This one pan pollo a la crema recipe is a delicious dish that combines tender chicken, flavorful vegetables, and a creamy sauce. Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal!
My friend was telling me about her weekend with her mom and how they always order this delicious creamy chicken whenever they go out for Mexican food and I was like, hold up, what creamy chicken?! I’ve seriously never heard of it!
We ended up chatting all afternoon about what it must be made with, what it’s really called (was it pollo con crema, pollo a la crema or pollo de crema?!) and then I laid awake, like always, unable to get the recipe out of my head.
It’s become one of our new staples and I cannot comment enough on how easy this dinner recipe is. If you want fast, cheap, affordable, delicious, and family friendly, it’s all about the creamy chicken!
What is Pollo a la Crema?
Pollo a la Crema, or creamed chicken, is a South American dish that consists of tender chunks of chicken, sauteed bell peppers, onions and mushrooms all cooked in a creamy flavorful sauce. It is usually served with warm flour tortillas.
Ingredients Needed for Pollo a la Crema
These ingredients are simple and easy to find. The only item that might be a little out of the ordinary is the Mexican crema which can be found in the refrigerator section for the Mexican specialty foods like fresh salsa and chorizo. Here is what you will need:
For the Chicken
- Chicken Breasts: boneless, skinless
- Seasonings: salt and pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder
- Olive Oil
For the Rest of the Dish
- Green Bell Pepper
- Red or Orange Bell Pepper
- White Onion
- Baby Bella Mushrooms: or white button mushrooms work fine as well and if you’re not a mushroom fan, just omit them!
- Mexican Crema: see section below for more details
- Sour Cream
- Smoked Paprika
- Salt and Pepper
- Cilantro
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
What is Crema?
Crema is the Mexican version of French crème fraîche, a little bit tangy and creamy. It is slightly soured and thickened cream, milder and less thick than American sour cream. The flavor is a lot more mild in my opinion and a touch buttery. You will find it in the meat and Mexican ingredients section of your grocery store. There’s not really a great substitute for it in this recipe, so try your best to find it!
How to Make Pollo con Crema
Hungarian Mushroom Soup is a lightly creamy, rich soup, full of earthy mushroom flavor that is brightened by a squeeze of lemon juice added at the end of cooking.
This is one of my favorite soups – and I just don’t make it often enough! This is a bowl of soup simply ideal for a chilly day.
Oh. My. Word. How did I forget just how amazing this soup is?? I’ll admit that with over 1800 recipes on this website, it can be a little tricky at times to remember exactly what I’ve made and when, but wow. Just wow. I remembered enjoying the soup, but this has blown my mind all over again.
I remade it a while back to shoot some new photographs and I could not stop eating it. I had a big bowl for lunch and then had another bowl for dinner when I shared it with my family.
I already have it on our meal plan again. This one is going to be in the regular rotation for a while. If you’re a mushroom lover, this soup needs to be on your must-make-as-soon-as-possible list.
Our friend Joe was a Hungarian American and he was a gift in my family’s life for over 15 years. He passed away 5 years ago, a few months before we moved to Ohio. We were lucky enough to live across the street from him in Phoenix for a few years and I always tried to invite him over for dinner when I was trying a new Hungarian recipe.
Joe’s parents fled from Hungary when he and his brother were just a few years old. The biggest compliment I’ve
Beef barley soup is a hearty and comforting soup full of tender beef, pearl barley, wild rice, mushrooms and savory umami flavor.
I didn’t even know that beef barley soup was a thing. I guess whenever I heard someone mention a barley soup I just went into a mindless state because barley didn’t sound delicious. But it’s the best soup I’ve had in years and that says a lot considering how much my family loves soup. Have you tried “The Soup“? Or maybe our roasted tomato basil soup? We love soups!
If you search for beef and barley soup recipes, you’ll find a lot of the same style of soup — carrots, celery, beef, barley, etc. We have changed things up for this. This is a little different, and more scrumptious imho, than anything you’ll find out there.
Why is This the Best Beef Barley Soup?
My friend and I decided that there are a few small things that are musts in a beef barley soup…
- No carrots or celery. This isn’t stew and we don’t want it to look, smell or taste like stew. That’s a different recipe!
- Use wild rice along with the barley. It adds a toothy, flavorful oomph that you will miss if you skip it. You can add as much or as little as you’d like.
- WHOLE ROAST slowly cooked. We aren’t cutting this baby up, though if you were short on time you could certainly use stew meat and half the baking time. But a whole roast slowly cooked will bring out far more flavor and tenderness in the meat.
Ingredients for Beef Barley Soup
At first glance, this list may look long, but don’t worry! Most ingredients are pantry ingredients and everything combined creates a depth of flavor that is heavenly. Here is what you will need…
- Chuck Roast: you will cook this whole like you would a pot roast
- Olive Oil: helps brown the roast
- Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
- Red Wine Vinegar: helps deglaze the pan and adds acidity
- Water: helps deglaze
- Red Onion: adds flavor and caramelization
- Baby Bella Mushrooms: adds earthy flavor and chewiness
- Pearl Barley: you can find this right by the rice at the grocery store
- Wild Rice: adds an extra layer of flavor and different texture to the soup
- Au Jus Packet: adds bold savory flavor
- Onion Powder: adds flavor
- Garlic Powder: adds flavor
- Oregano: you can also use Italian seasoning if you don’t have oregano
- Balsamic Vinegar: adds a slight sweetness and more acidity
- Worcestershire: our favorite brand is Lea & Perrins
- Beef Broth: helps cook