Easy Creamy Chicken Stroganoff

Growing up in Russia, I am no stranger to a Stroganoff dish. I grew up on my mom’s Russian stroganoff (beef that is). As a chef, she taught me all the important techniques growing up and this stroganoff recipe is no exception. I made sure to include the flavor and working with creamy ingredients secrets like deep browning, silky sour-cream finish (how to avoid curdling), and gentle heat. I’ve tested this method repeatedly because I’ve been making it since I was allowed to turn on the stove.

Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Chicken – For this recipe, you can use chicken breast, chicken thigh meat, or a combination of both. Remember thigh meat is juicier and more flavorful, and chicken breast meat is leaner (just don’t overcook it.)

Mushrooms – Any mushrooms work well! Just make sure that they’re thinly sliced. Baby bella mushrooms are usually the most available to cheaper option. Substitute white button mushrooms, wild mushrooms, shiitake, or any other you love.

Sour Cream – Regular sour cream (with the full fat content) creates the richest, creamiest sauce. Avoid using low fat sour cream if you can help it.

Onions – Shallots or Vidalia onions are best to use because they tend to be more mild and have more natural sweetness, which is a lovely balance to savory ingredients. White or yellow onions will work in a pinch.

Garlic – It’s always best to use fresh garlic. Smash it to release the oils for the most flavor and then mince.

Worcestershire Sauce – This adds a wonderful umami note (it’s my nod to mom’s restaurant version).

Chicken stock – if you didn’t get much chicken liquids while cooking, use chicken stock in the sauce. If you have any on hand, homemade chicken stock is always the best option. It’s perfect to thin out the sauce and deglaze the pan.

Fresh Parsley (and/or Dill): Bright finish that cuts the richness. Dill weed is a classic and radiational garnish in Russian recipes and pairs beautifully with creamy chicken with mushrooms.

What Chicken to Use for Stroganoff

If you tried many of my chicken recipes, you know that I prefer dark chicken meat when possible. Chicken thigh meat is so much juicier and more flavorful than chicken breast. Although, I know many people who prefer chicken breast meat and no other, and that’s just fine.

For this recipe, you can use chicken breast, chicken thigh meat, or a combination of both. Whichever meat you choose to use, just make sure to slice is thinly and get a nice brown color of it when searing to get more flavor for the sauce. 

How to Make Chicken Stroganoff

PRO TIP: Prepare your ingredients before starting to cook so that everything is measured, sliced, and ready to go. It’s much easier to cook when you don’t have to run around the chicken looking for ingredients, measuring, and chopping. (That’s how you burn stuff.)

Cook the chicken. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Add sliced chicken to the pan and season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sear the chicken until golden brown and almost fully cooked.

Drain and set aside. Drain the chicken juices from the pan but do not discard! Then, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Sauté the veggies. Add onions and mushroom to the same pan. You may need to add a little more oil. Sear mushrooms and onions over medium-high heat until it gets nicely browned. 

Add all ingredients. Lower the heat to low and add chicken back into the pan. Stir in sour cream, juices from chicken, (or chicken stock if you didn’t get much chicken juices), Worcestershire sauce, salt, and fresh cracked black pepper.

Simmer. Stir until the sauce is completely smooth. Let it all simmer for a few minutes and stir in parsley.

Variations To Try (Choose Your Adventure)

Add Classic Tang with Dijon: Stir in 1 tsp. of Dijon mustard when adding sour cream. Adds gentle heat and classic stroganoff tang.

Restaurant-Style Chicken Stroganoff (with white wine cream sauce)- this is my personal favorite that I make for my husband and I all the time. It’s made with a very special sauce!

No Mushrooms: Double the onions or add sliced zucchini, leeks, bell peppers, thinly sliced carrots, diced broccoli or cauliflower. The sauce will be slightly sweeter and lighter.

Lighter Dairy: Use ½ sour cream + ½ Greek yogurt or half-and-half. Temper with a little hot sauce from the pan and add off heat to reduce curdling risk. (Greek yogurt has a high tendency of curdling over direct heat and in savory dishes.)

Noodles In-Sauce: For extra body, add cooked egg noodles tight to the pan with chicken and sauce and toss 1-2 minutes to absorb flavor.

Professional Tips to Remember

• Using a larger pan will ensure that chicken and mushrooms brown instead of steaming.
• Brown in batches if the pan is smaller to avoid overcrowding, pale chicken and thin sauce.
• Low/off heat for dairy: make sure to lower the heat or take the pan off heat when adding the dairy!
• Keep it below a simmer once dairy is in to prevent separating/curdling.
• If needed, thin sauce with a splash of stock or reserved pasta water.

Recipe FAQs

How to Serve Chicken Stroganoff

There is no one way to serve Stroganoff because it’s one of those dishes that will go with any side dish. You can make it a little lighter or more comforting by choosing different side dishes. Try it with:

• Egg noodles (or any other pasta)
• Mashed potatoes
• Rice
• Quinoa
• Cauliflower rice
• Broccoli, cauliflower (or other mixed veggies)
• Great vegetable sides: simple cucumber-dill salad, sautéed green beans.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing

This is a great leftovers recipe, I often make a big batch to eat through the week. Just reheat gently!

• Storing leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of stock or pasta water. Don’t boil.
• Freezing NOT recommended! Dairy can split. For best results, freeze the base without sour cream for up to 3 months. Reheat, then stir in sour cream off heat before serving.
• Make-Ahead: Cook up to the step of adding dairy (sour cream). Cool and refrigerate the base. When reheating, add the sour cream over low or off heat and finish per recipe.

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More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes

If you love this creamy, weeknight chicken dinner, you’ll also enjoy these cozy favorites: white chicken chili, coq au vin, easy sweet and sour chicken, chicken Marsala, chicken piccata, chicken Milanese, chicken paprikash, creamy mushroom chicken and rice casserole, and garlic parmesan chicken meatloaves. All are comforting, weeknight‑friendly recipes that use similar pan‑sauce or braising techniques.

Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in November 2012.