Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms with Rice Recipe
A delicious, easy, and budget-friendly meal – it’s not too good to be true! Creamy chicken and mushrooms with rice is comforting, satisfying, and tasty.
Cold, blustery weather makes me want to warm up with something creamy, comforting…and not very hard to make. Well, this recipe fits the bill. Here in Michigan, we surprisingly don’t have much snow (can I find some wood to knock on?), but I know a lot of the country got a ton of snow this weekend. I’m not complaining about the lack of snow (no way!) buuuut it is pretty cold. Such is life, of course, but it’s nothing some good comfort food can’t fix.
This is definitely comfort food. Tender chicken, flavorful mushrooms, and a rich creamy sauce…what could be better? I served it over some brown rice, but it would be great over farro, whole wheat pasta, or even quinoa. Many similar recipes use heavy cream (yum!) but I lightened it up slightly with skim milk, reduced-fat cream cheese and then of course sharp cheddar. I love the sharpness of a good extra sharp cheddar because it gives a huge punch of flavor without having to pile it on.
We’re focusing on low-cost, budget-friendly meals with Milk Means More this month and this recipe fits the bill. Chicken thighs are a less expensive part of the chicken than the breasts. If you want to save even more money, buy them with the skin on, bone-in and debone the meat of the thigh yourself. Me, I like to take a shortcut here and there, so I bought them boneless and skinless this time. Tons of mushrooms add more meaty texture with having to add a bunch of extra chicken. Leftovers are great too! I recommend heating them up slowly on the stove rather than microwaving.
Enjoy!
PS: Looking for more ways to get lots of protein without spending a ton of money? At only $0.25 per 8 oz serving, milk is a bargain, providing 8 grams of high-quality protein. Other great options are yogurt and cottage cheese which typically cost less than $1 per serving.
Used in this recipe:
Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms with Rice
A delicious, easy, and budget-friendly meal – it’s not too good to be true! Creamy chicken and mushrooms with rice is comforting, satisfying, and tasty.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thickly
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1/2 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons skim milk
- cooked brown rice for serving
- fresh parsley for serving
Directions:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add onions. Cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until mushrooms are cooked. Add chicken back in along with garlic. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Reduce heat to medium-low and add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and milk. Continue to cook until cheese has melted and a creamy sauce has formed. Add more milk if desired to thin sauce.
- Serve over cooked brown rice sprinkled with fresh parsley.
Budget saving tip: To save extra money, buy chicken thighs still on the bone and debone the thighs yourself.
Verdict: So creamy and perfect.
Husband’s take: He’s not a huge fan of creamy sauces typically but he LOVES this. So do my in-laws.
Changes I would make: None
Difficulty: Easy peasy.
Craving more chicken recipes that you can whip up in no time at all? Try:
**Disclosure: I am thrilled to be a dairy ambassador for Milk Means More. I have been compensated by Milk Means More for my time to develop this recipe and write this post. All opinions are as always, my own. Find out more about why Milk Means More on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram andPinterest.
