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Creamy Chicken Riesling

Creamy chicken Riesling is a German-American skillet dinner with wine-braised, skin-on chicken thighs in a pale golden cream sauce. The shallot-and-mushroom base simmers with Riesling until lightly reduced, then becomes glossy with butter for a fragrant, delicate finish.
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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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Pat dry for better browning.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Use to taste.
  • 0.5 tsp pepper Use to taste.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder Use to taste.
Skillet base and sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For searing the chicken.
  • 2 shallots Minced.
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms Sliced.
  • 3 garlic Minced.
  • 1 cup Riesling wine Use in the braise and reduction.
  • 1 cup heavy cream For the creamy sauce.
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth For thinning and simmering.
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon Or use dried (1 tsp) if needed.
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard Adds tang to the sauce.
  • 1 tbsp butter Swirled in for gloss.
  • 1 fresh tarragon Fresh sprigs for garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then place chicken skin-side down and sear 7-8 minutes until deeply golden.
  3. Flip the chicken and sear 4 minutes until golden, then remove to a plate.
Sauté aromatics and build the sauce
  1. In the same skillet, cook shallots and mushrooms 5-6 minutes until golden.
  2. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
  3. Pour in Riesling wine and let it simmer 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
  4. Add heavy cream, chicken broth, fresh tarragon, and Dijon mustard, stirring to combine.
Braised finish and serve
  1. Return chicken skin-side up to the skillet, cover, and simmer 15-18 minutes at a gentle simmer until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  2. Remove the chicken and swirl butter into the sauce until glossy.
  3. Return chicken to the sauce and garnish with fresh tarragon before serving.

Notes

For the best browning, pat the chicken dry and keep the skin-side down undisturbed during the first 7-8 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet with a splash of broth. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can break when thawed. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, expecting a slightly thinner sauce.