Everyone will fall in love with this Chicken Stroganoff – easy, quick and thoroughly yummy. No one will know that this is actually a Slimming World chicken recipe that’s LOW SYN or SYN FREE! Ready in 30 minutes so wave goodbye to boring midweek meals.
You will also love this Slimming World Beef Stroganoff
Who loves Beef Stroganoff? 🙋♀️ The rich creamy mushroom sauce, the tender strips of beef… it’s totally yummy! But I actually love Chicken Stroganoff even more, it’s right in my comfort food sweet spot.
If you thought that you would have to forever forget about creamy chicken casseroles on the Slimming World Plan then think again! This simple chicken recipe in the rich Stroganoff sauce is actually easy to make Low Syn or Syn Free and it tastes every bit as delicious, I promise!
A often-heard refrain at Slimming World meetings is “my husband/ girlfriend/ kids don’t like my ‘diet’ food”. Well forget about cooking separate meals to please everyone, this Chicken Stroganoff recipe will be adored by one and all.
Stroganoff Origins
Legend has it that this recipe is named after the Russian Count Pavel Stroganov. Don’t think that the aristocrat spent time in the kitchen. That credit for the recipe goes to his chef, while the Count made it popular through entertaining.
Beef Stroganoff eventually became popular around the world and with good reason: it is freaking delicious! You can find many versions of this recipe, most are made with beef but there’s Chicken Stroganoff, Mushroom Stoganoff and even vegan Stroganoff versions.
What are the ingredients in Stroganoff
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this rich creamy sauce which is quite similar to that of Steak Diane. As you can see most of the ingredients are free on Slimming World with a few notable exceptions. See below on how I have adapted this classic Russian recipe to make it low in syns but no less tasty, I promise!
- Butter
- Beef or Chicken
- Onion and (sometimes) garlic
- Sliced mushrooms
- Brandy, to deglaze the pan
- A little flour, to thicken the sauce
- Mustard
- Beef stock (broth)
- Sour cream
Slimming World Chicken Stroganoff
So how do we make this rich creamy sauce diet friendly? It’s easy peasy! Most of the ingredients remain exactly the same – simply replace butter with a low-calorie cooking spray such as Fry Light, leave out the brandy and swap the sour cream for fat-free Quark cheese.
I have kept the flour as it helps to thicken the sauce. One tablespoon of flour is only 2 syns, so a negligible .5 syns per serving. You could leave it out if you prefer which would make this Chicken Stroganoff totally Syn-Free. Does this look like diet food?
How to make Slimming World Chicken Stroganoff
STEP 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. I used mini chicken breasts (also called chicken tenders) which cook really quickly and are very lean. If you use whole chicken breasts you will need to butterfly them (see tips).
STEP 2. Spray a large skillet or frying pan with low calorie cooking spray (Fry Light). Heat the pan and cook the chicken for 3 minutes per side over medium heat. If the pan gets very dry add a small splash of the stock. Set the chicken aside.
STEP 3. Deglaze the pan with a splash of beef stock and turn heat down to medium high. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
STEP 4. Stir in the garlic and then add the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms, stirring, until golden about 5 minutes.
STEP 5. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for a minute. Pour in the remaining beef stock and stir to combine.
STEP 6. Lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and add the Quark. Stir until combined, I used a small balloon whisk to do this.
STEP 7. Bring to simmer again and cook over low heat for 3 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced.
STEP 8. Add chicken back in and continue to simmer for 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
STEP 9. Add chopped parsley and check the seasoning – add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta or rice, sprinkle with more fresh parsley.
Slimming World Stroganoff tips and FAQs
- This recipe uses mini chicken breasts which cook very quickly. If you are using whole chicken breasts you will have to butterfly them. Place the chicken on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to slice into the side of the breast, not cutting all the way through. Open the breast up to flatten (this is the ‘butterfly’ part) and then cover with clingfilm and gently flatten using a rolling pin.
- You can cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces before adding back into the sauce if you like.
- The Quark might split and look curdled when added to the sauce. Make sure the pan is not too hot when adding and keep whisking/mixing until it comes together. It helps if the Quark is at room temperature rather than straight out of the fridge.
- What can I use instead of Quark? You can use Fat Free Creme Fraiche or Fromage Frais but they have a tendency to split.
