Recipes > Chicken Breasts w/ Mushroom Cream Sauce
Inspired by Julia Child, tender chicken breasts finished with a creamy mushroom sauce. This classic French dish is also known as Supremes de Volaille aux Champignons.
Dawn Thomas
- Serves: 4
- Active Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Views: 190,630
- Success Rating: 85% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Preparing Your Mise en Place
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 lb mushrooms (cremini or button)
- 1/2 cup white chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 to 3 tbsp port (optional)
- 2 shallots (approx. 1/4 cup)
Method
To prepare your mise en place, clean the mushrooms and trim off the stems. Thinly slice (approximately 1/8" -inch wide). Finely mince the shallots. Set aside.
Measure out the stock, cream, white wine and port (see notes).
Step 2: Pan Frying the Chicken Breasts
- kosher salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Method
Preheat a large, stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat.
Pat the chicken breasts dry. Season the both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Once the pan has reached the proper temperature, add the oil and butter.
Lay the chicken, presentation-side down in the pan and cook until golden brown. Flip over and continue to cook until just done, being careful not to burn any sucs.
Alternatively, you could sear the chicken breasts and then finish them in a 350°F oven.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and place onto a plate. Tent loosely with foil and let rest while you make the sauce.
Step 3: Starting the Pan Sauce
Method
Pour off any excess fat from the pan (if there is any), leaving about 1 to 2 teaspoons behind. Add the shallots and cook until translucent. You may need to turn the heat down a bit.
Step 4: Sauteeing the Mushrooms
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Method
Once the shallots are translucent, add the butter and mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook the mushrooms until they soften and release their juices. You may need to turn the heat up slightly.
Step 5: Deglazing the Pan
Method
Once all of the moisture has evaporated from the mushrooms and they have started to brown, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the chicken stock and let reduce by about two-thirds.
Step 6: Finishing the Mushroom Cream Sauce
- kosher salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Method
Once the white wine and stock have reduced by about two-thirds, add any drippings from the chicken and the cream. Let the sauce simmer and reduce until it is no longer runny and it has a nice, sauce-like consistency. Finish with a splash of port, if desired. Check the sauce for seasoning and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Step 7: Serving the Chicken & Mushroom Cream Sauce
Method
To serve the dish, spoon the mushroom sauce over the chicken breasts. This goes with particularly well with pasta noodles and Sauteed French Green Beans or Grilled Asparagus.
Chef's Notes
- by Dawn Thomas
- •
- August 27, 2009
Port is classic in this dish; however, it can give the final sauce a pinkish hue; therefore, we deglazed with white wine and finished the sauce with just a touch of port for flavor.
48 Comments
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When do you add the stock? -
i added a splash of chicken broth while sauteeing the mushrooms but when are you supposed to add one half cup?
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Add the stock just after the white wine...after you have scrapped up any sucs from the bottom of the pan. Sorry about that...I was just seeing if you were paying attention. I have fixed the recipe to reflect this. Cheers dawn -
Made this tonight for dinner...it is great. I guessed, and added the stock after the wine cooked down, seemed to work. This will go on the "great for company" list. One side advantage, had to open a new bottle of port...made for a wonderful dessert with some yummy cheese. -
Would this cream sauce be also good on pasta or do I have to make a couple of adjustments? -
This would go nicely with pasta as well, you may just have to make a bit more, as the pasta will soak up the sauce. You also won't be able to deglaze the pan of course, but this would be nice with pasta.
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Can i subsitute the wine for anything else? or does it have to be wine?
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You can substitute with other liquids. To learn about all of this I suggest watching the "How to Make a Pan Sauce Lesson" in the Rouxbe Cooking School.
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I forgot that I don't have heavy cream then can I use roux instead? Thanks -
You could make a roux and use that to bind or thicken the sauce. You might just need to a bit more liquid to make up for the cream. Cheers!
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Thanks for quick reply. I have now heavy cream ready ;) No need a roux anymore but I'll try it later anyway if I don't have the cream ready next time. Cheers!
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Can someone explain why you need to do this, as opposed to tenting tightly? Also, sometimes in the video a small hole is cut in the foil and other times there are no cuts - I've always been curious why this is done. Is the small hole inserted so that some of the steam escapes to stop the carry-on cooking process, or to not make the food too watery? You think you'd want to retain as much heat as possible... Thanks.
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Tenting loosely and/or making a slight hole in the foil is done to allow some of the steam to escape. If no steam was allowed to escape then the crust or skin of what you are cooking would continue to cook and steam. Hope this helps. Cheers!
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For those of us non-drinkers, what are the names of red and white wines that I can keep in the pantry for use in sauces and flavoring dishes that I won't have to throw out after a week or keep in the refrigerator? And what foods do they most complement? Thanks!
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There are no particular brands that we can suggest as we have students from all over the world. Also, wines will eventually go off no matter what the brand. Before using them, simply smell and taste them. If you are looking for something with a longer shelf life perhaps you could try one of the boxed wines or even a vermouth. For more information on wine and cooking with it you might want to search "wine" (the search field is at the top right of each page) and then click on the "forum discussion" tab as there are many discussions on the topic of wine and cooking. Also, there is a great book called "What to Drink with What You Eat" that you might find extremely helpful. Cheers!
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Sorry, I was not clear...I was thinking of sherry, cooking wine or certain types I have heard do not require refrigeration. I would not inquire about personal preferences. When a recipe calls for white wine, do they mean chablis? pinot blanc? And can a sherry be used for that? Thanks for your quick reply! Also, are we allowed to print off a recipe to use in the kitchen? If so, is there a condensed way to do that? Julie
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When a recipe calls for "white wine" assume that they are referring to a "dry" white wine. If a sweet white wine is required, this should be indicated in the recipe. Boxed dry white wines do not need refrigeration. Talk to your local wine store to get recommendations for inexpensive but good tasting wines to cook with. If you don't have white wine, sherry can work if it’s dry and of very good quality (like a Spanish sherry). Dry white vermouth also works extremely well and is very reasonably priced. As for printing recipes, there is a print icon at the top of every recipe. Cheers!
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I added the oil and then the butter to the pan that was heated as explained in the pan frying lesson. It was a colossal mess with the butter splattering everywhere! Please explain how to add the butter without such a disaster. Also, the sauce didn't thicken. It was tasty but a bit thin. Any thoughts? Thanks. -
What are other tricks I might try for pounding breasts to 1/4 inch without tearing the meat or getting waxed paper or saran wrap into the chicken itself? I have used mallots, heavy pots, marble or wooden rolling pins and never been effective at flattening a chicken breast. Also, which mushrooms give what kind of flavor? Thank you!
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Rouxbe Staff
You just have to work carefully. Plastic wrap is helpful because the meat doesn't stick to the utensil that you're using to flatten the meat. I find that it is easier to flatten chicken breasts with the presentation-side facing down. The flesh seems to be looser at the back than at the front. Large chicken breasts can be harder to flatten nicely. That is why we often cut them as shown in the Chicken Saltimbocca recipe. In terms of mushrooms, this just comes down to experimenting and tasting them for yourself. Here is a good site that offer some information and substitution information. There are also many books available that are totally dedicated to mushrooms. For instance, here is on called "The Complete Book of Mushrooms" Cheers! -
I made this recipe and loved it! It was relatively quick and easy to prepare, and very yummy. Would it freeze OK, without damaging flavour/texture? I have 12 house guests (yes, you read that right), so to be able to prepare ahead would be very helpful. -
While this dish could be frozen, it would not be the same as if it were made fresh. Instead, I would just prepare all of the components ahead of time. The shallots, the mushrooms etc. You could even sear the chicken off ahead of time and then cook it later. When it comes to cooking the chicken, you can finish cooking it in the oven while you finish the sauce. Trust me, your guests will thank you and praise you! Hope that helps. Cheers!
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Thank you, Dawn, for your VERY prompt reply!
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Hi, is there a need to flatten the chicken breast before cooking? If the chicken to be finish in oven, how long do i need to cook? how do i test for doneness? it it like steak where you you use thermometer or press it with your hand? thanks. -
There is no need to flatten the chicken breasts before cooking them. Flattening the chicken would help it to cook quicker, but again, it's not necessary. The time it takes to cook the chicken breast will depend on how big they are, the temperature in which they are cooked at, how long they were seared before being placed into the oven, your ovens temperature etc. To test for doneness, you can either use a thermometer, or you can make a small incision on the underside of one of the breasts. With practice, chefs can also become comfortable slight squeezing or touching the breasts to know if they are done. To practice, use a thermometer at first and once it is cooked, try to see how it feels. Also, keep an eye on the time it took. The more you cook chicken breasts, the more familiar and comfortable you will become with cooking them to perfection. Hope that helps. Cheers!
