This Easy Chardonnay Chicken is a sophisticated yet simple dish that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion! Tender, pan-seared chicken breasts are simmered in a luxurious sauce made with Chardonnay wine, chicken stock, shallots, garlic, and a touch of heavy cream. I love how the white wine sauce is both elegant and incredibly flavorful, complementing the chicken beautifully. This recipe comes together relatively quickly, mostly in one skillet, making cleanup easier too!
Why You’ll Love This Chardonnay Chicken
- Elegant Flavor: The Chardonnay wine creates a delicate and slightly fruity sauce that feels sophisticated.
- Tender and Juicy: Searing the chicken and then simmering it gently in the sauce ensures it stays moist and tender.
- Easy to Make: Despite its elegant taste, the recipe uses straightforward techniques and simple ingredients.
- Quick Dinner: Comes together in about 30-40 minutes, perfect for a satisfying meal without spending hours cooking.
- Versatile: Delicious served over rice, pasta, or with roasted vegetables.
Ingredients for Chardonnay Chicken
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious chicken dish. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Chicken
- Chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally (Meat)
- Salt (Seasoning)
- Pepper (Spice)
- Olive oil (Oil)
- Butter (Fat)
Chardonnay Sauce
- Chardonnay (Wine)
- Chicken stock (Liquid) Specific brand mentioned in original recipe
- Shallot, minced (Vegetable)
- Garlic, minced (Aromatic)
- Lemon juice (Acid)
- Dijon mustard (Condiment)
- Heavy cream (Dairy)
Garnish
- Chives or Italian parsley (Herb)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love this Chardonnay Chicken as is, but here are a few ideas for variations:
- Add Mushrooms: Sauté some sliced mushrooms along with the shallots and garlic.
- Different Wine: Use another dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc if you don’t have Chardonnay.
- Add Herbs: Stir in some fresh thyme or rosemary along with the shallots.
- Make it Creamier: Add a little more heavy cream or stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese.
- Use Chicken Thighs: Substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts.
How to Make Chardonnay Chicken
Let me show you how easy it is to make this elegant Chardonnay Chicken:
Prepare the Chicken
- First, I start by prepping my chicken: I pat it dry and slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally so I have thinner pieces. To do this, I place one hand on top and use a sharp knife to carefully slice through, starting from the thicker end to the thinner end.
- I season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper.
Sear the Chicken
- In a skillet over medium heat, I add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter until melted.
- I carefully add the chicken breasts to the hot pan (placing them away from me so I don’t get any splatter on me!) and sear for about 3 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through. I want a nice golden exterior but don’t want it too hot where it starts to burn.
- I set the cooked chicken aside and loosely cover it while I make the sauce.
Make the Chardonnay Sauce
- I reduce the heat under the skillet.
- I add the finely minced shallot and garlic. I sauté for about 2 minutes until softened.
- I deglaze the pan with half a bottle of Chardonnay and increase the heat back up to medium so it comes to a simmer. Stirring occasionally, I let that reduce by half (this should take about 5-7 minutes but could take longer depending on your pan/stove! Turn up the heat slightly and stir continuously to help if it’s not reducing quickly enough).
- I add in the chicken stock and let this reduce for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once all of the liquid has reduced by half and has thickened (I continue to cook until I reach this point), then I can slightly reduce the heat.
- I add in a squeeze of lemon juice, the Dijon mustard, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. I stir well to incorporate.
Finish the Sauce and Serve
- I take the skillet off the heat and finish the sauce with some heavy cream.
- I can nestle the chicken breasts back into the sauce, or I can pour the sauce right over the chicken breasts on serving plates. I like serving this Chardonnay Chicken over rice with some sautéed asparagus and chives to garnish on top.
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Chardonnay Chicken
Here are my secrets for making this dish truly exceptional:
- Use Dry Chardonnay: A dry Chardonnay (not overly sweet or oaky) works best for the sauce flavor.
- Slice Chicken Evenly: Slicing the chicken horizontally helps it cook quickly and evenly.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Sear the chicken in batches if needed for a good golden crust.
- Reduce the Sauce: Allowing the wine and stock to reduce concentrates the flavors, creating a richer sauce.
- Add Cream Off Heat: Stirring in the heavy cream off the heat helps prevent it from curdling.
How to Serve
This Chardonnay Chicken is delicious served with:
- Rice: Jasmine rice, basmati rice, or rice pilaf.
- Pasta: Angel hair pasta, linguine, or fettuccine.
- Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are a wonderful pairing.
- Roasted Vegetables: Asparagus, broccoli, or green beans complement the dish well.
- Crusty Bread: For soaking up the delicious sauce.
Make Ahead and Storage
Leftover chicken and sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
FAQs about Chardonnay Chicken
- Can I use a different white wine?
- Yes, any dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc will work as a substitute for Chardonnay.
- Can I make this without the cream?
- Yes, you can omit the cream for a lighter sauce, though it won’t be as rich.
- Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
- Absolutely! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs would be delicious and stay very moist. Adjust cooking times as needed.
Enjoy this elegant, flavorful, and easy-to-make Chardonnay Chicken! It’s a perfect meal for a special occasion or a simple weeknight treat.
Print
Easy Chardonnay Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Course, Chicken
- Cuisine: French-Inspired, American
Description
This Chardonnay Chicken features tender, pan-seared chicken breasts served in a luscious, creamy sauce made with Chardonnay wine, chicken stock, shallots, garlic, and a touch of Dijon mustard. It’s an elegant yet relatively easy dish perfect for a weeknight or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally into 4 thinner cutlets
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 bottle (about 1 1/2 cups) dry Chardonnay wine
- 1.5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- Juice from 1/4 lemon (about 1–2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (or crème fraîche)
- Fresh chives or Italian parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Slice each breast in half horizontally to create four thinner pieces (cutlets). Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Sear Chicken: Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet (cast iron recommended) over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot, carefully add the chicken cutlets in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Sear for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate, loosely tented with foil.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the minced shallot and garlic to the same skillet. Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Deglaze and Reduce Wine: Pour the Chardonnay wine into the skillet. Increase the heat back up to medium and bring it to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half (this should take 5-7 minutes, but could take longer depending on your pan/stove). Stir occasionally. If it’s not reducing quickly enough, you can slightly increase the heat and stir continuously.
- Add Stock and Reduce: Add the chicken stock to the skillet. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the total liquid has reduced by about half again and has thickened slightly.
- Finish Sauce: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir until the butter is melted and incorporated.
- Add Cream: Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream (or crème fraîche) until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Do not boil the sauce after adding the cream.
- Combine or Serve: You can either return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet and nestle them into the sauce, or pour the sauce directly over the chicken breasts on serving plates.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh chopped chives or parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chicken: Slicing the chicken breasts horizontally into thinner cutlets ensures faster and more even cooking.
- Chardonnay: Use a dry Chardonnay wine. You can substitute another dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. If you prefer not to use alcohol, substitute additional low-sodium chicken broth, though the flavor will be different.
- Reducing Sauce: Reducing the wine and stock concentrates the flavors and thickens the sauce naturally. Be patient with this step.
- Cream: Use heavy cream or crème fraîche for the richest sauce. Add it off the heat or over very low heat and do not boil to prevent curdling.
- Serving Suggestions: This Chardonnay Chicken is delicious served over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or alongside sautéed asparagus or other green vegetables.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently.