Chicken Thighs with Rosemary Mushroom Cream Sauce

Chicken thighs with rosemary mushroom cream sauce is creamy, hearty, and so easy to make. Crispy, golden chicken thighs are seared in a skillet, then finished in the oven in a rich cream sauce with earthy mushrooms and fresh rosemary. It is a real crowd pleaser, and you are going to love every last creamy, luscious bite!

Look at this meal, and tell me you don’t want it? It is the perfect midweek meal. It is simple, delicious, and really easy to make, and everything happens in one skillet, so cleanup is a breeze. It also looks and tastes fancy enough to serve to company, which is my favorite kind of recipe.

I love chicken thighs because they are literally one of the easiest things to cook. They are low cost, full of flavor, and hard to ruin, so they stay juicy even if dinner runs a few minutes long. That makes this a perfect meal for a busy night.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• One skillet: You sear, make the sauce, and bake all in the same pan.
• Crispy skin, creamy sauce: Searing the skin first and finishing under the broiler keeps the chicken crisp on top while the bottom soaks up the sauce.
• Budget friendly: Chicken thighs are one of the most affordable cuts, and the rest is pantry and fridge staples.
• Company worthy: It tastes like a restaurant dinner with only about 10 minutes of hands-on prep.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Chicken thighs: Use skin-on thighs for the crispiest result. Trim off any large pieces of extra skin and fat before cooking.
• Mushrooms: Sliced white button or cremini (baby bella) mushrooms both work. Make sure they are clean and dry so they brown instead of steam.
• Fresh rosemary: It makes the sauce so aromatic. Chop it finely so you get a little in every bite.
• Chicken stock and heavy cream: The stock adds savory flavor, and the cream simmers down into a rich, silky sauce.
• Olive oil, salt, and pepper: For searing and seasoning. A little minced garlic on the chicken is optional, but delicious.

How to Make Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Here is the quick overview. The full ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Sear the chicken. Pat the thighs dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear them skin side down in a hot cast iron skillet until the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip, sear the other side, then set the chicken aside.
2. Brown the mushrooms. Add a little more oil and the mushrooms to the same pan. Let them cook without stirring too much so they get nice and browned.
3. Build the sauce. Add the chicken stock and rosemary and let it simmer, then stir in the heavy cream and let it simmer and thicken up.
4. Bake. Nestle the chicken back into the sauce, skin side up, and bake at 375 degrees until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F, about 25 to 35 minutes.
5. Broil and serve. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes to crisp the skin back up, then serve right away with plenty of sauce.

Tips for Crispy Skin and a Silky Sauce

• Pat the chicken dry. Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin, so blot the thighs with a paper towel before seasoning.
• Render the fat. Searing the skin long enough melts away a lot of the fat so your sauce does not get greasy. If there is a lot of fat in the pan after searing, drain some off before adding the mushrooms.
• Don’t crowd the pan. Use a 10-inch or larger skillet. If the thighs are packed in tight they will steam instead of brown, so sear in batches if you need to.
• Leave the mushrooms alone. Stirring too often keeps them from browning. Let them sit and get some color.
• Use a meat thermometer. Chicken is safe at 165 degrees F. Thighs are forgiving, and many people think they are even more tender closer to 175 degrees F.
• Fix a greasy sauce. If you see a layer of grease when it comes out of the oven, spoon it off and stir in a splash of extra cream and chicken stock.

We did a lot of Dutch oven cooking when I was growing up! A pre-seasoned cast-iron pot and just the right coals made all the difference in perfect flavor and tenderness. Likewise, you’ll love a pre-seasoned cast iron skillet in your kitchen. The same great flavor, but with indoor convenience!

