Easy Chicken Stroganoff (Slimming World Friendly)
, Updated Sep 29, 2026
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This Slimming World friendly Chicken Stroganoff is creamy, comforting and ready in 30 minutes – tender chicken and golden mushrooms in a tangy mustard sauce that nobody will guess is slimming-friendly. The secret is fat-free Quark, stirred in over low heat so the sauce turns silky instead of splitting.
You will also love my Healthier Beef Stroganoff and Easy Pork Stroganoff.
I love a classic Stroganoff, but I actually love the chicken version even more – it’s right in my comfort food sweet spot. If you thought creamy chicken dinners were off the menu while you’re following Slimming World, think again. This one is easy to lighten up and tastes every bit as good as the full-fat original. Readers have been making it on repeat since I first shared it in 2019, and it’s still one of my most popular slimming chicken recipes.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works for Slimming World
Stroganoff is named after the 19th-century Russian Count Pavel Stroganov – though the credit for the recipe really belongs to his chef. The traditional version is rich with butter, brandy and sour cream. To make it slimming-friendly, most of the ingredients stay exactly the same and I simply make three swaps:
- Low-calorie cooking spray instead of butter – the chicken and mushrooms still brown beautifully.
- No brandy – Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce add all the tang and depth you need.
- Fat-free Quark instead of sour cream – it gives a thick, creamy sauce for a fraction of the calories.
The result is about 256 calories per serving (before your pasta or rice). The only ingredient likely to carry syns is the tablespoon of flour, and shared across four servings it’s a tiny amount – but syn values do change, so check the current figure in your Slimming World app. Please note this is my own slimming-friendly recipe – it isn’t an official Slimming World recipe and isn’t endorsed by Slimming World.
Here’s What You’ll Need
You only need a handful of everyday ingredients – the sauce is quite similar to my Steak Diane. See the recipe card below for the full quantities.
- Chicken breast – I use chicken tenders (mini chicken breast fillets), which are lean and cook in minutes. Whole breasts work too if you butterfly them (see below).
- Mushrooms and onion – the classic Stroganoff base. Let the mushrooms turn golden for the best flavor.
- Garlic – lots of flavor for almost no calories.
- Flour – just one tablespoon of all-purpose flour (plain flour) to thicken the sauce.
- Beef stock – made from a stock cube. It gives the sauce that deep, classic Stroganoff flavor, but chicken stock works too.
- Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce – for tang and savory depth.
- Fat-free Quark – the key to a creamy sauce without the cream. Reduced-fat sour cream is the easiest swap.
- Fresh parsley – for freshness and a pop of color.
Substitutions
- Instead of Quark – reduced-fat sour cream, fat-free crème fraîche or soya single cream all work (they may add a few syns). Readers have also had success with light garlic and herb soft cheese, or a couple of light cheese triangles melted in with fromage frais. For a slightly richer sauce, add 1 oz (25g) extra-light cream cheese along with the Quark.
- Yogurt – I don’t recommend it, as it tends to split in a hot sauce.
- Chicken thighs – boneless, skinless thighs stay juicier. Cut them into strips and simmer for a few minutes longer.
- Gluten free – thicken with 2 tsp cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with a little cold water instead of the flour, and check your stock cube and Worcestershire sauce are gluten free.
- Vegetarian – swap the chicken for an extra 1⅓ pounds (600g) of mixed mushrooms and use vegetable stock.
How to Make Slimming-Friendly Chicken Stroganoff
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Brown the chicken. Spray a large skillet or frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and set over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes per side – if the pan gets dry, add a small splash of the stock. Set the chicken aside on a plate.
- Cook the onion. Deglaze the pan with a splash of the stock, scraping up the browned bits. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the mushrooms. Stir in the garlic, then the mushrooms, and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes until golden.
- Make the sauce. Sprinkle over the flour and cook, stirring, for a minute. Pour in the remaining stock and stir to combine.
- Add the Quark. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Stir in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce, then add the Quark and whisk until smooth – a small balloon whisk makes this easy.
- Simmer. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes more, until cooked through (165°F / 75°C in the thickest part).
- Finish and serve. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta or rice with extra parsley on top.
Cook’s tip
Keep the Quark from splitting
Quark can look grainy or curdled if it hits a very hot pan. Take the Quark out of the fridge 20 minutes before you start so it isn’t fridge-cold, turn the heat right down before adding it, and keep whisking until the sauce comes together. Don’t let it boil hard afterwards.
How to Butterfly Chicken
This recipe uses chicken tenders (mini chicken breast fillets), which cook very quickly. If you are using whole chicken breasts, butterfly them first. Place the chicken on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice into the side of the breast, without cutting all the way through. Open the breast up like a book (this is the “butterfly” part), cover with plastic wrap (clingfilm) and gently flatten with a rolling pin. You can cut the chicken into bite-size pieces before adding it back to the sauce if you like.
