main-dishes

Creamy Mushroom Gruyère Chicken

Pan-seared chicken finished in a rich mushroom cream sauce with ricotta, Gruyère, and Parmesan, then broiled until bubbling and golden. A decadent skillet dinner that needs no spinach.

Servings: 4 servings
Total Time: 45 min
Pan: Large oven-safe skillet

Ingredients

Chicken
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
Mushroom Gruyère Cream Sauce
  • 8 to 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, freshly grated, plus a little extra for finishing
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus a little extra for finishing
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg, optional
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Salt, to taste
To Finish
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Fresh parsley or thyme, optional
Creamy Mushroom Gruyère Chicken

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken Pat the chicken dry. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Brown the chicken Heat the olive oil and butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown for about 4 minutes per side. The chicken does not need to be completely cooked at this point. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Brown the mushrooms Add the sliced mushrooms to the same skillet. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, allowing them to develop deep golden-brown edges. Avoid stirring constantly so the mushrooms brown rather than steam.
  4. Add the garlic and wine Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. If using wine, pour it into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until the wine has reduced by approximately half.
  5. Make the cheese sauce Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the heavy cream and bring it to a very gentle simmer. Stir in the ricotta, Gruyère, and Parmesan until smooth. Season with thyme, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, and additional black pepper. Taste before adding more salt because the cheeses contribute saltiness.
  6. Finish the chicken Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the mushroom sauce over the chicken and simmer gently until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.
  7. Broil until golden Sprinkle a little additional Gruyère and Parmesan over the chicken. Place the skillet under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots.
  8. Brighten and serve Remove from the oven and finish with a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Garnish with parsley or thyme if desired and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Do not boil the cheese sauce aggressively; gentle heat keeps it smooth.
  • If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with a splash of chicken broth, wine, milk, or water.
  • Brown the mushrooms well before adding the cream. Their caramelization provides much of the flavor of the finished sauce.
  • Gruyère, Parmesan, and ricotta give the sauce a balanced flavor and texture.

Tags

chicken mushrooms gruyere parmesan ricotta cream skillet cheese comfort-food weeknight-dinner