This post may contain affiliate links.
Chicken Stroganoff is the creamy, savory comfort dinner I turn to on a busy weeknight: golden seared chicken and tender mushrooms in a rich, velvety sauce spooned over egg noodles. It comes together in one skillet in about 30 minutes, and my family cleans their plates every time. If you love a cozy chicken dinner, it is a cousin to our butter chicken.
A splash of Worcestershire and Dijon plus a little half and half turn simple pantry ingredients into the silkiest mushroom cream sauce that clings to every noodle.
Chicken Stroganoff Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 25 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 5 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 246kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy, savory chicken and mushrooms in a rich stroganoff sauce
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a one-skillet dinner like our butter chicken
Quick Answer
To make chicken stroganoff, season and sear bite-sized chicken pieces until golden, then set them aside. Cook onions and mushrooms in butter, sprinkle in flour, and stir in half and half to start the sauce. Add Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, and a little water, and simmer until thick. Return the chicken to the skillet, warm through, and serve over egg noodles.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Searing the chicken first. Browning the chicken builds flavor and leaves savory bits in the pan that enrich the sauce.
- Mushrooms add depth. Cremini mushrooms cooked until golden bring an earthy, savory flavor that defines stroganoff.
- Flour thickens the sauce. A spoonful of flour creates a velvety sauce that coats the chicken and noodles.
- Worcestershire and Dijon. These two add tangy, umami depth that takes the cream sauce from plain to crave-worthy.
- Half and half keeps it light. Using half and half makes a creamy sauce that is rich but not heavy. Use cream for extra indulgence.
- One skillet, 30 minutes. Everything cooks in a single pan, making it a fast and easy weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a creamy, comforting one-skillet dinner that is ready in about 30 minutes.
- It is a lighter twist on classic beef stroganoff that the whole family loves, like our butter chicken.
- That velvety mushroom cream sauce over egg noodles is pure comfort food.
Key Ingredients
Here is what you need for chicken stroganoff. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
- Chicken breast: Cut into bite-sized pieces so it sears quickly and stays juicy.
- Mushrooms: Cremini or baby bella add the classic earthy stroganoff flavor. Slice them not too thin.
- Half and half: Creates a creamy sauce. Use heavy cream for an even richer version.
- Worcestershire and Dijon: The secret to a tangy, savory, deeply flavored sauce.
- Butter and flour: They build the velvety base of the sauce, much like the gravy in our roast chicken.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This chicken stroganoff is easy to adapt. Here are a few ideas.
- Use a different protein: Swap in chicken thighs, turkey, or thin-sliced beef.
- Add sour cream: Stir in a spoonful at the end for a tangier, more traditional stroganoff.
- Make it richer: Use heavy cream in place of the half and half.
- Add garlic: Saute fresh minced garlic with the onions for more flavor.
- Serve it your way: Spoon it over egg noodles, pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
How to Make Chicken Stroganoff
- Season the bite-sized chicken pieces on both sides with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sear the chicken until golden, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook 2 more minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Add butter to the skillet, cook the onions for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and cook until golden. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute.
- Slowly stir in the half and half until smooth.
- Stir in the Worcestershire, mustard, and water. Simmer for about 3 minutes until the sauce thickens, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet, simmer for 1 minute to warm through, then serve over egg noodles with parsley.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not crowd the pan. Sear the chicken in a single layer so it browns instead of steaming.
- Cook the mushrooms until golden. Let them brown well for the deepest, most savory flavor.
- Scrape up the brown bits. Those bits at the bottom of the pan are packed with flavor for the sauce.
- Adjust the thickness. Add a little more flour for a thicker sauce or a splash of water to thin it.
- Taste before serving. Mustards and Worcestershire vary, so adjust the salt and pepper at the end.
- Serve it right away. The creamy sauce is best fresh and hot over noodles, like our short rib ragu.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Chicken stroganoff is classically served over buttery egg noodles, but it is also delicious over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. Top with fresh parsley or chives for color.
Round out the meal with a simple green salad or steamed vegetables and some crusty bread to soak up the sauce, much like our short rib ragu.
Leftovers reheat well for easy lunches. For another creamy, comforting dinner, try our Tuscan chicken pasta next.
