My zesty skillet chicken thighs with mushrooms are as ridiculously easy as they are insanely delicious, y'all. Boneless, skinless chicken thigh pieces, cut into strips, seasoned, and browned lightly. Removed from the pan for a quick deglazing, then put back in with fresh mushrooms and a 5-minute, flavor-popping pantry sauce. Then, cooked for just a few minutes until the meat and veggies tenderize and the sauce intermarries. Yep and yay...
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Poultry & Pantry Sauce for the Quick Win, Y'all...
Zesty skillet chicken thighs with mushrooms is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that's ready in about 30 minutes. This original dish draws its feisty flavors from a deft mix of pantry ingredients that lend smoky, sweet, salty, and tangy notes to every unforgettable bite.
Yielding a generous amount of sauce, these super tender boneless chicken thighs with mushrooms pair perfectly with rice or potatoes.
Ingredient Essentials
- I created this recipe around boneless skinless chicken thighs. So, the sauce is the perfect complement to this cut of chicken. I also trim the excess fat off of them so that they cook more evenly and have a much better final presentation.
- The mix of fresh cilantro and parsley gives the zesty skillet chicken thighs with mushrooms a double tongue 'pop' that you really don't want to miss.
- Fresh mushrooms are incredible in this recipe, as they bring variety to the textures in the dish.
- All of the remaining ingredients are common pantry sauces, including ketchup, balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke, and molasses. Ranch dressing is the only usually refrigerated item you will need. However, if you don't live in south Louisiana, you might not have Creole mustard in your kitchen. That's fine. You can order it from Amazon here.
Substitutions
- If you don't have boneless, skinless thighs on hand, then chicken breast strips or chicken tenders would be my substitute recommendations. Bone-in chicken doesn't work well in this recipe. However, you could use leftover pulled, shredded chicken as a sub, as well. Just make sure that it's not already heavily seasoned with other flavors that would negatively interact with the recipe ingredients.
- You can use canned mushrooms in this zesty skillet chicken thighs with mushrooms dish. I've done it before with great success.
- Coarse brown mustard is a good stand-in for Creole mustard. But, don't use yellow mustard, as it's a bit too tart to work well in this recipe.
- Balsamic vinegar really enhances the other flavors in this dish. Apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar are suitable replacements. In the event that you only have white vinegar on hand, mix it with a ½ teaspoon of sugar before stirring into the other ingredients.
- Liquid smoke injects its signature earthiness into this zesty skillet chicken thighs with mushrooms recipe. If you don't have it on hand, use ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika or canned chipotle peppers. The taste won't be exactly the same but you will have the intended smoky component in the overall flavor profile of the dish.
How to Make Zesty Skillet Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms
To begin, pour all of the zesty sauce ingredients into a bowl.
Then, give it a stir. Set aside.
Then, cut each boneless skinless chicken thigh into three equal pieces. Set aside in a large bowl.
Season the thighs with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Now, pour the oil into a black cast iron skillet. Brown the chicken pieces lightly on each side, then transfer to a plate.
Your skillet should look a lot like the image below at this point.
Next, grab the chicken broth. Pour it in, and let it bubble up for just a moment. The bubbling helps the pan drippings release from the bottom of the skillet.
Then, use a wooden spoon to pick up the pieces that are stuck to the bottom of the skillet.
Finally, put the chicken pieces, sauce, and mushrooms into the skillet. Then, cook until done.
And that's it, y'all!!
Once you take your first bite you're amazed at how harmonious the flavors in the pantry sauce became in just a few minutes of cooking time. In fact, it's sooo good that you might just want to slurp some of it up with a spoon!!
And the chicken pieces, y'all. They're so incredibly tender and juicy that you don't even need a fork to cut them open. The mushrooms don't disappoint either, y'all. Each one has a perfect consistency and flavor that keeps your fork coming back for more and more. Indeed.
Share these zesty skillet chicken thighs with mushrooms with those whom you want to warm up with some cozy food-loving. And see y'all on the yum side...
Wondering what goes with zesty skillet chicken thighs with mushrooms? Here are a few ideas.
Here are some other quick but super impressive dinner ideas for y'all.
And here are some other long and leisurely chicken recipes you might enjoy.
NOTE: This post was originally published on July 27, 2016, and updated and republished with new content and pictures on November 2, 2023.
Zesty Skillet Chicken Thighs With Mushrooms
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke I love and use Colgin
- 1 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing Hidden Valley Organic is gluten free
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
For the Zesty Skillet Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, excess fat removed
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons oil
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
- Pour all of the sauce ingredients into a bowl, and stir until well combined.
- Slice the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into three equal pieces.
- Season the chicken pieces liberally with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Heat the oil in a a 12-inch cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat on the stove.
- Add the chicken pieces to the skillet, and brown each piece lightly on both sides. Transfer the browned pieces to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pan, and let the broth bubble for a few seconds to remove the stuck-on chicken pieces from the bottom of the skillet.
- Use a wooden spoon to pick up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. (Discard any overly browned or charred pieces that might disrupt the taste of the prepared dish).
- Continue stirring constantly until the chicken broth reduces by at least half.
- Add the chicken pieces, the mushrooms, and the sauce to the skillet, then stir until all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Continue cooking over medium for 12 to 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly and a digital meat thermometer inserted into the thighs reads at least 165 degrees F. Stir occasionally.
- Add the fresh cilantro during the last few minutes of cooking time.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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