This creamy artichoke chicken with mushrooms offers a fantastic solution for busy weeknights when you still crave something wholesome and satisfying. It’s a dish that brings together tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and the unique tang of artichoke hearts in a rich, velvety sauce.
Perfect for family dinners, this recipe is designed to be straightforward and delicious, ensuring you can get a healthy meal on the table without a fuss. It’s a true crowd-pleaser that delivers on flavor and comfort.
Table of Contents
- What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
- Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
- Time Needed From Start To Finish
- How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
- Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
- Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
- How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
Creamy Artichoke Chicken with Mushrooms
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This creamy artichoke chicken with mushrooms offers a fantastic solution for busy weeknights when you still crave something wholesome and satisfying. It’s a dish that brings together tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and the unique tang of artichoke hearts in a rich, velvety sauce. Perfect for family dinners, this recipe is designed to be straightforward and delicious, ensuring you can get a healthy meal on the table without a fuss. It’s a true crowd-pleaser that delivers on flavor and comfort.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season them generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until lightly browned. The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through at this stage, just nicely seared on the outside. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens and becomes translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their moisture and start to brown. Stir in the quartered artichoke hearts.
4. If you’re using flour to thicken the sauce, sprinkle it over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
5. Stir in the heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Return the browned chicken pieces to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C).
6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it’s fully melted and incorporated into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: main dish
- Method: skillet
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
Keywords: chicken, artichoke, mushrooms, creamy, weeknight, easy, dinner, skillet, comfort food, savory
What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
This recipe is a lifesaver for anyone juggling a busy schedule but still wanting to provide a nutritious and flavorful home-cooked meal. It works because it uses readily available ingredients and a streamlined cooking process, making it incredibly approachable for home cooks of all skill levels. You don’t need any fancy equipment or advanced techniques, just a good skillet and a desire for a delicious dinner. This dish is perfect for a weeknight family meal, a casual get-together with friends, or even as a comforting dish to prepare for meal prep at the start of the week. Its balanced flavors and creamy texture make it a hit with both adults and children, ensuring fewer complaints at the dinner table.
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Gathering your ingredients before you start cooking is a great way to ensure a smooth and stress-free experience in the kitchen. This recipe calls for simple items you likely already have or can easily find at any grocery store.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
For the chicken, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer darker meat; they will also cook beautifully in this sauce. When it comes to mushrooms, cremini (baby bella) offer a great earthy flavor, but white button mushrooms work just as well if that’s what you have on hand. Canned artichoke hearts are a convenient choice, but if you find jarred marinated artichoke hearts, be sure to drain them well and adjust your seasoning as they might be saltier. If you don’t have heavy cream, half-and-half can be used for a slightly lighter sauce, though it won’t be quite as rich. For a gluten-free option, you can omit the flour or use a gluten-free thickener like cornstarch mixed with a little cold water before adding it to the sauce.
Time Needed From Start To Finish
Getting this delicious creamy artichoke chicken with mushrooms on your dinner table is surprisingly quick, making it ideal for those busy evenings.
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
This timeline assumes you have your ingredients ready to go. The prep time includes slicing the chicken, chopping the onion, mincing the garlic, and slicing the mushrooms. The cooking time covers browning the chicken, sautéing the vegetables, and simmering the sauce to perfection.
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Follow these straightforward steps to create a wonderfully creamy and flavorful chicken dish.
- Prepare the Chicken and Sauté: Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season them generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until lightly browned. The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through at this stage, just nicely seared on the outside. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens and becomes translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add Mushrooms and Artichokes: Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their moisture and start to brown. Stir in the quartered artichoke hearts.
- Build the Creamy Sauce: If you’re using flour to thicken the sauce, sprinkle it over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Finish the Sauce and Combine: Stir in the heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Return the browned chicken pieces to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Stir in Parmesan and Serve: Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it’s fully melted and incorporated into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
This creamy artichoke chicken with mushrooms is incredibly versatile and can be adapted to suit various tastes and occasions. For a kid-friendly twist, you can cut the chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces and serve it over a bed of pasta like rotini or penne, which are easy for little hands to manage. You might also consider adding a touch less Italian seasoning if your children are sensitive to strong flavors.
To vary the dish, consider adding a handful of fresh spinach or sun-dried tomatoes during the last few minutes of simmering for extra color and nutrients. If you enjoy a touch of heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes can be stirred into the sauce. For a heartier meal, you can serve this chicken and mushroom dish over fluffy white rice, quinoa, or even mashed potatoes. It also pairs wonderfully with crusty bread for soaking up all that delicious creamy sauce. For a lighter option, serve it alongside a simple green salad or steamed vegetables like asparagus or green beans. This dish is also fantastic for a buffet-style meal; simply transfer it to a slow cooker on a “warm” setting after cooking to keep it at the perfect temperature.
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
Even simple recipes can have small pitfalls. Being aware of these common mistakes will help ensure your creamy artichoke chicken turns out perfectly every time.
One frequent mistake is overcrowding the skillet when browning the chicken or sautéing the mushrooms. This lowers the pan’s temperature, causing the chicken to steam instead of brown, and the mushrooms to become soggy rather than developing a nice sear. To avoid this, cook the chicken in batches if necessary, ensuring there’s enough space between pieces. Do the same for the mushrooms.
Another common issue is overcooking the chicken. Chicken breasts can dry out quickly. Once you return the chicken to the sauce, simmer it gently just until it’s cooked through. Using a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is the most reliable way to ensure it’s done without becoming tough.
Burning the garlic is another easy mistake. Garlic cooks very quickly. Add it after the onions have softened and cook it for only about 30-60 seconds, or until fragrant, then immediately add the broth or other liquids to stop the cooking process.
Finally, not seasoning adequately throughout the process can lead to a bland dish. Remember to season the chicken before browning, and taste the sauce before serving to adjust salt and pepper as needed. The artichoke hearts and chicken broth can contribute some salt, so always taste before adding too much.
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
This creamy artichoke chicken with mushrooms makes for excellent leftovers, and with a few tips, you can maintain its delicious texture.
To store leftovers, allow the dish to cool completely to room temperature (within two hours of cooking). Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
When reheating, the creamy sauce can sometimes separate or become a bit thick. To revive it, reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or milk to thin it out to your desired consistency. Avoid reheating in the microwave on high power, as this can sometimes cause the sauce to break. If using the microwave, reheat in short bursts, stirring in between.
For making ahead, you can prepare the chicken and sauté the vegetables (onions, garlic, mushrooms, artichokes) up to a day in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, combine them in the skillet, add the broth and cream, and simmer until heated through and the sauce thickens. This can save you a good amount of
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
- How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
- Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
- Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.
