Cheesy Mushroom and Herb Chicken with Mashed Potatoes
A cozy, homey meal that reminds me of my Mom. So, I love it for reasons both nostalgic and for the deliciousness of it all. The starchy potato cooking liquid helps make them super creamy and flavorful and it also helps create a great sauce for the chicken.
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 30 to 40 ounces gold potatoes, peeled if you want and roughly diced (see note)
- 32-ounce container chicken stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup sour cream, divided
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or poultry seasoning blend
- Olive oil, as needed/directed
- 16 ounces sliced mushrooms (any kind/mix you like)
- 4 scallions/green onions, chopped, whites and green parts separated
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup dry white white or sherry
- 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, white cheddar, or mozzarella
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a small-to-medium sized pot and add chicken stock to cover. If they’re not totally submerged, you can supplement with water. Add 2 teaspoons of salt (you want it salty like the sea). Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender; about 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and reserve 2 cups of the starchy, salty cooking liquid (we’ll use this in two ways!).
- Put the drained potatoes back in the pot, add 1 cup of that cooking liquid to the pot, along with half of the sour cream, half of the butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Using a potato masher or another suitable implement, mash the potatoes until nice and creamy – to your liking. Hold over low heat, covered, until ready to serve.
- Using a very sharp knife, halve the chicken breasts crossways, creating cutlets (as opposed to lengthwise, which would create tenders). Place them flat on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap (optional), and pound to about half-ish of their original thickness (use a meat mallet, your fist, or anything that seems reasonable here). Season with salt and pepper and the Italian seasoning.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken on both sides until brown and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Don’t wipe out the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushrooms and scallion whites and saute for 5 minutes to tenderize. Deglaze with the wine and let it cook off for about a minute or two. Add the remaining cup of starchy/stocky potato cooking liquid, the remaining ½ cup sour cream, and remaining 3 TBSP butter. Simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes to reduce slightly. Taste and season with salt and pepper, and add the chicken back into the pan.
- Cover evenly with the with the shredded cheese and put the lid on, allowing it to melt for a minute and for the chicken to warm through. Serve the chicken over the mashed potatoes, covered in the sauce and topped with the scallion greens.
Notes
NOTE: For four-ish servings of mashed potatoes, I purchase a 48-ounce bag of gold potatoes and use about â…” of it, typically. The amount does not have to be exact for them to turn out well. I fill a small-to-medium pot about â…” of the way with largely diced potatoes and then add water just to cover.