This Instant Pot chicken stew with mushrooms is hearty, creamy and delicious. Using a pressure cooker, it's a quick and easy dinner for the whole family. Serve with rice, potatoes, pasta or veggies. Keto-friendly!
This delicious, rich stew of creamy mushrooms and chicken is absolutely spectacular. Made with nourishing sour cream (it's a type of fermented dairy!) and loads of garlic, this Instant Pot stew will delight the whole family.
You will also love this creamy chicken and leek stew.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHICKEN STEW
We used a combination of chicken thighs and breast meat, but you are welcome to use whichever part of the chicken you like. We prefer to use skinless chicken in this recipe because the sauce is already quite creamy and rich.
For mushrooms, we really like to use Swiss brown because they have more flavour and they look a little darker, giving a nice contrast of colours to the otherwise creamy white stew. White button mushrooms or diced portobello will work just as fine.
You will find the full list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below but here is how to make this Instant Pot chicken mushroom stew in a few simple steps.
- Step 1. Saute the onion in olive oil until softened.
- Step 2. Add chicken, mushroom, spices and stock. Pop the lid on top and pressure cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
- Step 3. Release the pressure and open the lid. Switch on the Saute setting again. Thicken the stew with arrowroot starch (or an alternative) and stir in the cream.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THE CHICKEN STEW
We like to serve this pressure cooker chicken stew with green vegetables such as steamed broccoli or fine green beans. Again, this is because the dish is quite rich and filling and it would be too heavy served with pasta or rice.
Of course, you are welcome to do that, especially if you need to stretch the meat and the sauce for a larger group of people or a large family. You can also add some carrots, celery and potatoes to the stew to bulk it up.
MORE INSTANT POT CHICKEN RECIPES
- Hearty Chicken & Potato Stew
- White Chicken Chili (from iFoodreal)
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Paprika
- Honey Lemon Glazed Chicken
- Italian Chicken Scarpariello
- Best 30 Low-Carb Instant Pot Recipes
- For more Instant Pot Chicken Thigh Recipes go here.
Rate This Recipe
Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Stew With Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion halved and sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.7 lb. chicken thigh and/or breast, diced (800 g)
- 7 oz. mushrooms mix of Swiss brown and white button, leave some whole and halve the larger ones (200 g)
- 4 large cloves of garlic diced roughly
- 1-2 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chicken stock or chicken stock cube and water (125 ml)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup sour cream (75 ml)
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or corn starch/tapioca flour for thickening
- To finish: 2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on and press the Sauté function key (it should say High, 30 mins).
- Add the onions, olive oil, and salt to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened slightly.
- Add the chicken, mushrooms, garlic, bay leaves, nutmeg, pepper, stock cube, water, and mustard and stir through. Then turn the Sauté off by pressing the Keep Warm/Cancel button.
- Place and lock the lid, make sure the steam releasing handle is pointing to Sealing. Press Poultry (High Pressure, 15 minutes). After 3 beeps, the pressure cooker will start going.
- Once the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes then use the quick release to let off the rest of the steam.
- When it’s safe, open the lid and press the Sauté function key again. Scoop a few tablespoons of the liquid into a bowl and dissolve in the arrowroot or another type of starch you have on hand. Return this mixture into the pot and stir through. This will thicken the sauce slightly.
- Finally, add the sour cream and stir through. Press Keep Warm/Cancel to stop the cooking process. Top with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- We are not adding too much liquid to the chicken while it's cooking because the mushrooms (and there are a lot of them!) will release plenty of their own juices into the stew. If you add too much stock, you might end up with a runnier, soupy kind of stew.
- Sour cream is added at the end so it doesn't curdle while cooking. If you don't have sour cream, regular cooking cream or double cream can be used and I suggest adding a tablespoon or two of lemon juice. Yoghurt can also be added. For a dairy-free version, use thickened part of the coconut milk or coconut cream.
Nutrition
SAVE THIS INSTANT POT CHICKEN STEW TO PINTEREST
Jane
This was good. I did veer off the track a bit by adding carrots and celery; also used canned mushrooms because I had an open can that needed to be used. This made enough for us to eat over noodles or rice twice, and because I ended up adding a cup instead of 1/2 cup liquid (compensating for canned vs fresh mushrooms), I also have enough for two small bowls of soup to be served with crackers or cornbread for a light (tasty) supper later this week. Yummmm.
Sandra
This recipe looks yummy.
I have a question: what can I used instead of the sour cream? Thanks
instantpoteats
Heavy cream would work just as well. If you want to add a little acidity you would get from sour cream, a little plain yogurt can be added as well. Or do you mean what can you use that's not dairy at all?
