Savory, saucy, and satisfying! What’s not to love?! This Creamy Mushroom Chicken is inspired by a Samoan dish and doesn’t skimp on comfort or richness.
It’s a flavorful, 1-pot meal that’s elegant enough for hosting but easy enough for weeknight dinners. Serve with veggies and rice (or coconut rice!) and it’s meal prep perfection. Let us show you how it’s done!
This easy, 1-pot recipe begins with sautéing onion, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger for a flavorful base. We finely chop the mushrooms (vs. slicing) to allow extra caramelization (a trick you’ll also see in our dairy-free mushroom stroganoff).
Next, we brown the chicken thighs on both sides and add light coconut milk, tamari, and apple cider vinegar to create a savory, creamy broth with a little brightness. Optional red pepper flakes add heat and arrowroot or tapioca starch is the thickener.
After adding the “slurry” of arrowroot (or tapioca) + water, we simmer the sauce until it becomes slightly thickened. And then it’s serving time!
We hope you LOVE this mushroom chicken! It’s:
Creamy
Rich
Savory
Gingery
Comforting
& Weeknight-friendly!
It’s a satisfying meal served with brown rice, coconut rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa. It would also pair well with steamed broccoli or cauliflower for more veggies.
More Mushroom Recipes
- Portobello Fajita Tacos with Chipotle Pecan Pesto
- Lentil Mushroom Stew Over Mashed Potatoes
- Savory Chickpea Pancakes with Leek and Mushrooms
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (GF Optional)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Creamy Mushroom Chicken (Samoan-Inspired)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil (DIVIDED // or sub avocado oil)
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion (1/2 medium onion yields ~1 cup or 160 g)
- 2 cups finely chopped cremini or white button mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (organic, pasture-raised when possible)
- 1 (14-oz.) can light coconut milk
- 3 Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce // ensure gluten-free friendly as needed)
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 ½ Tbsp arrowroot powder (or tapioca starch)
FOR SERVING optional
- Sliced green onion
- Sesame seeds
- White rice (or brown rice, coconut rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa)
Instructions
- Heat a large rimmed skillet or pot over medium heat with 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have released most of their moisture and begin to brown.
- Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Push the veggies to the perimeter of the pan. Add another 1 tablespoon coconut oil along with the chicken thighs. Slightly brown the outside of the chicken — about 2 minutes on each side.
- Next, add the coconut milk, tamari, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes (optional) and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the flavor has developed.
- To thicken the sauce, mix together the arrowroot powder (or tapioca starch) with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl to make a “slurry.” Pour this into the pan, stir, and bring back to a simmer. Continue simmering uncovered, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.
- Serve warm garnished with green onions and sesame seeds (both optional). This dish is delicious served over white rice (or brown rice, coconut rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa) with steamed or sautéed veggies such as green beans, broccoli, or sturdy greens like kale or collards.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. The sauce will get thicker once it cools but will loosen back up once reheated. Reheat on the stovetop until warmed throughout.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Matt says
Hi, this looks great and we can’t wait to add it to our meal prep. How would you recommend altering the cooking time if we swapped in chicken breast instead of thighs?
Thanks!
Hi Matt, if leaving the breasts whole, we think you’d need an extra 5 minutes, but we’d recommend checking with a meat thermometer inserted in the center to ensure they’re done. Otherwise, you could try cutting them in half for a similar cook time. Hope that helps!
Sofia Rowey says
Can I make this recipe with coconut milk from a cardboard carton instead of a can?
Hi Sofia! Thats usually a thinner milk which will make the dish less creamy and rich. It will probably work in a pinch though!
Maggie says
I loved this! I wanted it to be as veggie forward as possible so I doubled the mushrooms, mixed quinoa and cali rice, and had broccoli on the side. So yummy!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Maggie. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Haley T says
Great tasty weeknight meal! I made the recipe as written except used a separate pan to sear the chicken thighs before adding to our Dutch oven pot (which is sort of small) because I was worried about space and making sure the chicken cooked. Also instead of using a starch to thicken the sauce at the end I just uncovered and simmered a bit longer. Highly recommend! I also love this recipe because it was easy to add just two ingredients to my regular grocery list – package of chicken and mushrooms. The rest we had already!
We love it when that happens! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your experience, Haley. We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Natasha Trezzy says
Just made this! Did not modify the recipe at all. I LOVE it, really tasty and easy to make. You can taste all of the flavors. It pairs very well with brown rice- Well done @minimalistbaker!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Natasha. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Anita Zadora says
My husband and I made this together and we both loved it! He isn’t always thrilled with my gluten free, dairy free meals but said that this one is a keeper. Thank you for the recipe!
