This balsamic chicken recipe with mushrooms and thyme is one of those meals that you will make over and over again. It has so much flavor, couldn't be easier to make, and tastes like a dish you would get in a restaurant or at a fancy dinner party! This balsamic chicken can be ready in just 25 minutes. Not to mention, it's healthy and low-carb friendly.
This balsamic chicken dish is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Golden brown chicken breasts, earthy mushrooms, slightly sweet and tangy balsamic vinegar, and thyme sauce, with a sprinkling of fresh parsley... Yum!
Plus, we usually grate some fresh Parmesan cheese on top or finish it with a good sprinkling of goat cheese. Nothing better than that!
With only 214 calories and 5 grams of fat, it's good for you and also low carb, gluten-free, Paleo, and Whole30-friendly!
Key Ingredients For Balsamic Chicken And Mushrooms
These are the ingredients you'll need to make the chicken recipe:
- Chicken Breasts: For this recipe, I used boneless skinless chicken tenderloins so it was quick and easy to cook. Plus, I am able to serve more portions of it if I have multiple guests over.
- Mushrooms: I sliced up some baby portabella mushrooms but you can easily swap those out for white button or crimini mushrooms instead.
- Garlic Cloves: Can't forget the minced garlic!
- Chicken Broth: When adding chicken broth to this balsamic chicken recipe, make sure to pick up some low sodium broth. Between all of the seasoning and herbs, you don't want the salt to overpower the dish.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Reducing the balsamic down to a sauce will allow the mushrooms to soak up the vinegar for a much more intense flavor.
- Thyme: Adding thyme gives this chicken recipe its sharp earthy flavor that complements the sweet/tart flavor of the balsamic vinegar.
- Parsley: I like to add some chopped parsley when I serve the chicken to give it a nice bite of freshness against the balsamic sauce.
Note: For a full list of ingredients and detailed instructions on how to make this balsamic chicken recipe, take a look at the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Recipe Tips And Ideas For Healthy Chicken And Mushrooms
Here are some tips and tricks for making this balsamic chicken with mushrooms and thyme:
- Personally, I couldn't love mushrooms more but, if they aren't your favorite, you could use zucchini, summer squash, or green beans instead.
- If you can't find chicken breast tenderloins for the recipe, just use a whole chicken breast and slice it down into smaller strips so that they cook more quickly and evenly.
- Thyme is my favorite spice to use in this recipe but you could substitute in some Italian seasoning, oregano, rosemary, or marjoram.
- You could also use fresh herbs instead of dried ones if you have some on hand.
- Although parsley is a great way to add freshness to the dish, you could also add fresh basil or chives to finish the dish.
- One of our readers had a great idea to add cherry tomatoes during the last five minutes of cooking! Love it!
What To Serve With This Balsamic Chicken Recipe
Looking for a side dish to try to serve with this yummy dish? I usually like to serve it with some sort of grain and vegetables. Those typically are brown rice, quinoa, or baked potato. If I'm feeling fancy and have some extra time on my hands, I will sometimes make some of my delicious zucchini couscous or lemon quinoa to serve.
When it comes to the vegetables, I try to choose ones that will complement the mushrooms in this balsamic chicken recipe like asparagus, roasted garlic broccoli, or Brussels sprouts!
Planning to meal prep a few lunches? I'll make a batch of garlic zucchini noodles and make a few chicken bowls to last me all week!
Frequently Asked Questions About Healthy Balsamic Chicken Mushroom Recipe
Here are some questions I frequently get asked about by some readers…
What kind of balsamic vinegar should I buy to make this dish?
Since balsamic vinegar is one of the main flavors in this recipe, it's really important to choose a high-quality one that will pack in the flavor and bring the right amount of sweetness and tartness. This doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune though.
Personally, I usually buy the Whole Foods 365 Aged Balsamic Vinegar and it's delicious!
Can I use other parts of the chicken instead of chicken breasts?
Yes! Instead of using boneless chicken breasts, I'll sometimes swap it out for boneless chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks for some added variety. You can also make this with chicken wings!
How can I thicken the sauce to make a balsamic glaze?
After the chicken has finished cooking, add a tsp of cornstarch to thicken up the leftover sauce and drizzle the balsamic glaze over the chicken!
More Delicious Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
- Grilled Lemon Chicken with Tzatziki
- Cheesy Broccoli Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Easy Chicken Soft Tacos
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Grilled Greek Chicken Thighs