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Chicken in White Wine Sauce

Chicken in white wine sauce with crispy golden skin in a cast iron skillet with three-mustard cream sauce and fresh thyme
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Golden, crispy-skinned chicken thighs seared in a cast iron skillet and oven-finished in a rich three-mustard cream sauce made with white wine, Dijon, honey mustard, and whole grain mustard. An elegant French-inspired dinner ready in 50 minutes.

Ingredients

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  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (or skinless chicken breasts for a leaner option)
  • 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio recommended)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons honey mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons country mustard or old-style whole grain mustard
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat for 1 full minute. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking.
  3. Season both sides of each chicken thigh with kosher salt, black pepper, and herbes de Provence.
  4. Place chicken skin-side down in the hot skillet. Do not move it. Sear for 5 to 6 minutes until deeply golden and crispy. Flip and cook the second side for 4 minutes. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer skin-side up to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter and let melt. Add diced onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  6. Pour in white wine and scrape up all browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to concentrate the flavor and cook off the raw alcohol taste.
  7. Add chicken broth, room-temperature heavy cream, honey mustard, Dijon mustard, and country mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well and taste – add more cream if too sharp, or more mustard if too flat.
  8. Nestle seared chicken thighs skin-side up into the sauce, leaving space between each piece for sauce circulation.
  9. Transfer uncovered skillet to oven and bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, until chicken reaches 165 degrees F internally and sauce has reduced by approximately half.
  10. If sauce seems thin, return skillet to stovetop over medium heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes to reduce further. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and spoon sauce over each piece before serving.

Notes

  • Always use room-temperature heavy cream – cold cream in a hot pan is more likely to curdle and break the sauce.
  • Simmer the wine for 2 to 3 minutes before adding broth and cream to concentrate flavor and cook off raw alcohol taste.
  • Never overcrowd the skillet during searing – work in batches to ensure golden, crispy skin on every piece.
  • For alcohol-free, replace wine with chicken broth plus a splash of lemon juice or white wine vinegar.
  • Each mustard contributes something unique – honey mustard adds sweetness, Dijon adds sharp tanginess, and country mustard adds rustic texture and depth.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.benefitiany.com/crispy-chicken-in-white-wine-sauce/