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Anita. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Aimee says
Made this for dinner tonight along with the Minimalist Baker coconut rice and my family loved it! Even my daughter who hates mushrooms loved it and had a second helping. I made it without any recipe modifications.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Aimee. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Elle says
This looks tasty! I’m making this for dinner tonight subbing chicken for jackfruit + roasted broccoli on the side.
I had to chuckle at the link to the inspiration dish for ‘Moa Fa’asaina’. I am Samoan and this loosely translates to ‘Chinese-style Chicken’
Let us know how it goes, Elle! You might want to start with less apple cider vinegar if the jackfruit is in a brine – otherwise it might be too tangy. Thank you for sharing that insight! We couldn’t find much information online on how the inspired dish was tied to Samoan culture, but we wonder if it could be a Chinese-Samoan fusion?
Emily says
Made this and it was a huge hit. I did sub chicken breast for the thighs but it worked just as good. Will be a comfort food staple in my home!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Emily! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Kathryn says
Ohhh yum! Thank you for another delicious recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kathryn! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Theya says
I made this as written and served it over brown rice. Delicious.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Theya! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Grace says
This recipe was delicious!!! I am adding this to my weekly rotation. So good.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Grace! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Myriam says
Just made this. It’s nice and easy. Not sure what I did wrong but mine was still pretty watered down following the arrowroot starch. I recommend maybe using regular coconut milk instead of light?
Hi Myriam, sorry to hear it didn’t thicken properly. What brand of coconut milk were you using? We wonder if it was one that’s more oily vs. creamy? This dish should be really nicely creamy even with light coconut milk. Hope you still enjoyed the flavor!
Bakingbiking Mom says
I replaced the chicken with tofu and added it in the end, so yummy. Thank you!!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification!
Emma says
So good!! all the flavor come together. Will make this recipe again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Emma. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Donna says
Do you think I could sub Cashew Milk for the light Coconut Milk?
It might not be quite as creamy, but should still be delicious!
Choosing to Chew says
SO GOOD. The chicken keeps its juices and the ginger flavors the dish with subtle poise.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review!
Kenzie says
This was tasty, but the smell really caught me off guard. Why does it taste good but smell like weird blue cheese?
Hi Kenzie, we’re glad it was tasty! Hmm, is it possible one of your ingredients was old or spoiled? How does your vinegar smell?
Nikki says
Delicious! Made pretty much as per the instructions, but used green spring onions and added some garlic-infused oil as I can’t eat white or red onion, or have garlic cloves. Really yummy, served with Kenyan beans – definitely a keeper. Would just make a little extra sauce next time as we like lots to go with the coconut rice! Thank you for a simple, and very moreish recipe.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Nikki. We’re so glad you enjoyed!
Darlyne Redd says
Just saw my question answered further down in the comments. Love mushrooms so this is a “must try” recipe!
Yay! We’d love to know how it goes for you, Darlyne!
Nikki says
This sounds absolutely delicious, and is definitely one I’d like to try. Could I make this work in the slow-cooker? I’m using my slow-cooker more than ever at the moment during these winter months, especially with the cost of gas being so high… 😬
Thank you!
Hi Nikki, it might work okay, but the onions and mushrooms really benefit from sautéing for a caramelized flavor.
Daria says
currently i’m trying to fix my eating behavior and sometimes it’s very difficult to find tastes i would like to feel. but this dish is incredibly delicious!! flavor is so good, i’m so glad to finally find something new one which making me happy while eating! thank you very much!
We’re so glad this recipe makes you happy, Daria! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Amy says
We aren’t fans of thighs. If I cut breasts into smaller pieces, that should work, right?
Hi Amy! That should work! The cooking time will just be slightly different. xo
Paul says
I try to follow a “whole food plant based” diet. With this in mind, please provide your thoughts/suggestions regarding the substitution of Tofu or Coy Curls or Jack Fruit or white beans or, etc.??? (suggestions please), in place of the chicken (or perhaps a combination of items in place of the chicken). Thanks
Hi Paul. You could try adding tofu in towards the end!
Lyndsay says
Tofu: Cooked? Raw?
For this one we would suggest tearing it up into bite size pieces and adding it in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking!
Sharon Styve says
I suggest dusting tofu pieces with seasoned flour/cornstarch/or almond flour and frying it before putting it into the sauce. For me, I prefer tofu to have a “crust”. You could also consider using Gardein or other plant-based “chicken”. Just some options for you to consider. (My adult daughter is vegan, so I am always “converting” recipes to veganize them!)
Nina says
Hi MB! This sounds amazing and I have all the ingredients and would love to make this tonight. If I was to use leftover cooked chicken, when would you suggest to add?
Hi Nina, we’d suggest adding it in step 3. If the chicken is already seasoned with salt, the dish might be quite salty. In that case, we’d suggest starting with less tamari. Let us know how it goes!