Chicken Stroganoff with Sour Cream

Chicken stroganoff is a creamy and comforting one-pot meal, ready in under 30 minutes! Perfectly seasoned chicken thighs and buttery mushrooms are smothered in a rich and savoury sour cream sauce for the perfect cosy weeknight meal!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick and easy – an easy weeknight dinner, made in just one pot with simple ingredients.
• Full of flavour – the ultimate comfort meal!
• Perfect for cold nights – it’s creamy, rich and satisfying. Serve it with creamy mashed potatoes, pasta, steamed vegetables or rice for the perfect cosy dinner on chilly nights.
• Versatile – stroganoff is traditionally made with beef, but this chicken version is packed full of flavour and can be adapted with beef, turkey or even leftover chicken. It can also be stretched further with your favourite veggies.
• Reheats well – make it ahead and reheat it on the stove when you need a speedy lunch or dinner.

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. This photo is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Chicken thighs – I use boneless chicken thigh fillets, as they stay juicy and tender all the way through. But thigh can be swapped for chicken breast or even leftover chicken, if preferred. If using chicken breasts, don’t overcook them or they will become chewy.
• Sour cream – provides a silky, creamy texture and mild tanginess to the sauce. Be sure to use regular, full-fat sour cream rather than light or low-fat sour cream, to prevent the sauce from splitting. While sour cream is classically used, you can swap for crème fraiche, plain Greek or natural yoghurt, if preferred. I don’t recommend skipping this ingredient!
• Paprika – use sweet paprika, not hot or smoked paprika. If you’d like to add a light smoky flavour, keep the sweet Hungarian paprika but also add a small amount of smoked paprika, to taste.
• Plain flour – be sure to flour the chicken well before cooking it. The flour helps the meat to brown and then works to thicken the sauce. If you require the stroganoff to be gluten-free, use cornflour or your preferred thickener instead.
• Mushrooms – add savoury, umami flavour to the sauce. Any common field mushrooms can be used. I use Swiss Brown mushrooms, but portobello, cremini or button mushrooms can also be used. Or, leave them out if you prefer.
• Chicken stock – if you have beef or vegetable stock that you want to use up, they will work too.
• Dijon mustard – tangy mustard adds flavour to the sauce. Use Dijon mustard or swap for wholegrain mustard.
• Worcestershire sauce – a fermented, liquid condiment with a tangy, savoury, sweet and salty umami flavour. Worcestershire sauce adds depth to the creamy sauce. Use more or less, to taste.

Step by step instructions

Full ingredient notes and quantities can be found in the detailed recipe card below. But here is a brief overview of what you can expect;

Step 1 – Prepare the chicken;

Place the chicken thigh pieces in a bowl and coat with the flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir until completely covered.

Cook the chicken in the olive oil in batches until golden, browned on the outside and mostly cooked through in the middle.

Remove the chicken from the pan and rest on a plate while you prepare the sauce.

Step 2 – Make the sauce;

Cook the garlic in the butter until soft and fragrant. Add the mushrooms and brown.

Once the mushrooms are browned and tender, add the flour and stir for 1 minute.

Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, paprika, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly.

On low heat, add the sour cream and stir until combined.

Return the chicken pieces to the pan and bring to a very low simmer only until the sauce has thickened and the chicken pieces have completely cooked through.

Boiling the sauce or cooking for too long can cause the sauce to split.

Remove from the heat and taste. Season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Serve over pasta, creamy mashed potatoes or your choice of sides.

Expert tips

• Don’t skip browning the chicken. To ensure that the sauce has a delicious flavour and colour, brown the chicken in the pan before making the sauce (unless you are using leftover chicken). Make sure the pan is very hot and seal the chicken on both sides to seal and colour them. Keep the residual brown bits in the pan for extra flavour.
• Avoid overcrowding the pan while browning the chicken. We want the chicken to brown and develop a flavourful crust. Overcrowding can lead to the chicken stewing instead of browning.
• If using leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, there is no need to coat the chicken in flour first. Make the sauce and stir the chicken through at the end, until heated through. A little extra flour may be needed to thicken the sauce.
• Use full-fat sour cream rather than light or low-fat sour cream to help prevent the sauce from splitting.
• Add the sour cream at the end and cook until just stirred through. Boiling the sauce after adding the sour cream can cause it to split or curdle. Simmer only until thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
• When finished, taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper accordingly.

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