The 30-Minute Chicken Dinner I Make Once a Week

It’s just six ingredients.

By
Stephanie A Ganz
Stephanie A Ganz
Stephanie A Ganz
Stephanie Ganz has been writing professionally for 10 years and is a regular contributor to Richmond Magazine and Virginia Living. She has also written for Bon Appetit, Eater, The Kitchn, and The Local Palate.
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Published November 14, 2025
Stephanie A Ganz
Four chicken breasts with balsamic mushrooms in a frying pan

Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Why Make This

  • You can make a restaurant-quality chicken with a balsamic pan sauce in just 30 minutes at home.
  • Using the brown bits and deglazing lets you build deep flavor with minimal effort.
  • Leftovers taste great the next day served on a baguette or tossed with salad greens.

One of the most useful things I learned in culinary school was the importance of a good pan sauce. A pan sauce is made with the drippings left behind from cooking a piece of meat (or “fond” if you want to get cheffy). That fond is basically free flavor, and it’s a shame to waste it. 

By deglazing the pan with liquid (here, it’s chicken stock and balsamic vinegar) and adding some extra flavorings, you can quickly create a sauce that tastes like it took a lot longer to make.

This recipe comes together in 30 minutes and is a family favorite, so it’s been showing up on the meal plan often these days. The tangy vinegar sweetens as it reduces, resulting in a sauce that’s complex and crave-worthy, and the leftovers are delicious the next day on a baguette or over salad greens. For family dinner, I like to serve this over creamy polenta or with egg noodles.

Tips for Making My Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

  • Quicker-cooking chicken: If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, consider giving them a light pounding with a meat mallet so that they will cook more evenly and quickly.
  • Extra credit: Though it’s optional, I like to dredge the chicken in all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper before searing. It gives the chicken more of a golden brown crust and helps further thicken the pan sauce.
  • The mushrooms: Use any mushroom or mix of mushrooms you like. Just make sure the pieces are roughly the same size, about an inch to an inch and a half. Cremini and oyster mushrooms are my favorites for this recipe.
  • Even more flavor: For a little extra pop of umami flavor in the sauce, stir in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard when you add the chicken stock and balsamic.
  • For more sauce: If you like a saucier dish, increase the amount of liquid to a cup each of stock and vinegar.
Four chicken breasts with balsamic mushrooms on a white serving plate

Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4 servings
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  • 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered (2 cups)

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon salted butter, room temperature

Method

  1. Sear the chicken:

    Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and black pepper. When the oil is hot, sear the chicken breasts on both sides until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

  2. Reduce heat and continue cooking chicken:

    Reduce the heat to medium and allow the chicken to cook through, turning occasionally, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 160°F, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken. Place the chicken on a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm while preparing the sauce.

  3. Cook the mushrooms:

    Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until they begin to soften and develop a little color, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  4. Finish and serve:

    Pour the chicken stock and balsamic vinegar into the pan, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the cooked bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring the liquid to a brisk simmer, and let the liquid reduce by half, about 5 minutes.

    Take the pan off the heat and stir in the softened butter. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Add the chicken back to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Serve immediately.

    Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To prevent overcooking when reheating, thinly slice the chicken and warm it gently with any leftover mushrooms and sauce in a pan on the stovetop over medium-low heat.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    Three chicken breasts with balsamic mushrooms in a frying pan, with one chicken breast put on a plate with greens next to the pan

    Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
560 Calories
19g Fat
10g Carbs
81g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 560
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 25%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 225mg 75%
Sodium 898mg 39%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 81g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 69mg 5%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 922mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.