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Chicken breasts sautéed with butter, cremini mushrooms and a touch of white wine, then mixed with sour cream for a rich and satisfying sauce. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. Do you need this Chicken Stroganoff recipe? Absolutely!! Creamy, dreamy and all around delicious!
For another creamy chicken breast recipe, check out my Chicken and Chickpea Paprikash.
Loving all things creamy is not surprising when one comes from an Eastern European background. We love things cozy, and you friends would too if you had to face long, cold winters!
But I feel like we are not alone in our passion for rich and velvety dinners since my recipe for Best Beef Stroganoff is the most popular dish on my blog to date!
We share this love, my friends and that makes me very, very happy! So happy that I wanted to show you more ways to enjoy Stroganoff.
Where it comes from
Chicken Stroganoff originated after its more famous, beaf based sibling, which was made with beef fillet in a rich and creamy sauce. The dish was a favourite of the Stroganoff family and was often found at their dinner parties.
As time went on and the dish became more popular, other versions were created including the chicken version that we know today.
And while there is no doubt that beef is delicious, you will need rather high quality steak to achieve best results and that puts Stroganoff in a pricey meal category. Not great since it’s too tasty to enjoy only once in while!
The dish has gone through many changes over time. The recipe evolved into more of a method of cooking meat in gravy than an actual recipe.
Yet the basic elements of the dish have remained largely the same, with tender chicken cooked in a rich and creamy sauce of mushrooms, onions and sour cream.
With that in mind I decided to develop a chicken stroganoff recipe, which would be similar to the original yet distinctly different.
This Chicken Stroganoff recipe is not just a pale cousin of Beef Stroganoff. It is its rival! If you are into creamy dishes like this, you will love our Meatballs Stroganoff or go for a meat free version with Mushroom Stroganoff.
Stroganoff sauce
The main ingredient in stroganoff sauce is sour cream. Sometimes double or heavy cream is used in place of sour cream. I personally prefer using creme fraiche as its the next closest thing to Russian smetana (sour cream).
When coming up with the recipe, I knew that a few more ingredients were needed to set off the delicate taste of chicken breasts. I think a splash of white wine and a tablespoon of tomato paste did that job beautifully.
Whatever cream you use, make sure to flavour it with a touch of dry white wine, tomato paste, whole grain or dijon mustard and a bay leaf.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Take you time browning mushrooms. Be careful not to steam. They need to get a good colour on them, so turn them heat up when sautéing and make them look extra golden. And it’s best to give them a bit of space by using a This is an affiliate link.large skillet.
- Use a combination of This is an affiliate link.olive oil and butter for extra delicious flavour, or use clarified butter to avoid burning.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts are a popular choice for this recipe, and I’ve kept them in my version. But for extra moist meat, try chicken thighs!
- Cook your sauce over low heat to prevent the sour cream from separating.
- If you find the taste of sour cream too strong, use half sour cream and half double cream.
- Make sure that the wine you choose is dry rather than sweet, to get the best results. If you don’t want to use white wine, it is possible to use the same quantity of apple juice with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar.
Serving suggestions
I like to serve this dish over a combination of white and wild rice for extra fibre, but really any rice choice will be a good one. It’s also excellent over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
And although optional, I do like adding a sprinkling of fresh parsley or black pepper when it’s time to serve.
This chicken mushroom recipe has an extra creamy sauce that benefits from being pared with fresh vegetables like in a salad, steamed green beans, or with roasted vegetables like my Roasted Asparagus and Radishes.
Storage and leftovers
Sour cream sauce tends to separate after freezing. If you want to freeze chicken stroganoff and keep the sauce texture smooth, I would recommend using double/heavy cream instead of sour cream.
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days. Store in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container and warm up in a microwave. Or heat on your stovetop on low heat until the pieces of chicken are hot all the way through, but be careful not to boil the sauce!
