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This creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Mushrooms recipe is made with just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep! Pair it with rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes for an easy dinner that suits your busy life.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms
- Ingredients for Crock Pot Chicken and Mushrooms
- How to Make Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken with Mushrooms
- How to Serve Crock Pot Chicken and Mushrooms
- Prep, Make-Ahead, and Storage for Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms
- Chicken and Mushrooms Recipe Variations and Cook’s Tips
- More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes to Try
- Crock Pot Chicken and Mushrooms Recipe
Another easy chicken breast recipe comin’ your way today! This simple and hearty chicken dinner requires minimal effort but delivers maximum flavor. The smooth garlic and mushroom gravy keeps the chicken moist and flavorful while it slowly simmers in the slow cooker. It’s a delicious and versatile meal everyone at your table will enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms
Slow cooker chicken dinners ensure an easy meal the whole family is sure to love.
- Hands-Off: this creamy mushroom chicken is the definition of slow effort. It doesn’t even take all day to cook!
- Comforting: creamy sauce and tender chicken is the ultimate comfort food – and the delicious gravy and earthy mushrooms really stick to your bones.
- Simple Ingredients: you only need a handful of pantry and fridge/freezer staples to make this hearty dinner. If you don’t have one ingredient on hand, it’s easy to substitute for equally delicious results.
Crock pot chicken and mushrooms is perfect for busy weeknights, cold winter nights, for the mushroom lover in your family, or even the pickiest eaters.
Ingredients for Crock Pot Chicken and Mushrooms
The savory sauce for this slow cooker chicken recipe is simple, hearty, and flavorful. It uses just a few ingredients you can easily pick up on your next trip to the grocery store. Complete ingredient measurements and directions are in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken: boneless skinless chicken breasts are our family’s go-to for our favorite chicken recipes, but chicken thighs would be great here, too.
- McCormick Chicken Gravy: a simple shortcut to flavor and thicken the mushroom sauce.
- Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup: the base of the savory, delicious sauce.
- Garlic: fresh garlic adds so much flavor, but minced jarred garlic works in a pinch.
- Fresh Mushrooms: tender and earthy, fresh sliced mushrooms add texture to the recipe.
What are the best types of mushrooms for creamy mushroom chicken?
With so many different kinds of mushrooms on the market, you may wonder which is best for the creamy mushroom sauce in this slow cooker dinner. First, let me say that you definitely want fresh mushrooms – canned mushrooms just wouldn’t have the right taste and texture.
For a milder mushroom flavor, go with button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms (also called baby bellas). Shiitake and Portobello mushrooms have more robust, more umami, earthy flavors, so if you really love mushroom flavor, use these varieties. Finally, porcini mushrooms are meaty and woodsy in flavor and hold up very well in stews, sauces, and slow cooking, so they’re a great option for this recipe.
How do you prepare mushrooms?
I typically purchase pre-cleaned sliced fresh mushrooms as a shortcut; however, if you prefer to prepare mushrooms at home, you’ll want to be sure you don’t wash them under water (as you would typically do with other vegetables). The mushrooms are like little sponges that will absorb all of that liquid. Instead, gently wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth, pull off the stems, and slice.
How to Make Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken with Mushrooms
If you’re looking for a hearty, comforting slow cooker recipe to be a new family favorite, stop the search. The savory cream of mushroom soup sauce, tender chicken, and meaty mushrooms are the perfect combination of flavors.
- Whisk the soup, water, gravy packets, and garlic in the slow cooker until combined.
- Place the seasoned chicken into the slow cooker.
- Top with the sliced mushrooms.
- Cook the chicken and mushrooms on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours until the chicken is cooked through.
How to Make a Flavorful Mushroom Sauce
The best part about this simple recipe is cooking everything together. Just a handful of simple steps between you and the most delicious dinner! It’s a perfect option for those nights when you really don’t have time to cook.
There are a few ways to enhance the mushroom sauce for an even more elevated dinner with minimal additional effort.
- Make a creamy marsala wine sauce by adding a little bit of the popular fortified wine to the sauce. The flavor echoes a classic chicken marsala – tangy, rich, and savory.
- You could also add 3/4ths of a cup of white wine to the mushroom sauce, just like in my mom’s classic recipe.
- Instead of chicken gravy packets, use an onion soup mix. Onions and mushrooms are a classic pairing.
- This sauce is already rich and creamy, but for even more indulgence, you can add sour cream or cream cheese.
