Cheesy Chicken Mushroom Bake (Printable view)

Cheesy mushroom and mozzarella-topped chicken baked until golden; creamy, comforting, and ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Vegetables

02 - 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Sauce & Dairy

05 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
07 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten-free alternative)
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Spices & Herbs

11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, and dried thyme.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
04 - Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and all released liquid has evaporated.
05 - Sprinkle flour over the mushroom mixture and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
06 - Gradually pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
07 - Stir in half of the mozzarella and all of the Parmesan cheese into the sauce until fully melted and smooth. Remove skillet from heat.
08 - Arrange seasoned chicken breasts in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour the mushroom-cheese sauce evenly over the chicken, ensuring full coverage.
09 - Scatter the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top of the casserole in an even layer.
10 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the top is bubbly and golden brown.
11 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The creamy mushroom sauce practically makes itself while you build it, and it tastes like you spent twice as long as you actually did.
  • Everything cooks in one skillet and one baking dish, so cleanup is mercifully simple.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting step or the sauce will run everywhere when you try to serve it.
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick, pound them slightly for even cooking, otherwise the outside dries out before the center is done.
03 -
  • Let the mushrooms cook without stirring for the first couple of minutes to get real browning instead of steaming.
  • Shred your own cheese from a block rather than using pre shredded, since the anti caking agents on bagged cheese prevent it from melting smoothly.

Go back