White Wine Sauce Skillet Chicken
This restaurant-quality white wine sauce skillet chicken features perfectly seared chicken breasts in a silky, flavorful sauce. The balanced emulsion of wine, stock, and butter creates a sophisticated dinner that's surprisingly easy to master.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 oz each) Pounded to even thickness
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil Or clarified butter
- 2 medium shallots Finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic Minced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio recommended
- 3/4 cup chicken stock Low-sodium preferred
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter Cubed
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley Chopped
Method
- Pat chicken breasts dry and pound to even 3/4-inch thickness if needed. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Heat stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering (about 350°F).
- Place chicken in the pan and sear undisturbed for 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook 5-6 minutes more until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove to a plate and tent with foil.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add shallots to the same pan and cook for 2 minutes until translucent, scraping up browned bits. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in white wine and increase heat to medium-high. Allow to bubble vigorously while scraping the pan. Reduce wine by half (3-4 minutes).
- Add chicken stock, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce sauce by half until slightly thickened (4-5 minutes).
- Reduce heat to low and remove thyme and bay leaf. Add cold butter cubes one at a time, whisking constantly to emulsify. Once incorporated, stir in half the parsley and adjust seasoning.
- Return chicken and accumulated juices to the pan, turning to coat in sauce. Spoon additional sauce over chicken, garnish with remaining parsley, and serve immediately.
Note
- For optimal searing, ensure chicken is completely dry before seasoning.
- Use a wine you would drink - cooking wine contains salt and preservatives that compromise the sauce.
- Keep butter cold until the moment you add it to the sauce for proper emulsification.
- The fond (brown bits) on the pan bottom contains concentrated flavor - don't wash the pan before making sauce.
- For a non-alcoholic version, substitute additional chicken stock plus 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar.