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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, fragrant Riesling cream sauce. You’ll sear skin-side down until deeply golden, then simmer until juicy at 165°F and finish with a glossy butter swirl.
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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: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Creamy Riesling 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
  • 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 1 tsp dried
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 fresh tarragon for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Pat bone-in skin-on chicken thighs dry and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add chicken skin-side down and sear 7-8 minutes until deeply golden. A steady sizzle and dark golden skin are your cue to flip.
  3. Flip the chicken and sear 4 minutes more. The second side should also look browned, with the skin still crisp at the edges.
  4. Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving any browned bits in the skillet. Keep the skillet hot for the sauce base.
Build the Riesling cream sauce
  1. Add minced shallots and sliced cremini mushrooms to the skillet and cook 5-6 minutes until golden. Stir so mushrooms release moisture and start browning.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute. The aroma should turn sharp and fragrant without browning the garlic.
  3. Pour in Riesling wine and let it cook off for 3 minutes. You should see fewer bubbles and a slightly reduced, syrupy smell as the alcohol evaporates.
  4. Stir in heavy cream, chicken broth, fresh tarragon, and Dijon mustard. Simmer gently so the sauce thickens to a pale golden consistency.
Simmer, finish, and serve
  1. Return chicken to the skillet skin-side up and cover. Simmer 15-18 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  2. Remove the chicken from the skillet and swirl butter into the sauce until glossy. The sauce should look smoother and lightly thickened.
  3. Return the chicken to the skillet and garnish with fresh tarragon, then serve. Spoon sauce over the thighs so mushrooms and shallots are visible.

Notes

For best browning, dry the chicken well before seasoning and avoid moving it during the first skin-side sear. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet so the cream sauce doesn’t break. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can separate. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and simmer a little longer to thicken.