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Have you had experience and/or luck taking dishes like this to office potluck parties? I usually play really safe for potluck dishes, but I have a new job and wanted to 'wow' my co-workers and myself :) I'm wondering if the sauce would thicken too much resting in a covered casserole dish or is it possible that the sauce would split? I was planning to finish the dish by 10 am and then serve it for the potluck lunch starting at 11:30 am. There is a microwave for reheating if necessary. Thanks so much Rouxbe! You are the single best point of culinary instruction!! -
Rouxbe Staff
Hi Mary- There is no real chance of the sauce splitting, but it will thicken as it cools. As for safety, as long as everyone is served within 4 hours, you will be fine. If you have a way to reheat the sauce, it may be a good idea. Be very gentle though, as the microwave can quickly overcook the chicken. Try for a minute or and give it a stir just before service. Check and repeat if necessary. It doesn't need to be boiling, just nice and warm. Enjoy! -
Made this receipt tonight for dinner. Wonderful! This is something I would serve for any company. I do have to say that I enjoy mushrooms that have more flavor than button, so I use baby portabellos. It was GREAT!!! I really do not think we need to cut back on the ingredients we use. I am not saying that we need to pig out all the time but when we make something special be it for someone special or for a dinner party don't cut corners. We are taking the time to make very good meals, we are using great ingredients, we are doing all the right things, enjoy life. -
So glad that you enjoyed the dish Harry. And great idea to use the cremini mushrooms. In fact, it was such a good idea that I have changed the recipe to say "cremini or button". By the way, here are some interesting facts about the difference between button, cremini and portobello mushrooms. The most interesting is the fact is that the only real difference between them is age. Keep up the good work. Cheers!
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Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to how to keep the chicken warm? I've made it a few times and really love the recipe but by the time I am done making the pan sauce the chicken isn't as warm as I would like. Thanks!! -
Your dilemma starts and stops with the chicken! How thin/thick are the chicken breasts? If the breasts are thin, you need to sear, rest and then hold in your oven at 140°-145° while you are making the sauce. If the breasts are thick; sear, finish in the oven and then rest as you are finishing/completing the sauce; timing is crucial. Additionally: have every ingredient ready to go so that you can prepare the sauce quickly. Moreover: too help keep the chicken moist while holding you can place a pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Be cognizant of these three words at all times: knowledge, perpetration, timing; they will get you from start to finish successfully just about every time! Good luck, hope this helps! -
Thank you so much for your help! I will give these tips a try! :) Ariel
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Excellent dish. I test my chicken to see if it is done by picking up one end with tongs and bending the chicken back some. The breast will show little cracks that I can look down and see if the meat is no longer pink. When you release the chick the little cracks disappear. and thus does not interfere with the appearance. -
Rouxbe Staff
Great tip, Julian. Thank you sharing with us. ~Ken
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This was as amazing as I imagined it would be. I thoroughly enjoy every course and lesson and have learned so much about building flavor profiles. My husband, friends and family always said I was a great cook but they all add it’s even more tasty now! -
This was delicious, and I only had 10% cream around. Will try it again with heavy cream. Thanks for all your great recipes. -
I have been preparing many of recipes from my training and the site. The reviews from my family - especially my wife - have been excellent. Tonight I made this chicken with 30% less butter and 50% less cream in addition to cutting the breast into medallions. I thought my wife was going to scrape the pan with a spatula to get every last bit of the out of the pan. It was DELICIOUS! We rate every dish/recipe and they have all been at least "good" on a good - great - of FRW "fine restaurant worthy" scale. This one definately is FRW - even in a reduced fat and calories version.
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Hi David, Thank you for your review. We are absolutely thrilled that you, and your wife, are enjoying the recipes here! Cheers, Sandy -
I absolutely love this recipe. Thanks so much! Next Sunday I have my friends over for a visit, but they don't like mushrooms. Any ideas to substitute the mushrooms?
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Hi Adriaan, Wow, big question! The first thing that popped into my mind was tomatoes.... I am allergic to mushrooms, so I understand some needs to substitute. Tomatoes add some of the umami characteristics that the mushrooms bring to the dish. Of course, you could use just about any veggie you like, just keep in mind that you may need to blanch or pre cook some before adding to this dish. Good Luck! Cheers, Sandy
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Hi! What would be the best substitute for heavy cream if we don't want dairy? TIA!! -
Hi Kami, Have you tried the Rouxbe Cashew Cream recipe? This would work well in this recipe to sub for the dairy cream. https://rouxbe.com/recipes/5764-simple-cashew-cream. Cheers, Sandy
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Very tasty and a good place for me to begin having been on hiatus for several years. I substituted canned mushrooms…sorry, used sweet onions instead of shallots, skinless bone-in chicken thighs instead of breasts and half-n-half instead of heavy cream. My sauce broke, so I was wondering if it was because I substituted half-and-half, or if I just need to practice making the sauce. PS - I also remembered to taste the sauce before adding the port and wow, what a difference that splash made!
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Solid Win! I finished off the chicken in the oven while i worked the sauce that I made with cashew cream ( thanks Sandy for the suggestion) and portobello mushrooms (that’s all they had at the store) Thanks to the rouxbe recipe . I also steamed potatoes as a side. -
would the sauce go well with steak? -
how can i really amp up the natural umami in mushrooms?would dry mushrooms as an addition work as well as nutritional yeast?thank you.
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Riaz, yes, this sauce pairs well with steak. Enjoy! ~Eric -
Rouxbe Staff
Hi Riaz, try this: If you have dried mushrooms, grind them to a powder, then add them to the sauce.
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