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)
Cut two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally to get four pieces total. Pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt.
Spread 2 tablespoons of the all-purpose flour into an even layer on a large plate or pie pan. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, lightly coating each side, and shake off any excess flour.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a large, broiler-safe 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken in a single layer (they can be touching but should not overlap) and cook until browned on each side, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (The chicken might not be cooked through.) Return the chicken to the plate.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms, the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until the mushrooms have released their moisture and are golden-brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Stir in 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, and 1/4 cup dry sherry. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the sauce is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan in a single layer and spoon some of the sauce over each piece. Top each chicken piece with 1 slice Muenster cheese, folding the slices if large.
Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken registers at least 165 degrees F, 13 to 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until the cheese is lightly browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley leaves if desired.
Recipe note: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.