More creamy chicken recipes
Creamy Chicken Mushroom Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 125g / 1 cup chestnut mushrooms
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 onion, small, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 kg / 1 lb chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 70ml / 1/4 cup white wine, dry
- 85ml / 1/3 cup This is an affiliate link.chicken stock
- 1 tsp This is an affiliate link.whole grain mustard
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 This is an affiliate link.bay leaf
- 250ml / 1 cup sour cream , or smetana
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a large and deep pan and brown sliced or halved if small chestnut mushroom over medium heat until golden, stir once in a while to avoid burning. This will take approximately 5-7 minutes, do not rush that process. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook over lower heat for 5 minutes longer. Remove to a separate plate and set aside.
- To the same pan add bite-sized sliced chicken breasts with a pinch of salt and brown on all sides over high heat for 5-7 minutes. When the chicken is browned pour the white wine all over and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release the brown bits. Then add the chicken stock, mustard, tomato paste and bay leaf.
- Return the onions and mushrooms back to the pan, bring everything to a boil and then lower the heat, add the sour cream and chopped parsley and let it simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened to a desired consistency.
Video
Notes
- You can use 1/2 cup of sour cream or creme fraiche and 1/2 cup of double cream/whipping cream if you find the taste of sour cream too strong.
- Don’t rush when browning the mushrooms and be careful not to steam them. They need to have a good colour to them, so turn the heat up and make them look extra golden.
- For the mushrooms, use a combination of olive oil and butter for better flavour, or clarified butter for a higher smoke point.
- Turn the heat down for the sauce. Use low heat to prevent the sour cream from separating.
- If you feel that the sour cream has too strong of a taste, use half sour cream and half double cream.
- Be sure to use a dry – rather than sweet – white wine, to get the best results. If you don’t want to use alcohol, you can replace it with the same quantity of apple juice plus a tablespoon of white wine vinegar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am so glad to have a recipe Joyce j
Great flavour
This Creamy Chicken Stroganoff with mushrooms is so delicious and flavorful! I added Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Tamari Soy Sauce for a more flavorful twist of taste. The family loved it, too! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
We have another winner….. the Bulgarians loved the chicken Stroganoff, using toplenoe is a must if you want to get those mushrooms a lovely rich golden brown…thanks Julia.
I am so pleased it was enjoyed by all!
I love beef stroganoff, and this chicken stroganoff sounds delicious! BUT… Iโm doing Keto, and I donโt like a lot of the keto friendly noodle options. Usually when I have other pasta dishes I substitute a vegetable for the noodles. So, spaghetti squash chicken spaghetti, zoodles with marinara meat sauce, chicken Alfredo over broccoli. Does anyone have a suggestion for a vegetable that I could mix with this?
I normally like to serve Chicken Stroganoff over mashed potatoes, so why not substitute them with a cauliflower mash for a keto friendly version.
There is a heart of palm spaghetti that I use for my husband. Just make sure you rinse it very well.
Spiralised zucchini would work well. Very subtle taste, not overwhelming.
I always make beef stroganoff but one night we only have chicken so have tried this and husband said it was delicious.
Yes!! Love hearing that, Anne!!
It was really good and my 12 y/o loved it. I think I would maybe try smoked paprika and add some chili flakes. It was terrific. On the rotation. I only had 3/4 cup of sour cream and it was fine.
I love the smoked paprika addition, Minette!!
Used leftover rotisserie chicken, and added smoked paprika and crushed red pepper as suggested by another commenter. Loved this recipe!
This was absolutely delicious and hubby said it was quite possibly the best thing I have ever made! Have shared with many friends and this is flagged as a family favourite!
Excellent!! I love hearing this so much, Vanessa. Thank you for sharing this with me!
Just finished to cook it, OMG it’s so delicious !!! ๐
Amazing! Thank you for sharing this with me, Marta!
Made this with leftover Christmas turkey.. it was a winner
What a great use of leftover turkey, Amber! Glad you enjoyed it!
This is a stunning dish. Simple and packed with flavour. Thanks for sharing. One thing though, it always ends up a lot redder than your photos, like a deep salmon pink rather than brown. I always add a dash of soy which adds colour and depth of saltiness instead of seasoning with salt and that brins it round. Thanks again.
Hi Chris, I am so glad you love this recipe. I honestly wouldn’t worry about the colour. I think it depends on the concentration of the tomato paste and perhaps how much the sauce is reduced. I like the idea of adding a touch of soy sauce. I am sure it adds another dimension of flavour.
