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This Chicken Gloria casserole is made from scratch using fresh mushrooms, cream, garlic, sherry, and deliciously melty cheese on top. It’s total comfort food!
Love cheesy baked chicken recipes? Try my Mozzarella Mushroom White Wine Chicken or this Creamy Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini.
Why you’ll love it
This creamy chicken casserole is a cheesy delight that your family will request over and over. It’s often made with cream of mushroom soup, but I prefer to make the cream sauce with fresh mushrooms from scratch without condensed soup. It’s not that much more effort, and the flavor payoff is SO worth it! Trust me.
This classic American dish was invented by Betty Crocker, apparently. It’s been in some families for at least a couple of generations. I think that it’s fun to revisit classics, so I put my own homemade spin on this one. And yes, if you were wondering, I totally did sing the ’80s Laura Branigan song while I was working on this recipe.
Our kitchen thinks this creamy chicken and mushroom casserole is pretty glorious, but if you want a simplified version of this recipe, check out my Creamy Sherry Chicken!
What you’ll need
- Chicken – we’re using three large chicken breasts cut lengthwise
- Salt & pepper and flour – for seasoning the chicken and dredging
- Olive oil and butter – for pan frying the chicken and mushrooms
- Mushrooms – I chose cremini mushrooms for their meaty texture and earthy flavor. You could also sub in cut-up portobellos.
- Garlic – we’re using two cloves of garlic, but feel free to use more
- Sherry – dry sherry is best here
- Cream – heavy cream yields the most luxurious sauce. I don’t recommend using anything with a lower fat content since it’ll be thinner, could curdle, and won’t taste nearly as good
- Cheese – Muenster is the classic choice, but if you can’t find it, use Swiss Cheese, Gruyère, Fontina, Provolone, or even something like mozzarella. Basically, any mild-tasting easy melting cheese will work.
Can I sub the sherry for anything?
- You could try another fortified wine such as marsala or madeira. If you’re in a pinch, you could use a dry white wine. The sherry gives this dish its signature flavor, though, so I really don’t recommend omitting it or subbing it for something like chicken broth. It just won’t taste the same.
- I don’t recommend using cooking wines either. They tend to be too salty and don’t taste as good as the real thing.
How to make Chicken Gloria
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Prep all ingredients. Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you’ve got 6 thinner cutlets. Season each piece with salt & pepper and coat in flour. Pan fry each piece of chicken (do two batches) for a few minutes/side until lightly browned. Transfer chicken to a 9×13 or similar size baking dish.
Sauté the mushrooms in the same pan you cooked the chicken in, then add them on top of and around the chicken in the casserole dish. Again in the same skillet, make the sauce. It should reach a similar consistency to Alfredo sauce before you pour it into the baking dish.
Top the chicken with the cheese slices, and then cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 375F, then take the foil off and broil to brown the cheese. Enjoy!
Tips for success
- If you can’t find pre-sliced Muenster cheese, I recommend buying more than you think you’ll need. It’s quite difficult to slice it thin with just a kitchen knife, so you’ll need to do slightly thicker slices. That’s what I did for this recipe.
- It’s unlikely with the timing on this recipe that the chicken will be undercooked if you follow the steps, but it’s always a good idea to use an instant read meat thermometer to test whether chicken is done or not. It’s safe to eat at 165F, and the chicken will continue cooking for a bit after you take it out of the oven.
- I use cooking tongs to quickly flip the chicken when searing it. I use this tool so often when cooking!
What to serve with Chicken Gloria
- Try pasta or buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice to soak up the cheesy sauce.
- It’s quite rich, so some veggies would work great. Try my Roasted Green Beans like I plated in the photo.
- A side salad won’t hurt either! One with romaine lettuce and this homemade Caesar dressing would go perfectly.
Leftovers and storage
- You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- For best results, reheat in the oven so the cheese melts again. Try 350F until it’s warmed through. You could also microwave it in small increments.
- I don’t recommend freezing leftovers because of the dairy content, but you’re welcome to try.
More delicious chicken recipes
Will you make this Chicken a la Gloria recipe? Did you grow up with it? If you’ve made this recipe or have any questions, leave me a comment/review below!
Chicken Gloria
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) divided
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Flour for dredging + 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup sherry dry
- 1.5 cups heavy/whipping cream
- 6 slices Muenster cheese see note
Instructions
- I recommend prepping all ingredients prior to getting this recipe started. Preheat your oven to 375F and position the rack in the top third of the oven.
- Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you've got 6 thinner cutlets. Generously season both sides of each piece with salt & pepper and coat each piece in flour. Shake off any excess flour.
- Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes. Cook the chicken in two batches, lightly browning each piece of chicken for about 3-4 minutes per side (don't cook them completely or they'll overcook in the oven). Transfer the chicken to a 9×13 casserole dish as you finish browning each batch. You will likely need to add a splash more olive oil (about a tablespoon or less) to the second batch if the pan is dry.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the same skillet you cooked the chicken in. One it melts, add the mushrooms and cook them until they're seared and their water is released and cooked off (about 5 minutes). Take the skillet off the heat and transfer the mushrooms to the casserole dish (add them around and on top of the chicken as desired).
- In the same skillet, over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Once it melts, add the flour and garlic. Cook for about a minute, stirring nearly constantly.
- Pour in the sherry and then slowly whisk in the cream until the flour has dissolved and you've got a smooth sauce (and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan). Cook it for a few minutes (continue whisking) so it thickens up a bit (don't let it get too thick because it'll reduce more in the oven). Add in a bit of salt & pepper to the sauce.
- Pour the cream sauce over the chicken and mushrooms.
- Top the chicken with the cheese slices.
- Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Take the foil off and broil for a few minutes until the cheese has browned (watch it carefully).
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes and then serve.
Notes
- You may sub the sherry for marsala.
- You may swap the Muenster cheese for Swiss cheese or something else that melts well like Gruyere or even mozzarella.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Thank you for this recipe!! I just made it for dinner tonight and wow was it delicious! Don’t let the steps discourage you, this was relatively easy to make and so yummy! I used Marsala because it’s what I had on hand and I loved it. Thank you!!
You’re very welcome, Sarah! 😀
This was delicious!!! I cant wait to make it for my family and friends. You’re a genius. 😂💖
Aww thank you!!
Omg, I found you again and by accident! lol, I always seem to click on your recipes because they always sound so delicious, pictures so good! I have everything in the house except sherry. Think wine would be good? I also think that I’ll use Gruyère/cheddar. I found this at Trader Joe’s and it’s 1 block. Maybe add a little Parmesan too. I absolutely love cheese and wine kind of recipes! Thanks again and seriously consider moving in with me so you can cook all of my meals!
Haha hi again!! Thank you! 😀 I think sherry really adds a special flavor to this one, but yes, you could use a different kind of wine in a pinch. I think your ideas sound good. Let me know how it goes!
Fantastic! I cook a wide variety of dishes and was looking for something with a different taste and this was it! I made it per the recipe and wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you!
Thrilled to hear that, Don! Really appreciate your review. 🙂
Love chicken, love mushrooms and love creamy cheesy wine sauces-Awsome
Yay!! Thrilled to hear it. 😀
I’m an avid cook (not baker)!😊. I prepared this recipe to the tee…except I used Havarti cheese and this now is in my top 5 recipes off of Pintrist! It’s so favorable, you want to moan!! Use lots more mushrooms if you love mushrooms!!
That’s awesome!!!
Did I miss the oven temp?
Step 1. 375F. Enjoy! 🙂
Is there something non- alcoholic that can be used in place of the sherry?
Hi! Not that I know of, unfortunately. It’s a very distinctive flavor and makes the dish what it is.
Super delish!! I love mushrooms so I doubled them! Served it with red skin mashed potatoes made in my instant pot & green beans with garlic. My husband & one son devoured it! My other son is super picky.
Happy it was a hit, Beth! Thanks for your review. 🙂
Best recipe ever! It’s my new favorite dish!
I’m trying to make this for my family on vacation and I have a cousin who is allergic to gluten. What can I substitute the flour with so it still tastes amazing?
Hi Laura! I’m so glad you like it! Hmmm… I would say skip the breading and then add a cornstarch slurry to the sauce to thicken it up. But I haven’t tested. You might need to do a little experimenting.
I’ve found almond flour is a delightful substitute for regular flour.
My husband has Celiac disease and can’t eat gluten. There are many all purpose gluten free flours available that you can use in place of regular flour. Depending on the grocery store, they can be found with the regular flour or in a separate gluten free section.
Enjoy this and ask him to make something for himself.
Would it be okay to uses boneless chicken breasts? How about chicken tenders?
Thank you!
Hi! Boneless chicken breasts yes, but you may need to just cooking time (165F in the thickest part is what you’re looking for). Chicken tenders I’m worried may overcook.