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Creamy Chicken Riesling

Creamy chicken Riesling is a German-American skillet dinner with wine-braised chicken thighs and a pale golden, silky cream sauce. You’ll sear skin until deeply golden, braise in Riesling, then simmer until tender and finish with glossy butter for a delicate, fragrant reduction.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: German-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder to taste
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 3 garlic minced
Sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup Riesling wine
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs all over with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then lay chicken skin-side down and sear for 7-8 minutes until deeply golden with crisped edges.
  2. Flip the chicken and sear for 4 minutes more, until the second side is browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Build the wine cream base
  1. In the same skillet, cook minced shallots and sliced mushrooms over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes until golden and moisture cooks off. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring to prevent browning.
  2. Pour in Riesling wine and let it bubble for 3 minutes so the alcohol cooks off. Stir in heavy cream, chicken broth, fresh tarragon, and Dijon mustard until smooth and lightly thickened.
Braise and finish
  1. Return chicken to the skillet skin-side up, then cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce coats the chicken. Remove chicken to a plate.
  2. Swirl butter into the sauce until glossy and slightly thickened. Return chicken to the skillet, garnish with fresh tarragon, and serve with the creamy Riesling sauce.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the skillet at a steady simmer after adding the cream—if it boils hard, the sauce can break. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat. Freeze chicken and sauce up to 2 months, though cream may slightly change texture. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a thinner, less rich sauce.