Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s one of my favorite recipes to make on a busy weeknight when pressed for time. I made this recipe for the first time because I had no choice. My plan was to make beef stroganoff. But all I had in the fridge were boneless skinless chicken breasts. So I thought, how bad could it be - chicken cooked in olive oil with onions, mushrooms, and sour cream? Perhaps Count Stroganoff would have disapproved… but this dish turned out delicious (though admittedly not as good as the beef version), and I’ve been making it regularly ever since.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make chicken stroganoff. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Chicken: I use cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts when making this recipe. I’m fairly confident that boneless skinless chicken thighs would work too and might, in fact, be juicier. But I almost always have chicken breast on hand, so that’s what I tend to use.Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you’d rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. Butter is another tasty option.Chopped onion: There’s a fair amount of onion in this recipe, and as you can imagine, it adds wonderful flavor to the dish.Sliced fresh mushrooms: White mushrooms or Cremini work equally well in this recipe, though personally, I tend to prefer Cremini.Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work, although admittedly, freshly minced tastes better.Sour cream: I tried using Greek yogurt one time and thought it was too tart. So sour cream is definitely the way to go.
Instructions
Making chicken stroganoff is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the full details. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is to cook the chicken in olive oil, then set it aside.Now, in the same skillet, cook the onions and mushrooms in more olive oil until tender.Add the garlic, then add the chicken back to the skillet and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. You don’t want to cook for too long at this stage since the chicken is already cooked.The last step is to reduce the heat to low and mix in the sour cream. That’s it! Dinner’s ready.
Expert tip
Make sure not to overcook the chicken pieces. You want them juicy and succulent. In the first stage of cooking them, cook just until they’re no longer raw. They will cook some more when you add them back to the skillet.
Frequently asked questions
Variations
As mentioned above, chicken thighs should work very well in this recipe instead of chicken breasts. You can cook the chicken and the vegetables in butter or ghee instead of olive oil. Duck fat is another delicious option. As for how to season this dish, you can add paprika - try a teaspoon, and make sure it’s sweet paprika, not spicy.
Serving suggestions
Traditionally you would serve this dish on top of cooked noodles. But the starch is actually not necessary. This dish is very good on cauliflower rice, spinach leaves, or even on shredded lettuce. It is also excellent on its own. I serve it with a spoon in addition to a knife and fork, so as not to waste the delicious sauce. Since this dish contains vegetables (onions and mushrooms) in addition to meat, it doesn’t really need to be served with a side dish. But a bright green side such as microwave broccoli adds a nice splash of color to an otherwise grayish plate. Chicken stroganoff is very tasty, but visually speaking, it’s a bit challenged.
Storing leftovers
Leftovers keep fairly well in the fridge, in a sealed container, for about 3 days. However, they’re not as good as the freshly made dish. Chicken tends to dry out when reheated. I recommend reheating the leftovers very gently to avoid drying the chicken and curdling the sour cream. Use your microwave on 50% power, and heat them covered.
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