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.