Chicken and Green Beans in Creamy Mushroom Sauce boasts fresh ingredients only. You will not find any canned cream soup here. Instead, lots of buttery flavor in those string beans! This 30 minute one pan chicken recipe can also be made ahead. Perfect for busy weeknights just like Lemon Garlic Chicken with Green Beans!
This chicken and green bean in creamy sauce is buttery goodness with mushrooms. All you need is about 30 minutes and there you have a delicious dinner. What's even better - you can make it a couple of days ahead and it will store nicely in the fridge.
A protein and a veggie side dish all made in a single skillet is my dream come true. And if you like tender and juicy mushrooms covered in the rich and comforting cheesy garlic sauce (think Parmesan), you've got this recipe right here. You might also like Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Creamy Chicken and Spinach.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Do you love flavor? The combination of a few simple ingredients and seasonings, along with minced garlic and butter, produces the most amazing melt in your mouth results.
- How about making it in under 30 minutes? That's right, only thirty minutes. This green bean dish comes together so quickly, you won't have time for a nap.
- Fewer dishes to wash! You just can't go wrong with only having to clean up one single pan at the end of the meal. Especially if you don't like to spend as much time on kitchen cleanup as you spend on its preparation. This creamy chicken and green bean dish is the answer.
Chicken and Beans Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: Make sure to use chicken thighs here and not chicken breasts. Why not use chicken breasts? Because they are so lean, you will get dry results. Chicken thighs, on the other hand, will produce melt in your mouth chicken. That's what we want here.
- Green beans: Use French beans or string beans.
- Heavy cream: If you worry about this dish being too fatty, you can use half-and-half, or milk, and flour instead of heavy cream. But I you like it to be more creamy and not runny, definitely go for heavy cream.
How to cook creamy green beans and chicken
This one pan recipe is really simple, but I will provide you with all the tips you need.
- Prepare the green beans: Arrange green beans in a microwave-safe dish with ½ cup (125ml) water. Cook in the microwave for 8-10 minutes, until almost done but still crisp.
- Cook chicken: In your large skillet, add olive oil and melt butter, then add sliced chicken thighs. Brown on the first side, then flip and a keep cooking a little longer.
- Add beans and mushrooms: Next, you will move all the chicken to the side and let it cook while you add your beans, garlic and mushrooms in the empty part of the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until mushrooms are soft, green beans warmed up and the chicken is fork tender!
- Make creamy sauce: Now it's time to add heavy cream and Parmesan. Mix it well with beans, garlic and mushrooms making sure to coat them with sauce. Cook the sauce over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, letting it bubble away a little. Stir it frequently and watch it thicken slightly over time.
Chicken and Green Beans in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ lb. French green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs thinly sliced
- Salt and lemon pepper (to taste)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 10 oz. mushrooms sliced
- ½ cup chicken broth unsalted
- ½ cup heavy cream (or half-and-half + 1 tablespoon flour for lighter version)
- ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese more for garnish
Instructions
- Arrange green beans in a microwave-safe dish with ½ cup (125ml) water. Cook in the microwave for 8-10 minutes, until almost done but still crisp.
Cook chicken
- In a large skillet, add olive oil and butter to the pan and heat it over medium high heat.
- When the pan is hot, add sliced chicken, season it with salt and lemon pepper right in the pan, and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until chicken slices are slightly browned.
Add beans and mushrooms
- Next add garlic, onion powder, precooked beans and mushrooms. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until mushrooms are cooked to your liking.
Make creamy sauce
- Add chicken broth and heavy cream and reduce the sauce for a couple of minutes, until slightly thickened.
Add cheese
- Next add parmesan cheese into the pan. Stir until cheese is incorporated with the sauce. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.
Serve
- Transfer the creamy green beans to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley for a burst of colour and freshness. Serve hot or chilled.
And that's it. Your whole dinner, ready to go, with a whole lot of flavor and hardly any work involved.
This green bean dish is perfect for busy nights, when you don't have a second to spare on that calendar. That's where this one-skillet chicken recipe comes into play. Let me reiterate. You will only have one dish to clean up afterward. Even the pickiest kids at the table will want second helpings of this easy chicken recipe with green beans and mushrooms!
How to Choose Green Beans
- Green beans is a general name that covers many related types of beans. And it is also used to describe the most common type, which are a variety called Blue Lake. Those are the classic green beans. Yes, the ones we all grew up with and that our grandmothers called string beans! They are very long at 5-7 inches in length.
- French beans, also known as Haricot vert are a thinner, shorter variety. They usually measure about 4-inches long and shorter than regular green beans. The big plus is that they cook in about half the time, and are more tender than Blue Lake green beans.
- I prefer to use French beans, but string beans will work in this recipe as well. Just make sure to cook them slightly longer as they are of a tougher variety than French beans.
