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Creamy Chicken Riesling

Creamy Chicken Riesling is a German-American skillet dinner with wine-braised chicken thighs in a pale golden cream sauce. You’ll brown the skin until deeply golden, then simmer until the sauce turns glossy and fragrant from the Riesling 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
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.5 tsp Salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder to taste
Sear and braise base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup Riesling wine
Creamy sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 0.25 tbsp 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 to taste. Pat lightly so the seasoning adheres.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then place chicken skin-side down and sear for 7-8 minutes until deeply golden. Keep the heat steady so the skin renders and crisps.
  3. Flip the chicken and sear for 4 minutes, then remove to a plate. The thighs should be well browned before finishing in the sauce.
Build the wine-and-cream sauce
  1. In the same skillet, cook minced shallots and sliced mushrooms for 5-6 minutes until golden. Stir occasionally so the mushrooms brown and the shallots soften.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir constantly just until fragrant, not browned.
  3. Pour in Riesling wine and let it cook off for 3 minutes. The bubbling should reduce and smell less like raw alcohol.
  4. Add heavy cream, chicken broth, fresh tarragon, and Dijon mustard, stirring to combine. Simmer briefly so the sauce starts to look cohesive and pale golden.
Simmer and finish
  1. Return the chicken to the skillet skin-side up and cover. Simmer for 15-18 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  2. Remove the chicken from the skillet and swirl in butter until the sauce turns glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. Return the chicken to the skillet and garnish with fresh tarragon. Serve the thighs with the pale golden sauce pooling over mushrooms and shallots.

Notes

For best sauce texture, use heavy cream and reduce the Riesling long enough that the bubbles calm and the pan smells less sharp. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can break when thawed. For a lighter option, swap half of the heavy cream for evaporated skim milk while simmering, then swirl in the butter at the end for shine.