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Creamy Chicken Riesling

Creamy Chicken Riesling is a German-American skillet dinner with wine-braised chicken thighs simmered in a pale golden Riesling cream sauce. Searing first creates deep color, then the sauce reduces to a glossy, fragrant finish with shallots, mushrooms, and fresh tarragon.
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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
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
Riesling cream 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 fresh tarragon for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Place chicken skin-side down in the skillet and sear for 7-8 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden. Flip and sear for 4 minutes more, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the wine and cream sauce
  1. Add minced shallots and sliced mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the Riesling wine and let it cook off for 3 minutes. Add heavy cream, chicken broth, fresh tarragon, and Dijon mustard, stirring to combine.
Braised simmer and finish
  1. Return chicken to the skillet skin-side up. Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  2. Remove chicken from the skillet and swirl in the butter until the sauce looks glossy. Return chicken to the skillet, garnish with fresh tarragon, and serve.

Notes

For maximum color, pat chicken thighs dry before seasoning and keep the heat at medium-high so the skin browns (not steams). Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended for the cream sauce texture. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and simmer 2-3 minutes longer to thicken.