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This creamy white wine chicken is incredibly easy to make on a weeknight but good enough for company! It’s ready in only 30 minutes for an impressive yet simple meal.
I think you’ll enjoy my popular Creamy Garlic Chicken recipe, Creamy Mushroom Chicken, or Creamy Chicken Florentine next for a few more hassle-free skillet chicken recipes.
Why you’ll love it
If you’re a regular around here, you’ll know that I really enjoy creating creamy chicken recipes. There’s just something so undeniably special about pairing tender chicken with a white wine sauce, flavorful herbs, and then when you add in a splash of cream, it becomes an elegant restaurant quality dish at home. That sauce, though. It’s SO good.
This white wine chicken would make a fabulous date night meal, and it also doubles as a fantastic dinner after a long workday since it’s so quick and effortless to make in half an hour! It also happens to be a great and accessible chicken recipe for beginners, and it’s really satisfying to feel like a gourmet home chef. Who knew the simplicity of this easy white wine sauce for chicken could taste so heavenly?
What you’ll need
- Chicken – we’re using two boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into four smaller cutlets so they will cook faster
- Garlic powder – along with salt & pepper, we’re seasoning the cutlets directly with it to infuse savory flavor
- Flour – for dredging and getting that irresistible crust when pan searing and thickening the sauce
- Olive oil and butter – for pan frying and making the base of the sauce
- White wine – use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay. Make sure it’s one you actually enjoy the taste of since its flavor shines, and definitely don’t use a cooking wine.
- Chicken broth – it adds another deeper, savory dimension to the sauce
- Herbs de Provence – it’s fragrant herb blend that includes dried herbs like thyme and rosemary and then lavender for a special touch. It’s wonderful with poultry, so I always keep a jar in my pantry! You should be able to find it at most grocery stores.
- Heavy cream – to give the sauce its signature luxurious texture and taste
Pro tip
- As with any creamy sauce, it’s important to salt this one enough to properly bring out all the delicious flavors.
How to make creamy white wine chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to make four smaller cutlets. Season them with salt & pepper and garlic powder, then dredge with the flour. Pan fry until lightly golden, and then set aside on a plate. In the skillet, add the wine and chicken broth. Let it bubble for a bit, and scrape up the brown bits.
Add the remaining butter and the Herbs de Provence, and simmer. Stir in the cream, and return the chicken to the skillet. Let the sauce thicken and the chicken cook through. Garnish with chopped parsley if using, add extra salt & pepper as needed, and serve right away along with drinking the rest of the bottle of wine!
Substitutions and variations
- I would advise against substituting the heavy cream for a lower fat alternative like half-and-half. The sauce is very likely to curdle, and nobody wants that to happen. It also won’t have the desired texture, taste, or richness.
- If you can’t find Herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning will be a decent substitute. It has a number of the same herby flavors, but keep in mind that it does lack the floral lavender quality.
- You can definitely use chicken thighs, but you’ll likely have to sear them for longer. Just make sure they’re cooked through to at least 175F (I like to go higher for chicken thighs so they end up nice and tender).
What to serve with it
- For a starchy option, serve it over pasta like these Quick and Easy Garlic Butter Noodles or with Garlic Mashed Potatoes or my Roasted Potatoes and Carrots.
- You could also steam some broccolini or serve sweet corn or Roasted Green Beans with it.
- Or make a side salad for a lighter pairing. Try mixed greens with my Homemade Italian Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- This creamy chicken is best when freshly made, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat in a small saucepan over a very low heat and slowly so that the sauce doesn’t separate.
- I don’t recommend freezing leftovers. Cream sauces don’t do very well in the freezer.
I hope you’ll give this creamy white wine chicken recipe a try! Questions? Let me know in the comments below. As always, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram with your creations.
Creamy Chicken in White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Flour for dredging
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 pinch Herbs de Provence (or Italian seasoning)
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Chopped fresh parsley, for serving optional
Instructions
- Cut your chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 thinner cutlets. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and garlic powder, then dredge them in flour so they’re nicely coated.
- Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes/side until golden. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside (chicken shouldn’t be fully cooked yet).
- Add the wine and chicken broth to the pan and let it bubble for about a minute. Stir to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the remaining butter and the Herbs de Provence to the pan, and continue simmering for another 2 minutes.
