Creamy chicken and mushrooms is a delicious keto comfort food dinner. So easy and quick, you can have a healthy meal on your table in no time! Stovetop instructions included too.
We interrupt your regular programming of keto holiday recipes to bring you an easy instant pot meal that the whole family will love. Full of rich flavor and healthy fats, this chicken and mushrooms recipe will become an instant family favorite. It’s already gone into regular rotation in my house.
The Instant Pot really is quite a useful piece of gadgetry and I have amassed a number of keto instant pot recipe over the past few years. Among my family’s favorites are the Creamy Keto Salsa Chicken, the Loaded Cauliflower Soup, and the keto Pulled Pork.
It’s also a surprisingly useful machine for making easy desserts, and I’ve made three different keto cheesecake recipes in this thing, plus a keto Sticky Toffee Pudding!
But I know not everyone has an Instant Pot, nor do they want one. So I am also including stovetop instructions in the recipe notes. I am nothing if not accommodating!
How to cook chicken in an Instant Pot
While the Instant Pot is exceptionally useful, I am the first to admit that it’s not ideal for every recipe. I feel that many bloggers make the mistake of trying to cook everything in it, even if it doesn’t really save time or produce great results. So here are my thoughts on how (and when!) to cook chicken in an Instant Pot:
- When it’s boneless and skinless chicken, consider the Instant Pot. I find that the skin on chicken tends to become rubbery and unappetizing. But skinless chicken benefits from the moist heat of the pressure cooker and becomes succulent.
- When you want shredded chicken, the Instant Pot is ideal. It can quickly cook chicken to the consistency where it can be easily shredded with two forks, and is much faster than the stovetop method.
- Chicken soups and stews are also incredibly easy in the Instant Pot. It’s often a matter of dumping the ingredients in, pressing start, and coming back when it’s all done.
- And this popular device is also ideal for cooking chicken from frozen. Forgot to defrost the meat for dinner? Place it in the pot with a bit of broth or water and hit start. It will take longer for the IP to come to temperature but once it does, it will cook the chicken quite quickly.
Keto Chicken and Mushrooms in the Instant Pot
This is the kind of recipe where the Instant Pot shines. Because it has the sauté function in addition to being a pressure cooker, you can brown the mushrooms first and bring out the best flavor. Is there anything better than mushrooms, butter, and a little garlic?
I chose to chop the chicken into bite-sized before cooking, to make a meal that could easily be spooned over cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or whatever your favourite keto side dish might be.
I layered the chopped chicken over the mushrooms, sealed the Instant Pot, and set it on manual high. 5 minutes was all it took to cook the chicken perfectly.
To achieve a thick, creamy mushroom sauce, I removed the chicken with a slotted spoon, and added some cream and a touch of Dijon mustard. I returned the pot to sauté, to cook down the liquid. But I also added a touch of glucomannan to help thicken the sauce.
When using a keto thickener like glucomannan or xanthan gum, I recommend removing some of the liquid to a separate bowl and whisking it into that first. It helps prevent lumps, and if you do by change get some, you can spoon them out. Then you simply stir it back into the main sauce.
This Keto Chicken and Mushrooms is a remarkably simple, flavorful dish that goes well with any keto side you want to serve. It even had all three of my kids eating mushrooms. Will wonders never cease!
More Keto Comfort Food Favourites
- Keto French Onion Meatloaf
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Keto Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Beef Stroganoff Meatballs
- Cheesy Tuna Zoodle Casserole
- Chicken Green Chili Casserole
Instant Pot Chicken and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 8 ounce mushrooms quartered
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or sage
- Salt and pepper
- 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon glucomannan or xanthan gum
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot onto the sauté function and add the butter. Let melt.
- Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are nicely browned. Add the thyme and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cook another 30 seconds. Turn off the Instant Pot
- Place the cut up chicken just on top of the mushrooms and season with more salt and pepper. Add the broth. Secure the lid and set to manual function (high) to cook for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking is done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then vent it to relieve the remaining pressure.
- Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the chicken onto a plate, leaving the mushrooms in the pot. Add the cream and mustard, whisk to combine and set on saute again. Cook a few minutes until the sauce has thickened a little.
- Remove about half a cup of the liquid and whisk in the glucomannan. Add back to the pot and stir in to make a thicker, richer gravy. Add the chicken back into the pot and toss to combine.
Notes
Pam says
Just tried this…it was amazing. Especially on a cold night!!
Delta Erin says
Such a favourite go-to!!! Thanks for this – my work meals ROCK thanks to you Carolyn and this easy-peasy recipe. 😁
Carly says
what is the side that you served it with, in the pics here? small pearly looking things
Carolyn says
That’s just coarse cauliflower rice. Whole Foods sells the fresh stuff and some of it’s quite big so it ends up looking rather like Isreali couscous.
Northern Belle says
This looks delicious! Wondering if it can be made with whole, frozen, boneless-skinless things or breasts? I’m pretty bad at remembering to get things out to defrost and microwaving to defrost doesn’t work well with chicken IMO. Thanks for your answer!
Katie says
Was very bland. Needs more seasoning than thyme and garlic. Will be making this again but playing with that. Loved the consistency and texture just needed more flavor.
Carolyn says
Always season to taste! 🙂
Sylvia says
Can you use chicken breast instead? If so would you need to cook it longer?
This recipe is really tasty. LOVE all your recipes 😊
Carolyn says
Yes, you can and it should take the same amount of time.
Rebecah says
I don’t know what I did wrong, I doubled the recipe, but it was pretty tasteless.
Carolyn says
I’m sorry to hear that. But doubling the recipe might be the issue since it would be hard to cook properly. Not really sure!
Miriam says
I just made this last night. It was so easy and delicious. It wasn’t a set it and forget it dish (like a slowcooker) but I didn’t slave in front of the stove, like I normally do with other dishes. We added more garlic and just used regular mustard because we didn’t have dijon on hand. We ate it with brown rice and had enough leftovers for my husband’s lunch. Thank you for sharing.
Karen says
Very easy and quick to make can barely call it “cooking.” With some fancy presentation would be a perfect dish to serve to guests. Definitely a keeper. Oh, and husband approved. Thank you.
Gail D says
Can you use arrowroot in place of the other thickeners?
Carolyn says
I suppose so.
Tad says
If I’m using an 8 qt instant pot, wouldn’t I need more liquid? How should I adjust the recipe?
Carolyn says
No, don’t add more liquid. Trust me, the pressure from the IP forces plenty of liquid out of the meat and mushrooms.
Stephanie says
This recipe is exactly why I bought an instant pot. Fast, easy and delicious!
Toni says
I love this! Such a flavorful meal for weeknights!
Paige says
WOW this looks so good, and I love mushrooms and eating low carb…this is on my short list of recipes to try
Gisele says
What is the white roundish staple you show you are serving it wushu? It’s definitely not rice?
Carolyn says
It was “Miracle Rice” (kojac). I would prefer cauli rice though, I just happened to have some of this on hand for the photos.
Cici says
Sounds delish! If I want to add some wine to the recipe, should I sub out some broth or cream?
Also, I noticed that in the IP version you leave the mushrooms in while you make the sauce, but in the stove top version you take them out. Why?
PS I just received my pre-order copy of Keto Baking and I am seriously wowed!
Carolyn says
Yes, wine would be fab. I would add it in after the mushrooms are done cooking and let it reduce by half, and then add about half the amount of broth.
I left them in only because it was easier in the IP. You can in the stovetop too, as long as you remove some of the liquid to whisk in the glucomannan or xanthan. You may also need more liquid for the stovetop method because the wet heat of the IP produces more liquid.