This recipe for Baked Chicken Legs with Cream of Mushroom creates an incredibly flavorful and comforting one-pan meal. Despite the original title, the cooking method involves braising on the stovetop, resulting in fall-off-the-bone tender chicken coated in a rich, savory, and creamy mushroom sauce. It’s a simple, delicious dish perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Baked Chicken Legs with Cream of Mushroom

Ingredients:

Ingredient Quantity
All-purpose flour (or gluten-free) ¼ cup
Salt, divided ¾ teaspoon
Ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon
Chicken legs 2 lb (about 3-4 large)
Olive oil 2 tablespoons
Mushrooms, sliced in half 10 oz
Garlic cloves, minced 3
Chicken stock 1 cup
Heavy cream ½ cup
How To Make Baked Chicken Legs with Cream of Mushroom

Dredge & Brown Chicken: In a small bowl, combine the flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. On a large plate, dredge the chicken legs in this seasoned flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken legs skin-side down and brown for about 4 minutes, or until the skin is a nice golden color. Flip the chicken and brown the other side for about 3 minutes. Remove the browned chicken legs and set them aside.
Sauté Mushrooms & Garlic: To the same skillet (discarding any burnt bits if necessary), add the mushrooms and minced garlic. Add an extra tablespoon of olive oil if needed. Sauté on medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened.
Simmer Chicken: Add the chicken stock to the skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in ¼ teaspoon of salt. Place the chicken legs back into the skillet. Bring the chicken stock to a boil, cover the skillet, and reduce the heat to a low-medium simmer. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and the juices run clear.
Make the Cream Sauce: Remove the cooked chicken legs to a plate and keep them warm. Turn the heat under the skillet to medium-high and simmer the mushroom sauce for about 4 minutes until it has reduced by about a third. Stir in the ½ cup of heavy cream and simmer for another 2 minutes on low-medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce gets thicker.
Serve: Add the chicken legs back to the skillet to warm them up in the sauce before serving.