Marinated Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms

A cold stuffed mushroom for a change. Mushroom caps marinated overnight in a red wine vinaigrette with garlic powder and onion salt come out tangy and tender, ready to hold a creamy chicken-spinach filling. No oven required, which is exactly what you want in summer or when the oven is busy with other party food.

The filling comes together in the food processor. Pulse cooked chicken fine, then chop defrosted frozen spinach in the same bowl, and stir both into mayonnaise with chopped onion, parsley, garlic salt, and a teaspoon of hot sauce for a gentle kick. A sprinkle of paprika on top gives each cap a warm dusty red finish.

Make these ahead and chill them until just before serving. The mushrooms drink up the marinade flavor while they wait, and the filling firms up in the fridge so it does not slide off the cap. A party platter of 20 caps from this one recipe, with most of the timeline being hands-off marinating.

Kitchen Tips

• Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel rather than rinsing. Waterlogged mushrooms reject the marinade.
• Do not pour the marinade into the caps. Pour it around them so the vinaigrette flavors the outside while the cups stay clean for filling.
• Pat the marinated caps bone dry before filling. Excess marinade thins the filling and makes it runny.
• Use rotisserie chicken for real weeknight speed. Breast meat keeps the filling lighter; thigh meat makes it richer.

Variations

• Swap fat-free mayo for Greek yogurt for a tangier, higher-protein filling.
• Add a quarter cup of grated sharp cheddar or crumbled feta to the filling for extra punch.
• Skip the chicken for a vegetarian version and double the spinach with a handful of chopped water chestnuts for crunch.