Go Back

Creamy Chicken Riesling

Creamy Chicken Riesling is a German-American skillet dinner where golden chicken thighs are braised in Riesling wine and finished in a pale golden cream sauce. You get tender, skin-on chicken with a glossy, fragrant texture from wine reduction, mushrooms, shallots, and fresh tarragon.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: German-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. This helps the skin crisp and brown evenly.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place chicken skin-side down in the hot oil and sear for 7-8 minutes until deeply golden, with the skin developing a caramel color.
  3. Flip the chicken and sear for 4 minutes on the second side until browned. The chicken should look set and richly colored.
  4. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep it nearby while you cook the vegetables. Leave the browned fond in the skillet for flavor.
Build the Riesling cream sauce
  1. Add minced shallots and sliced mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden. Stir until the mushrooms release moisture and then begin to brown.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. The garlic should become fragrant without turning dark.
  3. Pour in Riesling wine and let it simmer for 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol. You should see the sauce reduce slightly and smell less sharp.
  4. Add heavy cream, chicken broth, fresh tarragon, and Dijon mustard. Stir until the sauce is smooth and evenly tinted pale golden.
Simmer, finish, and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the skillet skin-side up and spoon some sauce over the top if needed. Cover with a lid.
  2. Simmer covered for 15-18 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. The sauce should bubble gently and the chicken should be tender under the skin.
  3. Remove the chicken from the skillet and swirl in the butter until the sauce looks glossy. The sauce should thicken slightly and coat the back of a spoon.
  4. Return the chicken to the skillet and garnish with fresh tarragon before serving. The bright green sprigs should sit on top for a fragrant finish.

Notes

For the best sauce texture, use bone-in skin-on thighs so the skin contributes fat during searing, then finish with butter for a silky gloss. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat to avoid breaking the cream. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can become grainy. If you want a lighter option, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream (the sauce will be thinner, but still tasty).