Marci
Looks delicious! Can it be doubled?
instantpoteats
Yes, you should be able to double it if you have a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot. Times should be about the same but maybe add just a little less liquid than double of what is stated.
Lavinia
Loved this chicken stew! Thank you for a great recipe!
instantpoteats
Thanks, Lavinia 🙂 We are glad yo do.
Stephen
Made this last night and it turned out great. Really impressed by how versatile/forgiving this recipe is, too. I had forgotten to put chicken out to thaw yesterday morning so after sauteing the veggies, I just put everything else in the pot and dropped the whole frozen chicken breasts (2) right on top of everything. Didn't add anything to the pot outside of the recipe or alter the cook time. Once the pressure was released, I removed the chicken breasts, chopped them up, and stirred back in. Chicken was incredibly tender and juicy. I will say, this seems just a tad runnier than I think it was supposed to be, probably due to the frozen chicken breasts. Still was delicious and will make again.
Annie
Sorry wanted this to be fabulous and alas it was not. I will continue use my search for a stew that has a wow factor. Appreciate the effort.
instantpoteats
Do share with us!
Adeline
What a triumph! This is the second time we're making it, once with frozen chicken breasts and once with fresh (but I left them whole to avoid the whole fiddling with raw poultry affair) and both times have been a-ma-zing. Thank you for a great recipe!
Adeline
This was DELISH!
I used frozen chicken breast and upped the cooking time to 20 minutes like it suggested in the comments. Thanks for sharing this great recipe 🙂
Hope
I made this tonight and it is delicious!! Thank you for the recipe!
Deborah
It was delicious - I wanted a few more veggies, so threw in extra mushrooms, some sliced celery and a couple of handfuls of chopped arugula.
Jasmine
Quick question: is it possible to reheat this in the microwave even though there is sour cream in it, or will it curdle?
Ann Fabrizio
It's best to heat over the stove. But if you do use a microwave you should be ok.
Ann Fabrizio
It's better to reheat on a stove. But you should be ok with a microwave.
EJ
When I warmed it in the oven I did 1/2 power and about 15 sec. at a time with stirring in between. Just as delicious as the first night. I do love this recipe.
Angie
Ummm.... THANK YOU!!!! for this recipe. It was wonderful. My whole family is eating this right now. EVERYONE. That never happens. Oh also... I added broccoli to mine. Perfection!
Jennifer
Prreparing this now with added potatoes and it smells delicious! My question is about reheating. I plan to portion it out and bring to work for lunches. In this case would you still add the sour cream to the batch or would it be better to add to eat cold portion so that it heats for the first time in the microwave? Any tips much appreciated and thanks for the recipe!
instantpoteats
You can do either. It might be nicer with fresh sour cream stirred in when you reheat it. You could also add half of it to the whole batch and then stir in a dollop of fresh sour cream when reheating.
Andrea
I would really like to try this but my husband hates mushrooms! Do you think this recipe would work without them?
instantpoteats
Andrea - yes! Perhaps you could add some potatoes or just some garlic, celery, onions, and peppers instead.
Tori
This recipe was great! Chicken breast was fall apart tender and so flavorful! I sliced mushrooms (personal preference) and added during saute stage just after the onions became translucent. Then because I didn't want a stew/soup, I omitted the chicken stock and added thickener to the sauce left in the pot. Served over brown rice. A new favorite...thanks1
instantpoteats
Tori, it's so awesome you loved this recipe. It's really beautiful with or without the stock. Enjoy!
Stephanie
This was my first recipe using my instant pot and it is perfect! I added celery and carrots to mimick the Panera chicken and rice soup when I sauteed the onions, and they came out great! I added cooked rice to the final bit since it came out a bit more soupy than stewy (didn't quite follow the directions there) and it is probably my favorite homemade dish! Thanks for this recipe!
instantpoteats
Your additions sound delicious! So glad you enjoyed this stew. Thank you.
Cindy Hong
Could I cook whole thighs/breasts and shred the meat afterwards? Would the cooking times change? Or pre-cook/shred the chicken and cook according to cooked chicken adjustment that you listed above? I tried the recipe as is and loved it, but looking for ways to save time... Thank you!
instantpoteats
Hi Cindy. You could certainly do that. I might adjust the cooking time around 2-3 minutes, but it should be good as is even if you used larger cuts.
Amy Rochelle
This is a delicious, easy recipe... We loved it! I served mine with oven roasted carrots & potatoes. It was perfect! Thank you!
instantpoteats
Hi Amy! Thanks for the great review. I am so happy you enjoyed this. The sides sound perfect. It's such a hearty and healthy dish!
Carol L
You say you need at least 1 cup of liquid for an I.P., but you only add 2/3 cup (US measurements). I understand that mushrooms do cook down adding a lot of moisture, but how do you KNOW it will be at least 1/3 cup? I think I'll add more broth just to make sure there is enough water to cook properly.