- Add the cream and the chicken back into the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened up a bit. Season with extra salt & pepper as needed and sprinkle with fresh parsley if using.
Notes
- I suggest reheating this recipe at a low heat so the sauce doesn’t separate.
- Chicken is safe to eat when it has an internal temperature of 165F. Use an instant read thermometer to test for doneness.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on February 13, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Thinking of fixing ahead for Christmas dinner for 16 people . How much in advance can it be made and how to reheat ? Can it be prepared 24 hr in advance ?
Thanks
Jackie
Hi Jackie! I’m always a little iffy with making chicken and creamy sauces ahead. The sauce can separate quite easily, and reheating chicken breasts can dry them out since it’s already pretty easy to overcook them. If you do attempt this, I suggest reheating slowly on a very low heat.
I had an issue with my sauce curdling. Any suggestions for future attempts?
Hi Destiny! That’s unfortunate… I am sorry that happened to you! Did you use heavy cream? I ask because a lot of people make substitutions, and milk or half-and-half are notorious for curdling. Heavy cream usually holds up pretty well. Did you cook it on a really high heat for a fairly long time? Sometimes if you boil cream, it’ll curdle after a while, so I’d suggest lowering the heat next time if you did use heavy cream.
I don’t think I’ve ever left a review on a recipe, but this one was so good I wanted to make sure it got bumped up in the Google algorithm.
I took two things from the other reviewers:
1. Be sure to use the Herb de Provence if you can—I didn’t have any on hand and was going to just use Italian Seasoning, but I’m so glad I read that review and bought Herb de Provence instead!
2. Serve it alongside/over roasted potatoes.
I followed the recipe very closely and wouldn’t do anything different next time (nor the next time, nor the time after that). Thanks so much for sharing this!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Emma!
This is a similar recipe that I use to make in Australia for my Aussie husband (I am from Charleston SC) and we love it. However the Aussie recipe includes crisp fried bacon strips chopped (2-3) and peas (frozen or fresh works) and you add the fried bacon and peas at the end a few minutes before serving, The bacon adds a smokey flavor and you get a veg with the peas. Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner. Serve over Mash Potatoes (the Aussie Way) or serve with rice
The Aussie version sounds delicious, Sandra!!
I’ve made this multiple times and it’s by far mine and my husband’s fav chicken dish! However, I’ve always only ever made it with Italian seasoning because I’ve never had herbs de Provence on hand. Well I finally found some at the grocery store, and they were on sale, so I snagged them with this recipe specifically in mind. And Oh. Em. Gee. They took this recipe to the next level! I didn’t think it could get any better, but it did! Sooooooo delicious!!!
Aww that’s wonderful!! 🙂
Hey! If I wanted to use chicken thighs, bone in/skin on would the temperature and cooking time be much different? This looks so good, I just like thighs better. Otherwise I’ll definitely try with chicken breast as per your recipe.
Thank youuu 😊
Hi! That would be fine, but I probably would cook them a little longer overall. Maybe use a meat thermometer to ensure they’re 165F in the middle prior to serving!
Made this recently and it was super tasty!
A couple of additions, I sweated some onions and fresh garlic and added a little streaky bacon also.
I placed it on a bed of sliced new potatoes and French beans.
Love the site, really learning a lot of new things! Thanks for the hard work and dedication!
So pleased you liked it! Your additions sound yummy!! And thanks for your kind words. 🙂
Hello……Thank You! Thank You! I fixed this recipe last night my husband and our two son’s ❤ loved it. They want me to fix it again tonight. Such delicious combination of all the seasonings and ingredients it gives the chicken a POP that is out of this world. I will be fixing this recipe often.Thank you again and God bless.🤗
Wonderful. I am so happy it worked out! 🙂
I’m excited to try this recipe tonight!
Also Natasha, would you ever considering adding calorie count to your recipes?
Thank you!
Hi Ann, I hope you like it! I do add calorie counts to some of them, but I haven’t found a reliable nutrition calculator so it takes me a while to do them manually. I tend to not do them on the more “treat” recipes like this one, though.
Super yummy dish!
I paired it with sautéed mushrooms and spinach with garlic mash potatoes!
Highly recommend 🙂
Wonderful… so happy you liked it. Your comment is making me hungry now haha.