Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff

Creamy chicken and mushroom stroganoff with a sour cream sauce featuring a hint of brandy, mustard and paprika that’s quick and easy to cook.

When I say this dish is quick, it involves a fairly simple 10-minute preparation time and cooking is done and dusted in under 20 minutes.

Quick and Easy Stroganoff

Stroganoff is a dish with a pretty long history that has morphed into many things as it has traversed the world.

Both my beef and mushroom stroganoff and vegan mushroom stroganoff recipes play with fairly traditional ideas from Tsarist Russia. Dishes where the sauce is primarily a reduced beef stock thickened with a roux and flavoured with mustard.

Modern versions are much more closely associated with sour cream and paprika, and to my mind, they are very similar to Hungarian chicken paprikash.

Now I am a pluralist when it comes to food and deeply distrust anyone who claims there is only one way to do anything.

As a result, my chicken and mushroom stroganoff is all about the sour cream and paprika flavours. It is very much modelled on the flavours used in my pork stroganoff recipe.

It’s quick too, it will go from your fridge to your table in a shade under 30 minutes!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken thighs?

Yes, if you wish, they have a wonderful flavour and add a slightly richer fat content to this recipe.

Why do you fry the chicken before frying it?

The aim of frying the chicken is to get a nice colour and as a result, flavour on the surface of the chicken.

Doing this with the chicken breast whole happens quicker than if you dice the chicken. This means that the meat does not overcook and it results in both tastier and juicier chicken.

Do I have to use chestnut mushrooms?

No, you can use any old mushrooms you like in this recipe.

Oyster mushrooms are particularly good in this recipe, as are field mushrooms, they can both be cut to mimic the shape of the chicken strips.

Can I use low-fat or no-fat sour cream?

There is a risk that low-fat or no-fat sour cream will split when you are cooking this recipe.

I usually advise against it. But if it is important to you you can temper the sour cream by adding some of the hot liquid from the pan to the sour cream to temper it before pouring it into the pan.

Alternatively, you can stir the flour in the recipe through the sour cream to stabilise it whilst it cooks. Neither of these options are guaranteed to work though!

Serving Suggestions

I have a love of serving all of my stroganoff recipes with some form of crispy potato, and this chicken and mushroom number is no different.

Crispy fried potatoes are also a fairly traditional side for stroganoff form its homeland of Russia.

In these images, I have served them with my crispy fried new potatoes, but you could just as easily go with some straw potatoes or my crushed roasted new potatoes.

Rice or even pasta is a common choice as a side for stroganoff, although neither option particularly excites me.

If you want to be particularly indulgent, some creamy mashed potato would work well too.

One final spud option, this stroganoff is awesome spooned over a big jacket potato with plenty of butter.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/Stovetop.
• 25cm or 10″ frying pan.
• Kitchen tongs.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• Mixing bowl and a fork to make the sauce thickener.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• A combination of weighing scales, measuring jug, cups and spoons.

Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff Step-by-Step Photos.

1. In a small bowl mash together the softened butter and flour.
   
2. Heat a frying pan over high heat, add the oil and butter once the butter forms add the seasoned chicken breast, and cook them for 2-3 minutes on each side until nice and golden brown, then remove. Don’t worry about cooking the chicken all the way through, it will finish cooking in the sauce.
   
3. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms, cook for 4-5 minutes.
   
4. Pour the brandy over the mushrooms and reduce by half.
   
5. Reduce heat to low, add sour cream, chicken stock, paprika, and mustard, stir to combine to a sauce and cook while you slice the chicken.
   
6. Return the sliced chicken to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until chicken is cooked.
   
7. Now stir through the butter-flour mix and cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens. Serve with a side of your choice and chopped gherkins.