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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’s a restaurant-quality dish at home.
This white wine chicken would make a fabulous date night meal, and it also doubles as a fantastic dinner after a long workday! 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!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Chicken is done at 165F internally. Use an instant read thermometer for perfect results every time.
- This is my fave Le Creuset skillet pictured, and this budget-friendly Lodge skillet is another good one.
- Measure out butter easily with this butter dish — it has measurement markings right on it.
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 white wine chicken
- 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. This Stick of Butter Rice is another option.
- You could also steam some broccolini or serve sweet corn or Easy Roasted Cauliflower 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! Please leave a star rating and review 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.
- This recipe also appears in chapter 3 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
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!
Super simple, super tasty, I add mushrooms with the cream and also cooked king prawns 2 mins before serving just to warm through. Proper bloody lovely xx thanks 😊
You are very welcome, Dave!! 😀
Delicious however the photo shows lemon wedges in the sauce but not mentioned in the instructions.
Hi Jean! I think you must be looking at a different recipe because there’s no lemon wedges in the photos for this recipe.
Delicious as it was written!
Especially with mashed potatoes on the side… that sauce was perfect!
Next time, for fun, I am going to add some fresh parm cheese on top of my chicken once it’s plated.
I cooked this last night for a dinner party with small roast potatoes, asparagus and baby sweetcorn. I doubled up on the sauce. I was a bit nervous as it ended up sitting on the stove for about 40 mins while we ate starters but it was incredible and not at all tough. This was incredibly easy to make. The sauce was so delicious- I will definitely be using this recipe again. Everyone was scoping up more of the sauce and I had so many compliments. Thank you
Hi Jo! I’m thrilled it worked out!! 😀 Thanks for your review!
This was the best chicken I’ve ever made!
Yay!! I’m thrilled to hear that, Kayla!
I made this with single soya cream as we don’t eat diary. It was so good! Will be checking out your other recipes as this one was lovely. Thanks.
So happy you enjoyed it!! 😀 Thanks for your review and let me know what else you make. XO
Doubled the sauce to top the mashed potatoes. Such an amazing and delicious recipe!
I’m so glad it was a hit!! Thanks for your review!
Great meal. I doubled the sauce as I had pasta with it. The wine really makes a difference, might add a few extra tablespoons next time I make it.
Wonderful! 😀 Glad you liked it!
This was DELICIOUS
i just added some shallots and garlic to the sauce
And poultry seasoning to the chicken
If you like creamy sauce this recipe is for you
Great!! Thank you!!
I have been LOVING this recipe! I recently moved out on my own and cooking for myself has been a bit of a challenge, but this has been my go-to recipe when I have the energy to meal prep because it’s so easy! I’ve been having a problem with the sauce though – it’s delicious, but when I’m doing the last step and letting the chicken finish cooking and letting the sauce simmer and thicken, the sauce separates on me instead! It becomes a delicious, buttery mess with the cream completely separated from the wine and butter. Do you have any advice for remedying this? I’ve tried cooking it on a lower heat and stirring continuously but that doesn’t seem to work. Thanks!
Hi Julia! I’m glad you like it! 🙂 Let’s see… I always ask this to everyone who has a curdling issue: are you absolutely sure that you’re using at least 33% cream? Something with a lower fat content is much more likely to separate. Other culprits can be very high heat (you mentioned you tried turning it down, though) or if the cream is cold coming straight out of the fridge into a screaming hot pan. I’d let the cream sit out on the counter for a bit to take that cold edge off after you measure it out.