Chicken Stroganoff FAQs
Chicken stroganoff is a lighter twist on classic beef stroganoff, made with seared chicken and mushrooms in a creamy, savory sauce flavored with Worcestershire and Dijon mustard. It is typically served over egg noodles. The chicken version cooks faster than the traditional beef one.
Cremini or baby bella mushrooms are ideal because they have a deeper, earthier flavor than white button mushrooms. Slice them so they are not too thin, which helps them brown and hold their texture. White button mushrooms also work if that is what you have.
Yes. Traditional stroganoff often includes sour cream for a tangy finish. You can stir a couple of spoonfuls into the sauce at the very end, off the heat, so it does not curdle. This recipe uses half and half for a creamy sauce, but sour cream is a delicious addition.
Egg noodles are the classic pairing, but chicken stroganoff is also great over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. A simple green salad, steamed vegetables, or crusty bread round out the meal nicely and help soak up the creamy sauce.
Store leftover chicken stroganoff in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce. Store the noodles separately if possible so they do not soak up all the sauce.
Yes. You can make the stroganoff sauce and chicken ahead and refrigerate it, then reheat gently and cook fresh noodles when ready to serve. The flavors meld nicely overnight. Add a little extra liquid when reheating since the sauce thickens as it sits.
Craving more creamy dinners? Try our Tuscan chicken pasta next.
Looking for another simple chicken dinner? Our baked chicken thighs come together with just a quick marinade, sear, and bake.
Love mushrooms? These garlic butter roasted mushrooms make a savory, 30-minute side dish.
These sauteed brussel sprouts are a fast, flavorful side for any main.
If you love creamy comfort food, our chicken vegetable soup feeds a crowd.
For another cozy chicken dinner, try our healthy chicken parmesan with melty provolone.
Warm up with a bowl of our 30 minute chicken noodle soup.
Another easy pasta dinner to love is our creamy pesto pasta.
Turn leftover chicken into dinner with our chicken pot pie soup, a weeknight comfort-food win.
For another comforting weeknight bake, try our turkey tetrazzini with spaghetti, mushrooms, and a buttery cracker topping.
Round out dinner with our bright, hearty kale and quinoa salad.
For another cozy creamy dinner, make our one-pot Tuscan chicken pasta.
For another creamy, cozy weeknight meal, make our French onion meatballs in the crock.
Chicken Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 black pepper
- 12 oz mushrooms cremini or baby bella, sliced not too thin
- 3 tablespoons butter you can use salted too but then add more/less salt to taste
- 1 cup brown onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard mustard can vary, mine was from Market pantry and is on the milder side
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup half & half you can also use heavy cream for a richer sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon flour if you want extra thick sauce, add 1 teaspoon more
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.1 lb chicken breast , 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt , 2 black pepper
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the pan with the smooth side down.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Press down lightly with a spatula and cook for 4 minutes until golden brown. Flip the chicken, press again, and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Turn the heat to medium-high and add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add onions and cook for 1 minute. Toss in the mushrooms and cook until golden, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan (that’s where the flavor is!).12 oz mushrooms, 3 tablespoons butter, 1 cup brown onion
- Sprinkle in flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly add half the cream while stirring, then add the rest.1 tablespoon flour, 1/4 cup half & half
- Stir in Worcestershire sauce, broth or water, and mustard. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 3 minutes until it thickens to the texture of pouring cream. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, ⅓ cup water
- Return the chicken (and any juices from the plate) to the skillet. Let it simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
- Serve over pasta or egg noodles and top with parsley or chives if you like!
Notes
- Pro tip: Pat chicken dry so you get a good sear—wet meat steams instead of browning.
- Brown mushrooms until they stop releasing moisture; “plenty of mushrooms” equals deeper flavor.
- Taste before adding salt—Worcestershire sauce and mustard already bring some.
- If sauce is too thick, whisk in a splash of broth; too thin, simmer 2‑3 minutes more.
- Cook noodles just shy of package time; they’ll finish in the hot stroganoff sauce.
- Want lighter? Swap half the cream for whole milk and simmer an extra minute.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
These look and taste amazing – Thanks for the recipe!