Mushroom Chicken Skillet
on Mar 02, 2023, Updated Oct 10, 2025
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You would never guess that my super creamy Mushroom Chicken Skillet is actually dairy-free! The secret ingredient? A surprisingly easy to make cashew sauce 🤫. After blending soaked cashews, you’ll get a creamy, silky-smooth sauce that perfectly coats juicy chicken thighs and tender button 🍄 mushrooms. This dish packs a whopping 52 grams of protein per serving, so you’re hitting your macros while also satisfying your taste buds 👅. I like to serve this dish over fluffy 🍚 jasmine rice, but it would also be delicious on top of mashed potatoes or my Easy Homemade Pasta 🍝.
Key Takeaways
- The Mushroom Chicken Skillet features a creamy, dairy-free cashew sauce that pairs beautifully with tender chicken thighs and mushrooms.
- This one skillet meal cooks in just 30 minutes and delivers 52 grams of protein per serving.
- You can customize the recipe with different mushrooms or use coconut cream as a nut-free alternative.
- Serve the dish over jasmine rice, mashed potatoes, or homemade pasta for a complete meal.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Mushroom Chicken Skillet
My Mushroom Chicken Skillet recipe is perfect for dairy-free diners who still want a silky sauce. Cashews replace heavy cream in this one skillet meal 🍳 that hits the table in just 30 minutes. Juicy chicken thighs are braised in the creamy cashew sauce with a splash of white wine, resulting in tender, succulent meat. Caramelized mushrooms 🍄 bring rich umami flavor when cooked whole alongside the thighs. The flavors are rich, savory, and balanced with a creamy finish that ties it all together. Garnish with fresh parsley 🌱 for bright color and a beautiful presentation.
Ingredients
🍗 Chicken thighs: I pan sear then braise boneless skinless chicken thighs to perfection in a creamy cashew sauce.
🥑 Avocado oil: For searing the chicken thighs.
🧅 Onion: Aromatic and packed with vitamins and minerals, onions add depth of flavor to the dish.
🍄 Mushrooms: I like using button mushrooms, because they are mild, cook evenly, and are widely accessible, but you can use any variety or combination of mushrooms you like.
🍾 White wine: Gives this dish rich depth of flavor and tenderness that is out of this world.
🌿 Parsley: A fresh garnish that lends bright aroma and flavor.
🌰 Cashews: Soaked and blended cashews form the base of the dairy-free sauce.
🧄 Garlic: Adds savory flavor to the cashew-based sauce.
🧂 Salt: Balances out the natural sweetness of the cashews.
💦 Water: Blending the cashews, garlic, and salt with water gives the sauce volume and body.
Nonna’s Tip 🍗
I like using skinless, boneless chicken thighs as they cook much faster but you can use chicken breast cutlets as well. If you use chicken breast make sure it’s cut into thin cutlets or pounded so that it can cook evenly.
Variations and Substitutions for This Mushroom Chicken Skillet
- You don’t have to use cashew cream if you don’t want to. If you are allergic to nuts you can use any other creamy alternative such as 🥥 coconut cream or heavy cream instead.
- I like using skinless, boneless 🍗 chicken thighs in this skillet recipe as they cook much faster but you can use chicken breast cutlets as well. If you use chicken breast make sure it’s cut into thin cutlets or pounded so that it can cook evenly.
- You can use ANY mushrooms in this Mushroom Chicken Skillet recipe. I like to leave them whole just in case someone would like to separate them from the rest of the dish.
- You could use any veggies you love in this recipe: asparagus, zucchini, peas, 🫑 peppers would be delicious.
- If you can’t use wine, use unsalted broth instead to deglaze the pan.
Similar Recipes
Greek Lemon Chicken
1 hr 35 mins
One Pan Chicken Dinner
35 mins
Chicken Paella
45 mins
Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs
52 mins
Easy Baked Chicken
55 mins
Herb Marinated Chicken
35 mins
Best Served With
- This Mushroom Chicken Skillet is perfection served over my 🥔 Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
- Serve this chicken main dish with a side of vegetables, such as Roasted Bell Peppers, Broccoli with Feta, or a 🥗 Simple Green Salad.
- This skillet is absolutely decadent served with Roasted Baby Eggplant.
- If you love this dish, you may also enjoy my Portobello Mushroom Recipe 🍄.
Common Questions
You can substitute white wine with chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water if you prefer.
The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) with a meat thermometer. You can also cut into the thickest part to check if the juices run clear.
Yes, you can make the cashew sauce a day ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Stir well before using.
Yes, you can use cremini, shiitake, or any other mushrooms you prefer in this Mushroom Chicken Skillet recipe. The flavor will vary slightly, but use what you love.
Absolutely, but you may need to adjust the cooking time since white meat cooks quicker than dark meat.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Place your leftovers in a skillet with a splash of broth or water and reheat over medium-low heat. Do not boil as it may cause the sauce to break.
Mushroom Chicken Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 8 chicken thighs , skinless, boneless
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 250 grams button mushrooms , cleaned with a damp paper towel
- ⅓ cup white wine
- chopped parsley for garnish
Cashew Cream Sauce
- ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
- salt to taste
- 1 clove garlic
- ¾ cup hot water, for blending
Instructions
Cashew Cream Sauce
- Soak the cashews in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain.
- Add the soaked cashews to a blender with a pinch of salt, a clove of garlic, and the 3/4 cup hot water. You can always taste and adjust for salt so don't add too much at first.
- Blend until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
The Chicken
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the chicken thighs (make sure they sizzle) and season with salt and pepper on one side. Brown the chicken until golden all over, about 5 minutes per side.
- If the chicken is giving resistance when you try to flip it and getting stuck, it means it's not ready to be flipped and needs more time cooking. Once the chicken loosens up from the bottom, flip it over and season the other side as well.
- If the heat is too high you can always lower it to medium-low depending on the stove.
- Once the chicken has browned on each side, remove it from the pan and reduce the heat to low. I like to discard a few tablespoons of the fat if there's too much, but this is optional.
- Add the onions, mushrooms, and white wine and let cook, while stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the chicken back in and cover the pan with a lid for 10 to 12 minutes, letting it simmer on low heat.
- After 12 minutes, pour in the cashew cream and stir. If the sauce is too thick add a touch more water to thin it out. Take the pan off the heat, garnish with parsley, and enjoy over rice, mashed potatoes or on its own.
Nonna’s Notes
- Nut-free alternatives: You don’t have to use cashew cream if you don’t want to. If you are allergic to nuts you can use any other creamy alternative such as coconut cream or heavy cream instead.
- Chicken cuts: I like using skinless, boneless chicken thighs in this skillet recipe as they cook much faster but you can use chicken breast cutlets as well. If you use chicken breast make sure it’s cut into thin cutlets or pounded so that it can cook evenly.
- Mushroom varieties: You can use ANY mushrooms in this Mushroom Chicken Skillet recipe. I like to leave them whole just in case someone would like to separate them from the rest of the dish.
- Veggies: You could use any veggies you love in this recipe: asparagus, zucchini, peas, peppers would be delicious.
- Wine alternatives: If you can’t use wine, use unsalted broth instead to deglaze the pan.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
