We were in for a treat when my siblings visited this week. My sister and I found a recipe for Three Herb Chicken with Mushrooms in a little booklet called “Our Best Recipes” by Better Homes and Gardens. It was just kinda stuck into Pat’s (my Stepmom’s) recipe folder and who knows for how long.
Three Herb Chicken with Mushrooms
We thought it looked quick and easy and thought it looked fabulous. See, we come from a family of cooks who know good food, and that means that no one would ever say so, but on some level, we’re gonna be judged! That doesn’t mean we want to spend all afternoon in the kitchen instead of with our family!
About Three Herb Chicken & Mushrooms:
A bit of riffing was done on the recipe and we came up with a fantastic, quick cooking variation. Simple to make on the stovetop, done in about 20 minutes, and just fancy enough to be called “elegant.” I can see this becoming a staple at our house and no one has to know how easy it is!
I love recipes like this that make you look all “gourmet” and don’t take much more than a little effort and a bottle of wine. 🙂 Well, the fresh parsley helps, too, although not strictly necessary!
Three Herb Chicken with Mushrooms
Making Three Herb Chicken & Mushrooms:
I highly recommend using a nonstick skillet (something I rarely do) when cooking dishes like this with chicken breast. Cook it on high until just done, then remove it while you finish up the rest of the dish – then add the chicken back in at the end. I promise you’ll have tender, juicy chicken!
There’s a little trick with the mushrooms, too. Start sauteing them, then lid them. Add a touch of water if you need to. Make sure not to burn them. When that lid comes off, give them a stir and let any excess moisture evaporate. They’ll be lovely!
This dish is really best a little over-seasoned. Don’t be shy with the herbs and the salt! That’s gonna make the difference between dull and spectacular.
What to Serve with Three Herb Chicken & Mushrooms:
We served this with baked sweet potatoes, a wild rice mix, and a family-favorite: Bell Pepper & Tomato Salad. Wild rice pilaf has just a bit of retro flair that pairs beautifully with the dish and bought us all back mentally to the 1970s when we were kids!
Three Herb Chicken & Mushrooms will be fab over mashed potatoes or pasta, too, and you can’t go wrong with a simple green salad and maybe a green veggie like asparagus. Yeah – asparagus would be perfect!
Three Herb Chicken & Mushrooms
Storing and Reheating the Chicken:
Store in the fridge tightly covered for three to four days; it’s safer longer from a food standpoint but the mushrooms aren’t stellar if stored too long.
Reheat gently in the microwave. Put in a shallow bowl, lightly covered, and stir about every minute. A little care keeps the sauce from breaking and the chicken from becoming tough.
This dish does not freeze well; the texture of the mushrooms becomes unappealing and the sauce will likely break down into a watery substance.
Saving Money on Three Herb Chicken & Mushrooms:
This recipe was, indeed, fabulously frugal! A small amount of chicken can stretch to feed a lot of people even our crowd with our appetites when it’s cut into chunks. And we loved that it had a lighter, springy feel which is very welcome this time of year. Ya gotta love that this recipe only uses a little wine which gives you most of the bottle to serve.
- Chicken regularly goes on sale, so make it a habit to know the lowest price and what’s a good buy in your area. Break it down into packages to suit your family and freeze.
- The ideal time to buy mushrooms is before almost any holiday. They’ll drop to a low. When you get your package of mushrooms home, poke several holes in the bottom. Turn the package over and store upside down. This keeps the mushrooms from sitting in their own condensation and they’ll last three or four days longer than usual.
- These days you can get pretty decent wines for cheap but it still pays to pay attention to sale prices. Sign up for emails from your favorite liquor stores. There’s always going to be sporadic sales but generally, on wine, there is one huge sale in the early spring, say late February through March. My favorite wine to use in this dish is Sauvignon Blanc. I love the flavor in the dish and as wines go, it’s easy to find good, but inexpensive bottles.
If you have an Aldi or Lydle nearby, it really does pay to shop there. Their regular prices are usually around the same as grocery store sales prices. At your grocery store the majority of the best sales are usually clustered around holidays. Check out my post, Win at the Grocers. There are links to every major food holiday with lists of what to stock up on and what to leave behind.
Three Herb Chicken with Mushrooms
Three Herb Chicken & Mushrooms
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips about 2 inches by 1 inch
- 1/a teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon fresh (divided)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh (divided)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced or quartered
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup dry wine (or additional chicken broth)
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, 1/2 the rosemary, and 1/2 the thyme. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch skillet. Add chicken to the hot oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned on one side. Turn over and continue to cook until just done. Remove from skillet to a plate and cover.
Add mushrooms to skillet and cook stirring occasionally for about a minute. Cover and cook for an additional minute or two, until golden brown. Add a teaspoon or so of water if skillet looks to dry. Remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute or so, stirring once or twice.
Add flour to skillet, stirring to coat the flour. Stir in chicken broth, wine, and mustard. Cook and stir until it comes to a good simmer.
Add the chicken back in with any juices on the plate, add remaining herbs if using dried herbs, and continue to cook until sauce is slightly thickened. Remove skillet from heat. If using fresh herbs, add the remaining rosemary and thyme at this point.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Note: If the sauce has not thickened to your liking when the chicken is done, remove chicken to the serving platter and continue to simmer the sauce, reducing to desired consistency. The sauce should be on the light side, with just a little body – a true sauce, not a gravy. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Keywords: Bargain Meal of the Week, Better Homes & Gardens, Chicken, mushrooms, Wine
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You know I’ll be bringing this to our Throwback Thursday #29 Link Party, hosted by Quinn of Dad What’s for Dinner, Meaghan of 4 Sons are Us, Alli of Tornadough, Carlee from Cooking with Carlee, and Moi! That’s right – me!
Click over to our Throwback Thursday post for links to their blogs and social media, rules and more info or just click on the blue leapfrog, below, to view all the Throwback Thursday Posts!
I will also be bringing this over to Angie’s Link Party, Fiesta Friday # 110, Hosted this week by Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook and Apsara @ Eating Well Diary, as well as to Freedom Fridays, Weekend Potluck, & What’s Cooking Wednesdays.
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