Shortcuts and Variations
- Air fryer chicken – to save time, one reader cooks the chicken in the air fryer while the sauce comes together in the pan. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway, then add it to the finished sauce.
- Add more vegetables – sliced bell peppers or a handful of spinach wilted in at the end bulk it out nicely.
- Smoky version – add 1 tsp smoked paprika with the garlic.
What readers say
“Excellent recipe – you wouldn’t know it was so low syn. Definitely going into my regular diet, even if I wasn’t following Slimming World.”
– Kerima
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Stroganoff is wonderful over pasta, especially tagliatelle or pappardelle, but I also love it over rice or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce. For four people, cook about 1⅓ cups (240g) uncooked rice – roughly ⅓ cup (60g) per person. Gluten-free pasta works well too.
Fill up the rest of your plate with speed foods such as steamed broccoli, green beans, wilted spinach or a big salad. My Air Fryer Baked Potatoes are another easy, filling side.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge – store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until piping hot, adding a splash of water or stock if the sauce has thickened.
- Freezing – creamy sauces made with Quark don’t freeze well and can turn grainy when thawed. It’s so quick to make that I’d cook it fresh.
Try These Popular Slimming Recipes
This quick Chicken Stroganoff recipe proves that comfort food and slimming-friendly cooking can go hand in hand. I’d love to know if you try it – please leave a comment and rating below! Follow me on Pinterest for more easy recipes, and tag me on Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations.
Easy Chicken Stroganoff (Slimming World Friendly)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds (675g) chicken breasts chicken tenders or mini chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- low calorie cooking spray or olive oil
- 1 onion , finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 cups (300g) white mushrooms , sliced
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (= plain flour)
- 2 cups (500ml) beef stock , from a stock cube
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup (120g) fat-free Quark cheese or reduced fat sour cream
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.1 ½ pounds (675g) chicken breasts, Salt and pepper
- Spray a large skillet or frying pan with low calorie cooking spray, or use a little olive oil.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.1 onion
- 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.2 cloves garlic , 3 cups (300g) white mushrooms, 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 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 cheese or sour cream. Stir until combined, I used a small balloon whisk to do this.2 cups (500ml) beef stock, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, ½ cup (120g) fat-free Quark cheese, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 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.2 tbsp chopped parsley
Notes
- 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.
- To make a Vegetarian Stroganoff replace the chicken with (1.2 lb/600g) of mushrooms, inlcuding some wild ones for more flavor, and replace the beef with vegetable stock.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s very low syn. Chicken, mushrooms, onion, stock and fat-free Quark are all free foods; the only ingredient likely to carry syns is the tablespoon of flour, which is shared across four servings. Syn values change, so check the current figure in your Slimming World app. Swapping the Quark for reduced-fat sour cream or crème fraîche will add a few syns.
I don’t recommend it – yogurt tends to split in a hot sauce. Reduced-fat sour cream, fat-free crème fraîche or soya single cream all work well instead.
The recipe serves four, so one serving is a quarter of the pan – roughly one chicken breast’s worth of meat plus sauce. The calories (about 256 per serving) are for the stroganoff only, not the pasta or rice.
Allow about ⅓ cup (60g) uncooked rice per person, so 1⅓ cups (240g) for four.
Creamy sauces made with Quark don’t freeze well and can turn grainy once thawed. The stroganoff is quick to make, so it’s best cooked fresh. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2–3 days.
Yes – boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well and stay juicy. Cut them into strips and simmer for a few extra minutes, until cooked through to 165°F (75°C).
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sauce looks split or grainy | Quark added to a very hot pan, or straight from the fridge | Take the pan off the heat and whisk hard. Next time, let the Quark come to room temperature and add it over low heat. |
| Sauce is too thin | Not reduced enough, or watery mushrooms | Simmer uncovered for a few more minutes, or stir in 1 tsp cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with cold water. |
| Sauce is too thick | Reduced too far, or thickened on standing | Loosen with a splash of stock or water. |
| Chicken is dry or tough | Overcooked, or thick breasts cooked unevenly | Use tenders or butterflied breasts, and take them off the heat once they reach 165°F (75°C). |
| Tastes flat | Under-seasoned or pale mushrooms | Brown the mushrooms well, then add more salt, pepper, mustard or a dash of Worcestershire at the end. |
So simple to do. I love this Chhicken Strogannooff any time, but as an alternative i sometimes make the Beef. Stroganoff . ❤️❤️❤️❤️