or rolling pin to lightly crush the chicken until it’s uniformly thick, around 3/4-inch thick. Cut each breast of chicken into two pieces, then add the salt and pepper.
Add one tablespoon of butter into a big pan and heat on medium. When the butter has melted and the skillet is hot, add the chicken and fry until the chicken is golden on all sides (about 5 minutes for each side). Transfer the chicken onto an unclean plate and protect it with foil or an upside-down plate to keep it warm.
Add the 2nd tablespoon of butter and the chopped mushrooms to the pot. Sauté for about a minute until the mushrooms let go of their water and the skillet dries out. Incorporate the minced garlic, and cook for about a minute more.
Pour the broth of the chicken into the skillet, and stir to melt any brown pieces accumulated in the pan. Then add the thick cream, and go to mix.
Bring the cooked chicken back to the pan, and pour the mushroom cream sauce over each piece. Let the chicken cook for approximately 5 minutes until the sauce slightly diminishes. Then, top the chicken with crispy fried onions and serve.
