Creamy and comforting, this chicken smothered in a whiskey-spiked mushroom cream sauce is sure to delight!
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This rich and comforting chicken dish is easy to make on a weeknight and elegant enough to serve to company on the weekend! The chicken breasts are simmered in the sauce to keep them tender and moist. Whiskey adds a unique flavour to this cream sauce and pairs perfectly with earthy mushrooms. A splash of fresh lemon at the end brightens the rich cream sauce and creates a delightfully balanced dish. This chicken with whiskey mushroom cream sauce is sure to become a favourite!
Ingredient Notes
Chicken breasts: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe; however, you could easily use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well.
Mushrooms: I recommend using cremini or brown mushrooms if you can. Sometimes called baby portobellos, cremini mushrooms are simply a younger version of portobello mushrooms. They have more flavour and a firmer texture than white button mushrooms making them ideal to use in a sauce. Of course, feel free to substitute with your favourite mushroom instead.
Shallots: I love the mild flavour of shallots, but you can certainly substitute regular yellow onions.
Whiskey: With this cream sauce I deglaze the pan with an Irish Whiskey rather than a more traditional white wine. The whiskey adds a unique, slightly sweet flavour to the sauce. There is no need to break out your best or most expensive whiskey here. My preferred Irish whiskey is Jameson.
Chicken broth: Homemade chicken broth is ideal, but if you don’t have any on hand then it’s perfectly ok to use a good quality store bought broth. I usually look for a good quality organic broth with reduced salt.
Cream: Heavy cream, along with the chicken broth, provides the base for this sauce.
Flour: The flour in this recipe is optional. I often rely solely on reduction to thicken my cream sauces, however, this does have its disadvantages. It can, obviously, reduce the amount of sauce you end up with and there is the risk of the cream splitting while reheating. Adding a small amount of starch will help to thicken and stabilize the sauce. To make this gluten free, substitute with the same amount of cornstarch. Or leave out the thickener entirely and simply reduce the sauce to your desired consistency!
Lemon: A splash of fresh lemon at the end of cooking brightens up this rich, creamy sauce!
How to Make Chicken with Whiskey Mushroom Cream Sauce
Prep the Vegetables
Begin by preparing your ingredients. Finely dice the shallot and mince the fresh garlic. Slice the mushrooms and set aside. Gather your sauce ingredients so they are ready to go when you begin making the sauce.
Sear the Chicken
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with kosher salt and pepper. Heat a wide skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot add a liberal amount of olive oil. Add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet and sear undisturbed until well browned. The chicken may stick to the pan initially, but it will release once it’s browned.
Flip the chicken and briefly sear on the other side. When the chicken is browned on both sides, remove to a plate, and set aside. The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce.
Make the sauce
To make the sauce, turn the heat down to medium and then add a tablespoon each of olive oil and butter. Add the shallots and sauté until the shallots are softened and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. When softened, add the sliced cremini mushrooms. Season with some kosher salt and sauté until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
When the mushrooms are fully cooked and beginning to brown on the edges, add the minced garlic. Cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant. Turn the heat back up to medium high and deglaze the pan with the whiskey. Be careful when adding the whiskey to the hot pan as it can spatter.
Allow the whiskey to simmer until reduced by about half, for a minute or two. Add the chicken broth and the heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a simmer and add the chicken breasts back to the pan along with any juices on the plate.
Finish the Chicken
Turn the heat down to medium low. Cover the skillet if possible and cook the chicken breasts until they reach an internal temp of 165°F / 74°C, about 5 to 8 minutes. When fully cooked remove the chicken to a clean serving platter and tent with foil.
Check the seasoning of the sauce, adding more kosher salt and pepper if needed. In a small bowl or cup, stir together the flour and water until a smooth paste. Add the flour mixture to the sauce and quickly stir to combine. Simmer the sauce until it thickens to the desired consistency. If you prefer the sauce thicker, you can add a bit more flour mixed with water.
Finish the sauce with the fresh lemon and chopped fresh parsley. Serve the chicken breasts with the whiskey mushroom cream sauce and enjoy!
Serving & Pairing Suggestions
When it comes to pairing wine with this dish, the good news is that there are great options for both white wine and red wine lovers!
- Chardonnay
- Viognier
- Pinot Noir
A full-bodied Chardonnay is a great choice for any dish with a cream sauce. If you’re looking for a lighter white wine, Viognier will also pair well with this dish. To pair this dish with a red wine, choose a light-bodied red burgundy such as Pinot Noir.
More Chicken recipes
If you’re looking for more delicious ways to enjoy chicken, then try out these recipes:
- Basil Lime Grilled Chicken with Peach Salsa
- Crispy Chicken Milanese
- Chicken Thighs with Creamy Lemon Swiss Chard
Chicken with Whiskey Mushroom Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 shallot *see note
- 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup Irish whiskey
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ lemon
- 2 tsp flour
- kosher salt as needed
- pepper as needed
- chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the ingredients. Finely dice the shallot and slice the cremini mushrooms. Mince the garlic and set aside. Gather the sauce ingredients so they are ready to adde when needed. Season the chicken breasts with kosher salt and pepper.
- Place a wide skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chicken breasts and let sear undisturbed until well browned. When the chicken is golden and releases from the pan, flip them over and brown on the other side. When both sides are brown, remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil along with the butter. Add the diced shallots and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms and sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
- When the mushrooms are fully cooked and beginning to brown on the edges, add the minced garlic. Cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant. Turn the heat back up to medium high and deglaze the pan with the whiskey. Be careful when adding the whiskey to the hot pan as it can spatter.
- Allow the whiskey to simmer until reduced by about half, for a minute or two. Add the chicken broth and the heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a simmer and add the chicken breasts back to the pan along with any juices on the plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium low. Cover the skillet if possible and cook the chicken breasts until they reach an internal temp of 165°F / 74°C, about 5 to 8 minutes. When fully cooked remove the chicken to a clean serving platter and tent with foil.
- Check the seasoning of the sauce, adding more kosher salt and pepper if needed. In a small bowl or cup, stir together the flour and 4 teaspoons water until a smooth paste. Add the flour mixture to the sauce and quickly stir to combine. Simmer the sauce until it thickens to the desired consistency. If you prefer the sauce thicker, you can add a bit more flour mixed with water.
- Finish the sauce with the fresh lemon and chopped fresh parsley. Serve the chicken breasts with the whiskey mushroom cream sauce and enjoy!