- For a slightly richer sauce add 25g of Philadelphia Extra Light cream cheese along with the Quark (1 extra syn overall).
- Keep this recipe SYN FREE: just leave out the flour.
- Make this recipe Extra Easy SP: serve over celeriac, swede or squash mash or over cauliflower rice.
- To make a Vegerarian Stroganoff replace the chicken with an extra 600g (1.2 lb) of mixed mushrooms, maybe some wild ones for more taste, and replace the beef with vegetable stock.
How to serve Chicken Stroganoff
This simple chicken recipe is wonderful over pasta, especially tagliatelle. But I also love it over rice or mashed potatoes – perfect for absorbing the yummy sauce. Make sure to add some extra speed foods to fill up your plate, such as broccoli, wilted spinach or any steamed veggies.
More Slimming World Chicken Recipes
Chicken Stroganoff {Slimming World | Low Syn or Syn Free}
Make sure to read my step by step tutorial above.
Ingredients
- 600 g / 1.2 lb chicken breasts (mini chicken breasts/chicken tenders)
- Salt and pepper
- Low calorie cooking spray (I used Fry Light)
- 1 onion , finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 300 g | 10oz white mushrooms , sliced
- 1 tbsp flour
- 500 ml | 2 cups beef stock , from a stock cube
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 150 g | ⅔ cup fat-free Quark cheese
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
To serve
- pasta, rice, mashed potatoes See notes for Extra Easy SP options
- Chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Spray a large skillet or frying pan with low calorie cooking spray.
- Heat the pan and cook the chicken for 3 minutes per side over medium heat. If the pan gets very dry add a small splash of the stock. Set the chicken aside.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of beef stock and turn heat down to medium high. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and then add the mushrooms.
- Cook the mushrooms, stirring, until golden about 5 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring, for a minute.
- Pour in the remaining beef stock and stir to combine.
- Lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and add the Quark. Stir until combined, I used a small balloon whisk to do this.
- Bring to simmer again and cook over low heat for 3 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced.
- Add chicken back in and continue to simmer for 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Add chopped parsley and check the seasoning – add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over pasta or rice, sprinkle with more fresh parsley.
Video
Notes
Slimming World Chicken Stroganoff tips and FAQs
- This recipe uses mini chicken breasts which cook very quickly. If you are using whole chicken breasts you will have to butterfly them. Place the chicken on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to slice into the side of the breast, not cutting all the way through. Open the breast up to flatten (this is the ‘butterfly’ part) and then cover with clingfilm and gently flatten using a rolling pin.
- You can cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces before adding back into the sauce if you like.
- Keep this recipe SYN FREE: just leave out the flour.
- Make this recipe Extra Easy SP: serve over celeriac, swede or squash mash or over cauliflower rice.
- To make a Vegerarian Stroganoff replace the chicken with an extra 600g (1.2 lb) of mixed mushrooms, maybe some wild ones for more taste, and replace the beef with vegetable stock.
How to serve Chicken Stroganoff
This simple chicken recipe is wonderful over pasta, especially tagliatelle. But I also love it over rice or mash which absorbs the yummy sauce. Make sure to add some extra speed foods to fill up your plate, such as broccoli, wilted spinach or any steamed veggies.––––––
Please note I am not affiliated in any way with Slimming World. Syn values are based on the Slimming World online calculator.
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Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Nutritional Info
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Kristina Hale says
Absolutely delicious, thanks a million
Lucy Parissi says
so, so glad you liked it!
Jacky says
Going to make the chicken stroganoff but wondered if you can freeze it
Lucy Parissi says
Dishes with creamy sauce don’t usually freeze very well. You can try but I don’t think it will be as good as if you made it fresh – good thing it is quick to make!
Lucy Parissi says
Dishes with creamy sauce don’t usually freeze very well. You can try but I don’t think it will be as good as if you made it fresh – good thing it is quick to make!Dishes with creamy sauce don’t usually freeze very well. You can try but I don’t think it will be as good as if you made it fresh – good thing it is quick to make!
Kerima says
Excellent recipe you wouldn’t know it was so low syn or free. Hadn’t had my HEa and added a couple of Laughing Cow light cheese triangles with fromage frais as that is what was in the fridge. Served over pappardelle. Definitely going into my regular diet, even if I wasn’t following Slimming world.
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks for your comment Kerima and so glad you liked it! It is definitely not your average ‘diet’ food!