Also, this came up on post about Keto approved recipes. I know that onions have lots of natural sugar, so am trying to avoid onions in recipes (I'm just beginning the Keto diet...don't want to have any sugar at all)
this does look quite good, however!
Faith E West
Just bought a 6 qt. IP and searching recipes. Could I double this recipe in a six qt. IP and how much much chicken broth should I use if I add carrots and celery.
instantpoteats
You can double it if it does not exceed the maximum line which is labelled on the inside of the pot. You need at least one cup of liquid, so just add as much broth as you'd like to accommodate the amount of food. Either double, or a bit less if you want a creamier stew. When doubling recipes, you do not always need to double the liquid if that makes sense. It's unfortunately hard to give an exact amount, but a slight increase (1/2 of the original amount) is often better! This is because much of the purpose of adding liquid is so that the pot will come to pressure rather than playing a huge role in the texture of the recipe.
Bre
Just made this 2 days ago while snowed in and it was the perfect meal to get me thru the duldrums. I made some delicious creamy polenta to go with it and it was a perfect match. Thanks, will be making this again & again.
instantpoteats
Lovely!!! Hope you enjoy it for many months (and years) to come. Stay warm 🙂
Laura D
If I add potatoes, should I increase the amount of chicken broth? Thanks! Sounds delicious!
instantpoteats
If you want the same consistency as a stew, just a tad bit. You may end up with a thicker stew. I'd recommend maybe 1/4-1/2 cup more broth.
Shellt
Is 1/2 cup of chicken stock the only liquid?? Is that measurement wrong?
instantpoteats
Hey Shellt, we're using UK cup measurement, which I realise I didn't add in the ingredients. The cup is 250ml so it's slightly larger than US cups. Also, the chicken will release a bit of moisture as will the mushrooms, so you end up getting some extra liquid during cooking. Perhaps, use 2/3 cup instead, if using a smaller cup. Will amend the recipe!
Debbie
I have an 8 qt Instant pot and would like to double recipe. Would the cooking time change. Thank you!
instantpoteats
You may want to add a minute or two, but generally speaking, you can keep cooking time the same if your liquid to food ratio is roughly the same.
kim
Ok, I made this recipe as written. It was incredible. There wasn't quite enough, so the very next night I doubled the recipe and we ate it again-it was THAT good. Thank you so much!!
instantpoteats
Yay! So happy you loved it!
Marisa C
Can you use frozen chicken breasts?
instantpoteats
Hey Marisa, I've not tried it with frozen chicken but I don't see why you couldn't. You would need to increase the cooking time from 15 minutes on Manual to maybe 20, and take into consideration that you might have more liquid once the chicken is cooked (from defrosting in the process), so you might need to set the sauce to Saute function to reduce for 5-10 minutes after. Or you could thicken it with some corn flour or regular flour.
LisaW
I have already cooked the chicken. Should I reduce the instant pot time. 15 minutes sounds like a lot for cooked chicken. New to my instant pot so would prefer not to guess!! Thanks!
instantpoteats
Yes, you can reduce the time 5 minutes.
Papa G
Any idea how this would work with shrimp? Wednesday is seafood night and I would love to try this.
instantpoteats
It would but you would need to reduce the cooking time by quite a lot as shrimp needs hardly any cooking at all. You could actually make the sauce first and then add the shrimp right at the end and finish cooking it on Saute function.
P R
What is a brown onion? What are Swiss Brown mushrooms? I have never heard of either of these ingredients Could I sub purple onions and portabella mushrooms?
instantpoteats
Hey P R, brown onion is white onion with brown skin. Swiss Brown mushrooms are the same as cremini mushrooms or regular button mushrooms, they have slightly different names in different areas. You can definitely use purple onions and YES to portabella mushrooms 🙂
Mark
A brown onion is the British name for a yellow onion.
instantpoteats
Indeed, thanks for clarifying 😉
Keitha
Thanks for sharing this recipe. My son loved it. I subbed in a couple of handfuls of kale instead of the parsley.
instantpoteats
Thank you, Keitha! Kale is a great idea, very sneaky 😉
Candi
I don't have an instant pot but I decided to try this on the stove top anyway and am I so glad I did! I also doubled the recipe thank goodness because now we have left overs?Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe.
instantpoteats
Agreed, it's a great recipe for both the stove top, slow cooker or pressure cooker. Glad it worked so well for you 🙂 Thanks
EJ
We had the Creamy Mushroom Garlic Chicken tonight and it was delicious. I added peas at the end. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you.
instantpoteats
Thanks EJ 🙂 Love the addition of peas at the end. They always freshen up the dish and make it look so pretty.