Popular substitutions
- Instead of lemon pepper, you can use Umami Seasoning Blend or garlic powder mixed with Italian seasoning.
- Per another reviewer's suggestion, several readers added sherry with the cream & broth.
- If you like to thicken the sauce, create a slurry of cornstarch mixed with existing sauce. Start with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and stir until smooth paste forms. This is your slurry. Bring to a boil and simmer slightly until any starchy taste has been cooked away. Don't cook longer, though, to avoid cornstarch cooking out.
- Sliced cooked bacon is a great addition and will introduce more flavor and texture.
- For a dairy-free version, try making these with coconut cream instead.
FAQ
- Lower fat alternatives: Evaporated milk or light cream.
- What if my sauce too thin? If sauce is too thin for your taste at the end, then dissolve 1 teaspoon cornflour/cornstarch in 2 teaspoon water and stir that in.
- Sauce thickness - it gets thicker once it cools a bit. I like the sauce to be syrupy and thin so it doesn't stick to the beans thickly which I find a bit too rich for my taste. But if you want the sauce to coat the beans thoroughly, just simmer the cream sauce for extra 2-4 minutes. You can make it so thick that the beans are completely covered in the sauce.
- No microwave? Then bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans and cook for 5 minutes until they are tender-crisp. Drain the green beans under cold water to retain their vibrant green colour. You can also plunge them in a bowl of ice water.
What to serve Creamy Beans and Chicken with
Serve over mashed potatoes, of course! I like Buttery Mashed Potato Pie with Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese or Homemade Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
Storage/Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or heavy cream to the chicken and beans skillet (milk will do too) to add some moisture back (refrigeration is very dehumidifying).
More One Skillet Chicken Recipes:
Green Bean Chicken Skillet with Cheese
Sweet and Salty Chicken Thighs
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Skillet
More Holiday Recipes:
Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce
Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Pork Loin
Brussels sprouts Salad with Cranberries and Pecans
Follow me on PINTEREST and FACEBOOK to get more recipe ideas!
K.j says
What would be the best side ?
Olya says
My personal preference would be something starchy and simple - mashed potatoes, or a baked potato.
Lu says
This was awesome!! Will make many times & super easy!
Olya says
Great! Thank you so much.
Allison says
Do you think that I could make this ahead, about 90 minutes and just keep on “warm” in the oven until it is time to serve? I’ve made it before, and it’s been wonderful, but I’ve never served it to a crowd and I’d like to be able to make it then clean up the kitchen before I serve it. Thank you in advance!!
Olya says
Absolutely! I would set the oven temperature to 200 F and just check to make sure the food is still warm. Great idea!
Caroline says
Thanks for a great recipe! I only steamed the green beans in the microwave for 3 minutes and could’ve done 2, but other than that it was delicious and a perfect recipe! This will be a go-to in our house I’m sure.
Olya says
Thank you Caroline and enjoy!
Sallie says
This was delicious!! I do not tolerate heavy cream or half and half well so added an extra 1/2 cup of broth. I used 1 tbsp of gluten free flour (stirred into broth before adding to pan) and it thickened beautifully. I used Kettle Fire brand mushroom chicken broth. Oh, I was lazy and didn't slice the thighs and it was still fantastic!!
Chris says
This was so tasty. The only change I made is I used lemon zest and pepper as i did not have lemon pepper seasoning on hand. A+++
Olya says
Thank you Chris. I'm glad you liked it.
Ashley says
I make this weekly for my husband and myself, we LOVE it!! Question: is it supposed to be kind of soupy? I seem to have a lot of liquid left and not sure if I should simmer it longer.
Olya says
It shouldn't be soupy. I do use air-chilled chicken and it doesn't have any injected fluids that release during cooking.
Deborah Marie says
This was delicious and super simple! Thank you for the base recipe! I prefer green beans on the crunchy side so I didn’t cook them ahead of time as directed; I added them at the end to steam briefly while the chicken and mushrooms absorbed the beautiful flavors of the sauce! I also removed the chicken from the skillet temporarily to cook the mushrooms a little longer than directed. So good! Very tasty and lean! I will serve a crusty bread on the side next time to soak up the sauce and for a little starch for a complete and satisfying dinner. Thank you for a great and simple recipe!
Olya says
That's spectacular! I like crunchy beans too.
Kelly says
This was so good and very easy! Lots of flavor! I think this will become one of my regular recipes especially during the week when I want a quick dinner.
Olya says
I am glad you loved it!
Nicole says
Can I make it with a steak
Olya says
Yes, preferably with filet mignon.
Emma says
I think I will like this recipe, the problem is being able to read it with all the pop ups and ads in the middle of the recipe. Not sure if u can control the ads n pop ups, but it's annoying. As I try to follow the recipe, I look again n an ad has moved the recipe. It makes it harder to follow. Hope I can get thru this.
Olya says
THank you Emma - I will reevaluate the ads with the agency. Thank you:)