Tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and a tangy, creamy sauce come together in this classic Creamy Chicken Stroganoff — an easy, family-friendly dinner perfect for busy weeknights.
Inspired by traditional beef stroganoff, this chicken version delivers the same comforting flavors but cooks up faster and uses everyday ingredients. It’s especially good served over wide egg noodles, but also pairs nicely with mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, spaetzle, or your favorite pasta and a green vegetable.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients are shown in the photo below. Notes under the list explain key choices and substitutions to make the recipe work best.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are used here, but boneless thighs work well too. You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken for a shortcut.
- Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms are preferred for their depth of flavor; white button mushrooms are a fine substitute.
- Stock: Low-sodium chicken stock keeps the sauce balanced. You can substitute a good-quality beef stock for a deeper flavor if desired.
- Cream: The sauce gets its creamy, tangy finish from a combination of heavy cream and sour cream. Avoid low‑fat replacements that may separate.
- Seasoning: The chicken is marinated with Worcestershire, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. The sauce gains paprika and Dijon mustard for warmth and acidity.
See the recipe ingredients section below for precise quantities.
How to make it
The steps below guide you from marinating the chicken through building the rich stroganoff sauce. Read through before you begin so timing (pasta, sauce, and resting the chicken) lines up smoothly.
- In a large bowl combine the chicken with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and a neutral oil. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight for better flavor.
- When ready to cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil. Sear the chicken breasts 3–4 minutes on the first side and 2–3 minutes on the second side until nicely browned. Transfer to a dish and tent loosely with foil to rest. Pour 1/2 cup of chicken stock into the hot pan and scrape the browned bits, then combine that liquid with the remaining stock and set aside. After a short rest (about 5 minutes), slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and keep covered.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the egg noodles. Cook the noodles according to package instructions, toss with butter when done, and reserve at least 2 cups of pasta water in case you need to thin the sauce.
- In the same skillet used for the chicken, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms until they release their liquid and brown. Season with salt and pepper and remove the mushrooms to a bowl.
- Add the remaining olive oil and 3 tablespoons butter to the pan, then add the sliced onion. Sauté gently until the onions are soft and deeply caramelized, about 10–15 minutes. This step builds flavor for the sauce.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until the raw flour taste is gone and the mixture becomes pasty. Pour in the white wine and the reserved chicken stock, turn the heat up, and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Bring to a gentle boil while whisking to create a smooth sauce.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and return the mushrooms and sliced chicken (with any juices) to the pan. Stir in Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Hungarian paprika. Simmer gently to meld flavors.
- Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream and simmer another 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the sauce is thicker than you like, add a few ounces of reserved pasta water to reach the desired consistency.
- To serve, divide the buttered egg noodles among bowls and ladle the creamy chicken stroganoff over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley and, if you enjoy the contrast, chopped pickles for brightness.
Top tips
- Marinate the chicken: Allow at least 2 hours for the marinade to penetrate the chicken. Overnight yields the best flavor and tenderness.
- Keep sauce stable: Use full‑fat sour cream and heavy cream; lower-fat versions may curdle when heated. If needed, temper the sour cream by stirring a small amount of warm sauce into it before adding to the pan.
- Texture contrast: Chopped pickles add a bright, crunchy contrast that many people love with stroganoff. Offer extra sour cream at the table for a tangy finish.
More weeknight chicken recipes
If you enjoy this Creamy Chicken Stroganoff, try other quick family favorites: Easy Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes; Chicken Tetrazzini; Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken (Marry Me Chicken); Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings.
If you make this Creamy Chicken Stroganoff, consider leaving a rating and a short note about what you changed or served it with — it helps other cooks and makes the recipe even better over time.
Creamy Chicken Stroganoff
By James Delmage
Prep: 10 mins • Cook: 45 mins • Marinating: 2 hrs • Total: 2 hrs 55 mins • Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts or cutlets
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
For the stroganoff
- 1 pound (454g) wide egg noodles
- 6 tablespoons (90ml) olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds (680g) cremini mushrooms, thick sliced
- 6 tablespoons (84g) butter, divided
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup (32g) flour
- 1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
- 3 cups (720ml) low-sodium chicken stock, divided
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
- 1 cup (240ml) reserved pasta water for thinning, if needed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup chopped pickles for serving, optional
Instructions
For the chicken
- Combine the chicken with Worcestershire, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oil. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Sear the chicken in a hot skillet 3–4 minutes per side until browned. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to rest. Pour 1/2 cup chicken stock into the pan and scrape up browned bits, then add to the remaining stock and set aside.
- After resting, slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and keep covered.
For the stroganoff
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the noodles.
- In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and sauté the mushrooms until they brown. Season and remove to a bowl.
- Add remaining olive oil and 3 tablespoons butter to the pan, then sauté the onion until deeply browned, about 10–15 minutes.
- While onions cook, prepare egg noodles according to package instructions. Toss finished noodles with 3 tablespoons butter and reserve at least 2 cups pasta water.
- Stir flour into the onions and cook 2 minutes. Add wine and chicken stock, bring to a boil while whisking to smooth the sauce, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add mushrooms, sliced chicken and juices, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika. Simmer gently.
- Stir in heavy cream and sour cream and simmer 2 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper and thin with reserved pasta water if needed.
- Serve the stroganoff over buttered egg noodles and garnish with parsley and chopped pickles if desired.
Notes
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs may be used; if so, cook to an internal temperature of at least 185°F before adding to the sauce.
- Stroganoff is delicious over mashed potatoes, dumplings, or spaetzle as well as egg noodles.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition (approx.)
Calories: 880 kcal • Carbohydrates: 74.1 g • Protein: 43 g • Fat: 45.5 g • Saturated Fat: 18.9 g • Cholesterol: 228 mg • Sodium: 664 mg • Fiber: 4.4 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment to share how it turned out for you or what you served it with — your feedback helps other home cooks.