Childhood Chicken Stroganoff Reinvented

Stroganoff seems to be one of those dishes that are popular all around the world. Growing up in Brazil my mom used to cook it all the time. It was a meal that made the kids and adults in our family very happy!

Although there are several versions of Stroganoff, most of them consist of sauteed chicken or beef, onions, and mushrooms cooked in a mustard-sour cream sauce. Some people also add tomato sauce or ketchup to it. The Brazilian version also includes sweet corn, which I recommend adding in case your family likes it.


I made up this version with the intention of adding a more elegant flavor to this dish while keeping it simple and easy to make. I used some white wine, skipped the tomato sauce, and added equal parts of sour cream and mascarpone cheese which added a more delicate, sweet and luscious characteristic to the stroganoff. 





I loved how it turned out! And although I was nervous about serving if to my kids, they ended up loving it too! I highly recommend this for a family weeknight dinner along with some rice, noodles, mashed potatoes or polenta, and a side of salad!


A few tips:
1- Since my husband was not going to be home for dinner I used only 2 chicken fillets on this recipe. My 2 kids and I ate and I still had a little bit of left overs which my son had for lunch the next day (it was still delicious!). I would recommend that you double the recipe if you are serving 2 adults plus kids.
2- I also advise using a cast iron or other heavy bottomed skillet. 
3- When cooking mushrooms and chicken, use very high heat and don't overcrowd the pan - you want them to sear quickly and lock all their juices inside.
4- Interested in substituting the parsley for a different herb? Fresh thyme would be delicious on this dish. Add it when cooking the mushrooms or right after adding the wine and chicken broth.
5- I love eating Stroganoff with rice! Here is a recipe for the white rice you see on the photos: Brazilian Style White Rice

Childhood Chicken Stroganoff Reinvented
Serves 2 to 3
Prep time: 20 minutes  Cooking time: 25 minutes


Ingredients:

2 chicken breast fillets, pat dry and cut into strips or cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of prepared coarse ground mustard
1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar
2 cups baby bella mushroom, sliced
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup of white wine
3/4 cup of low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup of light sour cream
1/4 cup of mascarpone cheese
3/4 tablespoon of fresh parsley, finely chopped


Directions:


Use a couple of paper towels to pat the chicken fillets dry. Cut fillets into strips or small cubes. Season it with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, the mustard and the vinegar (use your hands to make sure the all the chicken strips are coated with the seasoning).


Place a medium to large heavy bottomed skillet over high heat and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. When oil is sizzling hot, add the mushroom and cook until they are seared (don't stir them around too much). Transfer cooked mushrooms to a plate, sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and set them aside. 


Bring the pan back to high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the chicken in two batches until cooked through and golden brown. Transfer chicken to a plate and set it aside.


Return pan to medium-high heat, add onion and garlic and cook until golden in color. Add wine and broth to the pot and with the help of a wooden spoon scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan while the liquid boils (5 minutes). At this point add chicken and stir in the sour cream and mascarpone cheese until combined. Add mushrooms to the pot, cover it with a lid and allow it to boil over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until sauce has thicken slightly. Try a bite and adjust salt and pepper, if necessary.

Visualize:

Pat chicken dry, slice it, season it and set aside:

Saute mushrooms and set aside:

Cook chicken in two batches and set aside:

Cook onions and garlic until golden brown. Add wine and chicken broth. With a wooden spoon loosen brown bits from the bottom of the pan:

Bring chicken back to the pot. Add sour cream and mascarpone, and finally add the mushrooms. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid and allow it to cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce has slightly reduced and thickened:

Turn off the heat, add the parsley and serve:

Serve it over white or brown rice, with noodles, mashed potatoes, or polenta. Make a nice salad, and dinner is done!

Want to serve your Stroganoff over white rice? Here is a recipe: Brazilian Style White Rice