How to Serve Crock Pot Chicken and Mushrooms
When it comes to serving suggestions, there are two options. You can either serve the chicken breasts whole and spoon the mushroom sauce over the top or remove the chicken from the slow cooker, shred it with two forks, and then stir the pulled chicken back into the sauce. It’s purely a matter of personal preference, so choose whichever method your family loves most.
Sliced or shredded, chicken and mushrooms is best served over egg noodles, white rice or brown rice, or mashed potatoes. As for side dishes, you can pair this versatile entrée with just about any of your favorite sides. Here are a few easy options that go well with slow cooker chicken and mushrooms:
- Savory homemade stuffing or Southern Cornbread Stuffing
- Crusty bread like a simple baguette, dinner rolls, or skillet cornbread
- Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Classic Caesar Salad Recipe
- 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
- Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or Parmesan Cauliflower Mash
- Green Beans and Mushrooms or Amish Green Beans
Prep, Make-Ahead, and Storage for Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms
- Prep and Make-Ahead: this simple recipe takes minimal effort, so there’s not much to prep ahead of time. However, the mushroom sauce can be mixed and stored in the fridge.
- Freezer-Friendly Meal: this entire meal can be prepped in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and stored for up to a month. You don’t even have to thaw the meal before slow cooking – just toss it in the slow cooker and let it go (although from frozen, the cooking time will be extended).
- Leftovers: store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can even double the recipe for more servings – it’s even more delicious the next day when the flavors have had time to marry.
Chicken and Mushrooms Recipe Variations and Cook’s Tips
- If you have extra time and want to add flavor and color to your chicken, brown the meat in a skillet for about 5-6 minutes per side before adding it to the slow cooker. That step is totally optional (and definitely not necessary if you choose to shred the meat at the end of the cooking time).
- Be careful not to overcook your chicken breasts. I find that the chicken breasts have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours. That keeps them moist and juicy and prevents them from drying out. If you would like a dish with a longer cooking time, try using 2 lbs. of boneless chicken thighs instead of the breasts. The thighs tend to stay juicy when left in a Crock Pot for extended periods.
- Also, remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
- Instead of water, use a half cup of chicken broth for more flavor.
- You should always season your chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. For more flavor, add garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or another favorite herb blend.
- If the mushroom sauce isn’t thick enough for your liking, mix a quick cornstarch slurry, add it to your Crock Pot, and continue cooking – the sauce will thicken up in no time.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes to Try
Crock Pot Chicken and Mushrooms
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 2 packets McCormick Chicken Gravy
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (10.5 oz.) NOT diluted
- ½ cup water or chicken broth
- 1 clove garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 lb. fresh mushrooms sliced
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place condensed soup, water, and gravy packets in a slow cooker. Whisk together until completely combined. Add garlic.2 packets McCormick Chicken Gravy, 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (10.5 oz.), ½ cup water or chicken broth, 1 clove garlic
- Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste.2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- Optional step: brown chicken in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side, just to add color and flavor before placing it in the slow cooker. This is not necessary if you don’t have the time, though!
- Add chicken to the slow cooker and top with mushrooms. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.1 lb. fresh mushrooms
- At this point, you can either spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve; OR you can remove the chicken from the slow cooker, shred with two forks, and then stir the shredded chicken back into the mushroom sauce before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Notes
- If you have extra time and want to add flavor and color to your chicken, brown the meat in a skillet for about 5-6 minutes per side before adding it to the slow cooker. That step is totally optional (and definitely not necessary if you choose to shred the meat at the end of the cooking time).
- Be careful not to overcook your chicken breasts. I find that the chicken breasts have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours. That keeps them moist and juicy and prevents them from drying out. If you would like a dish with a longer cooking time, try using 2 lbs. of boneless chicken thighs instead of the breasts. The thighs tend to stay juicy when left in a Crock Pot for extended periods.
- Also, remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
- Instead of water, use a half cup of chicken broth for more flavor.
- You should always season your chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. For more flavor, add garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or another favorite herb blend.
- If the mushroom sauce isn’t thick enough for your liking, mix a quick cornstarch slurry, add it to your Crock Pot, and continue cooking – the sauce will thicken up in no time.
This looks easy and delicious. What size crockpot do you recommend? I have an 8 quart I use for office potlucks. I am thinking I need a smaller size for family meals like this one. Thanks!
Hi, Bridget! I like a 6-quart or 7-quart slow cooker for family recipes like this. 🙂