Can i use white wine vinagre instead if white wine dry and chicken broth instead of stock?? I really don’t want to ruin the recipe.
Hi Maria, you can do a mixture of 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar and apple juice to replace the wine. Chicken broth is absolutely fine.
Julia, this recipe was amazing!
It took me 20 min to prepare and the whole family loved it! Even Matteo ( 2years old) asked for seconds!
My kids asked for this recipe to be added to our routine meals ๐ and Iโll make sure to keep it in mind as a recipe to make when I have guest and I donโt feel like cooking for a long time!!
Thank you for sharing this… next Iโm trying the rye bread ๐
I am so happy to hear it, Angela!! Thank you for sharing this with me!
Having tried a chicken stroganoff before and not thinking that much of it, I was very surprised with how delicious this is. This will definitely remain one of my โgo toโ recipes for ease and speed as well as taste
So happy to hear it, Jayne!
What can we use instead of wine as a substitute?
Hi Marium, there is really no substitute for wine. You can deglaze with chicken stock but it won’t have the same flavour.
Wine does not need to be a concern I do not think since the alcohol cooks off at a very low temp?
If you don’t want alcohol then i would use fairly tart apple juice not too sweet. An alcohol containing substitute would be dry sherry or Chinese rice wine. Failing that I suppose alcohol-free lager would work from a taste point of view. Most of the alcohol boils off but recently I was told it doesn’t completely disappear so if you have a specific need not to imbibe alcohol then there are good substitutes that don’t spoil this excellent recipe.
Thanks for your tips, Jeremy!
Great recipe. Easy to do. Everyone loved it. I followed the recipe exactly as posted. Thanks for sharing!
That’s so great to hear, Liz! Glad you loved this chicken stroganoff recipe.
I made the recipe tonight for my family. It turn out really, really good. I added green peppers and added an extra tablespoon of the tomato paste. I did use Marsala wine and poured a little extra. Itโs now on our family favorite list. Thanks for the recipe.
I am sure Marsala added a nice sweet touch to this chicken stroganoff. I must try it myself, sounds delicious, Matilde!
Thank you SO much for this fabulous recipe. I’ve just made it and it’s unbelievably good. I used creme fraiche and one third cream, big juicy brown mushrooms and I added some green pepper. Glorious! Such a beautifully explained recipe too.
Wendy, this just made my day. No joke! I am thrilled you loved it.
This was fabulous. My kids said it was a “definite make again”. I used red wine instead of white because it’s all I had. It didn’t change the color because the tomato paste made it red anyway. Thank you for this recipe.
I love it when my recipes get approved by kids!! Thank you for sharing that, Linda. ๐
Ive also just changed over from years of expensive beef to chicken. My family love it. While the breast is probably healthier the thigh is so tender. I’m head chef at home , and my son also loves to cook. Even when I was a boy I loved cooking and trying different recipes and then changing them around. I like your recipes a lot and hope dont mind if I share some of my variations. I love Paprika in this dish, a can of creamy mushroom soup and can of whole tomatoes. Then lots of boiled potatoes that you can smother in leftover sour cream. Thanks
I bet low fat ground beef will work just as well for cost concerns.
This chicken stroganoff takes me back to my childhood. My mother made a creamy chicken in gravy very similar to this. We often served it over pasta or mashed potatoes. It’s truly the ultimate comfort food! Your recipe looks divine, Julia!
Wow, that clear plate says it all. We love eating chicken stroganoff with rice or noodles. I like that you have mushrooms in it, my hubby will be happy!
My mom always made creamy kyritsa v smetane and this chicken stroganoff reminds me of that. I love that you kept the mushrooms semi chunky and all your tips, including adding cream to the sauce. Wow…never thought of doing that.
I prefer smetana to cream but some people find it too tangy.:-)
So good! Your empty bowl describes the dish well. You just cannot stop yourself. I loved the unexpected pop of wow the mustard gives! YES!!!.
Thank you so much! No one complains when creamy chicken stroganoff is on the menu!! And yes, the plates are always clean at the end of dinner! ๐
If you donโt like mustard a dash of Worcestershire sauce works well.
A dash of smoked paprika takes it to another level, in my opinion.
