Martha Stewart Chicken Mushrooms Recipe

This is one of those recipes that does not try to be complicated and that is exactly why it works. Martha Stewart’s Chicken with Mushrooms is a one-skillet chicken and mushroom recipe made with flour-dredged chicken cutlets, a full pound of button mushrooms, butter, thyme, white wine, and chicken broth, all done in 25 minutes.

I make Martha Stewart’s chicken mushrooms recipe on weeknights when I want something that feels like a real dinner but I do not have the energy for anything complicated. The mushrooms cook in butter and thyme while the chicken rests, and the wine and broth reduce into a pan sauce in about 3 minutes. I come back to this one all fall and winter because it is warm, fast, and nearly impossible to mess up.

Try More Chicken Recipes:

• Chicken Marsala
• Chicken Piccata
• Roast Chicken

Why You Will Love This Chicken With Mushrooms:

• One skillet, no transfers: The chicken sears, the mushrooms go in the same pan, the sauce builds on top of everything. The only other dish is the plate you rest the chicken on. I kept looking for the catch the first time I made it and there was not one.
• Butter and thyme do all the work: Two tablespoons of butter and a handful of thyme turn a pound of plain button mushrooms into something that tastes like a French bistro side dish. I did not realize how much thyme could change mushrooms until I made this.
• The pan sauce comes together in 3 minutes: Wine, broth, scrape the bottom of the pan, reduce by half. That is the whole sauce. I have made more complicated vinaigrettes. The chicken juices from the plate go back in at the end and round everything out.

Chicken With Mushrooms Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 pound button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

How To Make Martha Stewart Chicken With Mushrooms

1. Dredge the chicken: Place the flour in a shallow dish. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then coat in flour, shaking off the excess.
2. Sear the chicken: In a large skillet, heat the oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. In batches, cook the chicken until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
3. Cook the mushrooms: Reduce heat to medium. Add the thyme, mushrooms, and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Cook until the mushrooms are softened, about 6 minutes.
4. Make the pan sauce: Add the wine and broth and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve: Return the chicken to the pan along with any accumulated juices from the plate. Top with parsley and serve.

Recipe Tips

• Cook the mushrooms in butter, not oil: Martha uses the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter for the mushrooms and it makes a noticeable difference. The butter browns slightly and gives them a nutty depth that oil cannot replicate. I tried oil once and the mushrooms tasted flat.
• Do not crowd the mushrooms: A pound of quartered mushrooms is a lot for one skillet. I spread them in a single layer so they sear instead of steam. If they release a lot of water and start pooling, just let it cook off before stirring.
• Let the sauce reduce fully: Three minutes at a steady simmer until reduced by half. If you pull it too early, the sauce is thin and watery. I watch it closely and it is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
• Return the plate juices: Martha says to return the chicken and any accumulated juices. Those juices are concentrated chicken flavor and they stretch the sauce just enough to coat everything.

What I Have Learned Making This

I have made this recipe dozens of times and the biggest upgrade was switching from button mushrooms to cremini. Same size, same prep, but creminis have a deeper, earthier flavor that works even better with the thyme and wine. Martha says button and they work fine, but cremini is what I reach for now.

• A splash of heavy cream stirred in right after the sauce reduces. Not in the recipe, but it turns the pan sauce into something creamy without making it heavy. Maybe a tablespoon.
• Served over egg noodles instead of on its own. The sauce coats the noodles and it becomes a full one-bowl dinner.

The one thing I never skip is the fresh thyme. I tried dried once and the mushrooms tasted like they were missing something. Fresh thyme is the difference between this recipe and every other chicken-and-mushroom dish I have tried.

What Goes Well With This Chicken And Mushrooms

The pan sauce needs something starchy underneath. I go with mashed potatoes most nights because they catch every drop. Rice works too but the sauce pools on the plate instead of soaking in the same way.

For a vegetable, I keep it simple. Green beans with a little garlic on the side. The mushrooms are already earthy and rich so I do not add anything heavy.

How To Store Leftovers

Store the chicken and mushrooms together with the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The mushrooms absorb some of the sauce overnight, which I actually prefer because the flavor concentrates. I would not freeze this because the mushrooms turn rubbery after thawing.

Reheat in a skillet over medium-low with a splash of broth or wine to loosen the sauce back up. Takes about 4 minutes. I eat leftovers cold over greens sometimes and the thyme and mushroom sauce works surprisingly well as a dressing.

FAQs

• Can I use a different type of mushroom? Yes. Martha uses button mushrooms but cremini, baby bella, or even a mix of wild mushrooms work. I prefer cremini because they have more depth. Just keep the total at 1 pound and adjust nothing else.
• Can I skip the wine? You can substitute extra chicken broth, but you will lose the acidity that the wine brings. I would add a squeeze of lemon juice if you go that route. Martha uses wine here because it deglazes the pan and pulls up all the browned bits.
• Can I use chicken thighs instead of cutlets? You can, but they take longer to cook through and you lose the thin, quick-searing quality of cutlets. This recipe is built around speed. If you use thighs, pound them thinner or expect closer to 5 to 6 minutes per side.
• Why do the mushrooms release so much water? Mushrooms are mostly water and they release it when they hit heat. That is normal. Let the water cook off before stirring too much. Once it evaporates, the mushrooms start to brown and that is where all the flavor develops. Patience is the trick here.

More Chicken Recipes:

• Chicken Divan
• Chicken Tetrazzini
• Chicken Scarpariello

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 4)

• Calories: 375
• Total Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Cholesterol: 110mg
• Sodium: 500mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 10g
• Protein: 38g