Chicken Stroganoff

I first dabbled with making my own homemade stroganoff in 2014 after reading about it in America’s Test Kitchen. Naturally, I started with their version of easy beef stroganoff — the wildly popular comfort food that originated in Russia and quickly made it onto many American families’ dinner tables. And it was a hit! 

I found that the right cut of beef and a homemade stroganoff sauce were key in making this meal a standout dish. But this got me thinking, why stop at beef? Can you make stroganoff with chicken? The answer is yes, and that is what we are making today;  my foolproof chicken stroganoff recipe.

Why Make This Recipe?

1. Because it is made in one-pan on the stovetop for a quick, easy and budget-friendly meal that you can make on a Tuesday night in under an hour.
2. The homemade chicken stroganoff sauce is made from scratch by simmering egg noodles with chicken and mushrooms without the use of cream of mushroom soup.

Ingredients

There are two components to this chicken stroganoff (aka pollo stroganoff recipe) – the meat and noodles and the homemade stroganoff sauce.

Best Cut of Chicken Meat For This Recipe

I found that the best cut of chicken for stroganoff is boneless and skinless chicken thighs. However, you can also use skinless chicken breasts in this recipe.

The trick to getting super tender chicken, regardless of the cut you use, is to:

1. Cut it in even pieces against the grain
2. Season it well
3. Give it a quick sear

Ingredients for the Stroganoff Sauce / Gravy

• Fat for Sautéing: You can use any neutral-flavored vegetable oil here. You can also use butter, which of course, yields a rich, delicious stroganoff.
• Onions: One medium yellow onion is all you need; white onions will work, too.
• Garlic  
• Baby Bella Mushrooms: I used baby Bella mushrooms, but you can also use white button mushrooms. 
• Fresh Thyme and Italian Parsley 
• All-Purpose Flour: For making and thickening the stroganoff sauce
• White Wine: Pick a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. If you want to make this recipe alcohol-free, you can swap out this ½ cup of wine for a ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar.
• Dijon Mustard 
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Low-Sodium Chicken Broth: You can make chicken stock at home or buy it from the store. If you do, I recommend getting low-sodium broth. 
• Wide Egg Noodles: Egg noodles cook quicker than the usual pasta and require less liquid, which works perfectly in this chicken mushroom noodle recipe. Alternatively, if you are following a gluten-free diet, you can use gluten-free pasta/egg noodles.
• Sour Cream: I recommend using full-fat sour cream, but low-fat version would also work.
• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a pop of brightness at the very end.
• Salt and Pepper: I always use Kosher salt.

How To Make It?

1. Prep & season the meat: Pat-dry chicken with paper towels and cut it into small 1-2 inch cubes. Whatever you do, do not skip this step. Drying the meat thoroughly will help achieve perfect browning, which will result in a tender, juicy chicken for your stroganoff. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

2. Sear the meat: Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the first half of the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side, making sure to achieve a golden brown crust. Place cooked chicken in a bowl. Repeat this process with the rest of the oil and chicken. Set it aside. Do not wash the skillet! You should be left with bits of the chicken and some brown spots that are key for creating a super flavorful stroganoff sauce.

3. Cook the aromatics: Melt two tablespoons of butter, add in the onion, and cook for about 5-6 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently and scraping the browned bits and pieces of chicken at the bottom of the pan. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Then, add the mushrooms and thyme, and cook until mushrooms are softened, approximately 4-5 minutes. 

Stroganoff Sauce

1. Make the stroganoff gravy: Next, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute. Pour in the wine, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Give it a stir to combine, scraping up any remaining seasoned chicken and vegetable bits.
   Add the reserved chicken back into the pan, and stir. Secure the lid, bring the stroganoff sauce to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.

2. Stir in the Egg Noodles: Lastly, stir in the egg noodles, cover and let cook 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and lemon juice off the heat. Garnish with fresh thyme and/or parsley, and enjoy.

What To Serve It With?

To complete the meal, serve your chicken stroganoff with:

• Crusty Artisan No Knead Bread
• Baked Asparagus Recipe
• Butter Garlic Green Beans
• Roasted Whole Carrots
• Miso Roasted Japanese Turnips
• Brussel Sprouts and Kale Salad

Variations

• Spicy Chicken Stroganoff: If you’d like to spice up your stroganoff, you could add a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, paprika, or even a couple of drops of hot chile oil.
• Chicken Stroganoff without cream: Want to make this without sour cream or dairy free? Simply omit the sour cream at the end and use vegetable oil to cook with instead of butter. 
• Chicken Stroganoff with no Mushrooms: If you are not a fan of mushrooms, you can simply leave them out! This chicken stroganoff is still delicious sans fungi. 

Can You Make It Ahead of Time?

You most certainly can! But you’ll want to omit the egg noodles until just before serving. Otherwise, they may fall apart in the days leading up to your meal while being refrigerated or frozen as they are softer than typical pasta (like spaghetti or fettuccine).

So, if you’re looking to turn this into a make ahead chicken stroganoff recipe, follow steps 1-7, then wait to add the egg noodles when you reheat and prepare to serve.

Like with anything, the key is to let your chicken and stroganoff sauce completely cool and come to room temperature before storing in an airtight container and placing in your fridge. 

How To Store, Freeze, and Reheat?

• Store any leftover chicken and stroganoff sauce in an airtight container or Ziplock bag in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. Omit the egg noodles, if possible, and instead prepare before serving. If you need to store the noodles with the sauce, refrigerate for up to two days.
• To freeze, cook therecipe up to step 7 — before you add the noodles — allow it to cool completely and come to room temperature. Place in an airtight container or Ziplock bag, and freeze for up to a month. 
• To reheat, allow the frozen chicken stroganoff to thaw in the fridge overnight the day before you are planning to serve. Then, transfer it into a sauce pan and heat over medium heat until warmed through and starting to bubble at the edges. Add the egg noodles, and cook until they are softened. You should have enough liquid, but if you feel like it needs more add in some broth or water. Remove the chicken stroganoff from the heat, and then add the sour cream, lemon juice, and herbs before serving. Enjoy!