Looking for a chicken & mushroom stroganoff recipe I found this. Made it and was very impressed. The flavours were lovely. I followed the recipe fully but used Djon mustard as I didnโt have whole grain and I used Creme fraiche which worked well. My kids ate it all too. Will definitely make this again. Thank you!
Thank you for your feedback, Gwen. I am thrilled everyone enjoyed this recipe. I often use Dijon mustard myself. ๐
Tried this, my sauce always splits and hey ho, it was the best I’ve ever made, I used semi skimmed Milk for sauce, perfect.!!! Also did a layer of sweet potato part boiled under regular potato slices. Thankyou.
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Julie! Using full fat milk products make a difference. I think the sauce needs fat to stabilise it. ๐
Is this suitable for freezing? If not do you have a suggestion to substitute whatever cannot freeze ๐
Hi Nikki, it should freeze well, however soured cream sometimes splits when frozen and reheated, so I would recommend reheating it over low heat to avoid that.
Hi Julia,
I have tried your recipe yesterday with everything you have suggested, only the Smetana wasn’t available, I used double thick cream. The result was impeccable! I think this was the best chicken slow-cook dish I have ever made it! I am originally Turkish and my other half is Greek, it did work out so well with our appetite! Thank you very much for your lovely blog and tasteful dishes!
ะฟัะธััะฝะพะณะพ ะฐะฟะฟะตัะธัะฐ!
:))
Thanks so much, Esra!
Cud this been done in a slow cooker an a dash o red wine instead of white and whole grain mustard .jus trying to use the stuff i already have .
Cheeers
Your substitutions are fine, Christine. I’ve never made this in a slow cooker as it’s a quick meal and chicken breasts don’t really benefit from slow cooking, so I can’t be sure. I am afraid sour cream might split in a slow cooker.
I made this dish with Swedish meatballs and added a tablespoon of smoked paprika. The results were fantastic!
Oh that sounds so tasty, Brian!
This sounds delicious and I’d love to try it. I was wondering if the mustard is prepared or dry?
It’s prepared mustard, Leva. I usually use dijon.
Hi Julia, I followed your recipe to the word and when my 8 year old ate the stroganoff, he said โmamma this is the best chicken you have ever cookedโ so I am a very happy mom today. Thank you so much for it, I wasnโt sure I should add mustard but then I finally added it. The only variation I did was to use fresh cream!and rose wine instead of white wine.
I will be trying more of your recipes:-)
This is the sweetest review, Puja! Thank you for sharing!
Sour cream vs smetana. No contest โ smetana wins. I have made stroganoff in the States many times using sour cream. Now living in Russia where smetana is in every store and refrigerator. Made this recipe this evening โ the first taste made it once again obvious how much better is smetana than sour cream. And of course, chicken breasts w/o hormones, antibiotics, or pumped are readily available at reasonable prices.
I absolutely agree, Mike. It’s so difficult to describe what smetana is like, so sour cream is the closest substitute but I would never eat crepes or blini with sour cream while smetana and jam are amazing companions. My personal favourite is creme fraiche if smetana is not available.
Can I use rose wine instead of white wine
Absolutely, Carole. Rose wine and even vermouth will work beautifully here.
Hi. Should the 1/4 cup white wine be 1/2 cup because it says 125ml
1/4 cup is the right amount. I’ve corrected the mesurement in ml. Thanks for noticing the descrepancy, Ian.
How necessary is the mustard? Can I omit it without compromising the flavor too much?
Hi Natalia, the mustard balances out the creaminess of the sauce. Without it, the sauce might be a bit “one note” as the mustard and tomato paste add complexity to the flavour. I feel like it is necessary but it’s obviously your call, and if you don’t like mustard, you can omit it.
Absolutely delicious!! I subbed canned coconut milk for the sour cream to make it dairy-free (and Paleo/Whole 30) and it was great! I added a bit more chicken stock as I like more sauce. I also chopped up the mushrooms fairly fine as I like the flavor of them but not so much the texture. Amazing recipe, thank you for sharing, Julia!
SO happy to know it works as a dairy-free version as well! Thank you for letting me know, Julia! I am so pleased you enjoyed it.