Variations and Swaps

• Boneless thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs work too. They cook faster, so start checking the temperature after about 15 to 20 minutes in the oven.
• Chicken breasts: Pound them to an even thickness and bake until they reach 165 degrees F. Watch them closely so they don’t dry out.
• Dried rosemary: Use about 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary in place of the fresh.
• Other herbs: Fresh thyme is a great swap or addition.
• Add some greens: Stir a couple handfuls of fresh spinach into the sauce right before the chicken goes back in.
• Lighter sauce: Half-and-half will give you a thinner sauce. Let it simmer a few extra minutes to thicken.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, or in a covered baking dish at 350 degrees until warmed through, adding a splash of chicken stock or cream if the sauce has thickened too much. Cream sauces can separate when frozen, so this one is best enjoyed fresh or from the fridge.

What to Serve with Creamy Chicken Thighs

You will want something to soak up all that sauce. My favorites are Herb Butter Mashed Potatoes, egg noodles, or Easy Rice Pilaf. Add a green veggie like Garlic Green Beans or Roasted Asparagus and dinner is done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use bone-in or boneless chicken thighs?

Either works. Skin-on thighs give you that crispy, golden skin. Boneless, skinless thighs cook faster, so shorten the oven time and check the temperature early.

Can I use dried rosemary?

Yes. Use about 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary in place of 2 tablespoons fresh.

Why is my sauce greasy?

The skin did not render enough fat during searing. Next time sear a little longer, or drain some fat from the pan before adding the mushrooms. For now, spoon off the grease and stir in a little extra cream and stock.

How do I know when the chicken is done?

Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone. It should read at least 165 degrees F.

Other Chicken Recipes You will Love

• Creamy Red Curry Chicken
• Chicken Enchiladas
• Ginger Orange Chicken
• Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad
• Indian Butter Chicken Recipe

Chicken Thighs with Rosemary Mushroom Cream Sauce

Crispy, golden chicken thighs baked in a creamy rosemary mushroom sauce, all in one skillet. Hearty, easy, and a real crowd pleaser.

3.75 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken thighs, rosemary mushroom cream sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 586kcal

Author: Rachael Yerkes

Equipment

Cast iron skillet

Instant-Read Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs Olive oil
• 6 Chicken thighs trimmed
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tbs Minced garlic * optional

Rosemary Mushroom Cream Sauce

• 1 Tbs Olive oil
• 8-12 ounces Mushrooms sliced
• 1 cup Chicken stock
• 2 Tbs Fresh rosemary
• 2 cups Heavy cream
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• In a large cast iron skillet (10"+) heat 1 Tbs olive oil, until hot but not smoking.
• Pat chicken thighs dry, and season with salt and pepper.
• Lay chicken thighs into pan, skin down, and cook for 3-5 minutes until skin is golden brown. You want it to be crisp otherwise, the end result will be greasier.
• Flip and repeat on other side.
• Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
• In same pan add another Tbs olive oil and the mushrooms. Make sure mushrooms are cleaned, dry, and sliced.
• Saute until browned and slightly tender. Do not over stir.
• Add chicken stock and rosemary, simmer for 5 minutes
• Bring to a boil, stir well, then turn down to let simmer 10 minutes to thicken up. Add cream to pan. Stir well.
• Add Chicken back into the pan.
• Put the whole pan into the oven and bake until internal temperature reads 165 degrees, approximately 25-35 minutes
• Turn to broil and broil to brown the top and crisp the chicken back up a bit (3-5 minutes)
• Remove from oven, and serve immediately.

Notes

Cook time will vary based on the size of your chicken thighs. Use a meat thermometer and make sure the thickest part reaches at least 165 degrees F. Boneless thighs cook faster, so start checking after about 15 to 20 minutes in the oven.

When you brown your chicken and crisp up the skin, you should get rid of a lot of the oil, you can drain that off. If you do not do it enough, you will see a layer of grease in the pan when you remove it from the oven. You can dump it off and add some extra cream and chicken stock if it bothers you. But the best way to avoid it is to render down the fat in the initial searing of the chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 220mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 453mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1270IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.

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