There are so many ways to serve chicken for dinner, and one of the easiest ways to add variety is with a pan sauce. This recipe for chicken Gloria is all about the delicious cream sauce. The sauce is velvety-smooth, but because it is made with heavy cream and chicken broth it’s not too heavy. What sets it apart is the addition of dry sherry to the sauce. This fortified wine adds a complex and nutty flavor to the sauce that makes this easy weeknight dinner taste oh-so special.
Chicken Gloria reportedly dates back to the Betty Crocker test kitchens during the 1950s or 1960s. This dish is made of breaded and seared chicken breasts, sautéed mushrooms, gooey Muenster cheese, and a sherry-spiked cream sauce. The shortcut of using a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup is a common substitution, but here we’re making a simple white sauce for the most delicious iteration of chicken Gloria.
Why You’ll Love It
- A guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Between the juicy, cheese-covered chicken breasts, savory mushrooms, and the sherry cream sauce, this recipe is sure to satisfy everyone at the table.
- So easy to make. This dish comes together in a single pan so that the cleanup is as easy as the cooking.
Key Ingredients in Chicken Gloria
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Today’s chicken breasts can be large and unevenly thick. Cutting the breasts in half provides four satisfying servings that cook evenly.
- Cremini mushrooms: I prefer the savory flavor of cremini mushrooms, but the white button variety can be used instead.
- Heavy cream: This gives the sauce a velvety consistency, but for a lighter sauce use half-and-half. Don’t use whole or low-fat milk, as these dairy products will curdle.
- Dry sherry: Sherry is a fortified wine, meaning a neutral-flavored alcohol is added, extending its shelf life beyond what is typical of a bottle of wine. I don’t recommend using “sherry cooking wine,” which can taste salty and won’t provide the nutty, complex flavor that dry (not sweet) sherry provides.
- Muenster cheese: This mild cheese has a buttery flavor and melts beautifully over the chicken.
Chicken Gloria
Serves 4- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
- 8 ounces sliced baby bella or cremini mushrooms
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 4 slices Muenster cheese (about 2 ounces)
- Finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving (optional)
