Riesling Chicken Thighs
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A rustic twist on classic French poultry braised in white wine, mushrooms, and cream. Uses boneless skinless thighs for quick browning and tender results. Replaces butter with olive oil for a bit lighter flavor and swaps champignons for shiitake for earthier notes. Garlic swapped out for shallots for milder pungency. Slow simmer till sauce thickens and chicken yields to fork. Serve over pasta or rice. No em dash. Salt and pepper balance key to avoid dullness. Learn to read bubbling sauce, mushroom caramelization, and chicken texture. Cream adds richness without heaviness. Practical substitutions and timing tips throughout.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
6 servings
#French
#braising
#chicken
#mushrooms
#wine sauce
#comfort food
#one pot
Chicken thighs, riesling, mushrooms—classic combo but tweaked for kitchen sanity. Ditch butter for olive oil, less heavy yet still nice browning. Mushrooms swap to shiitake; earthier, meatier mouthfeel. Garlic replaced by shallots for gentle sweetness that doesn’t overpower. Always dry chicken well, key to crisp sear, no steaming in pan. Wine plus stock and cream make lush bath. Slow simmer, no rush. Sauce thickens as proteins relax, flavors marry. Watch sauce bubbling gently, not raging. Overcooked chicken is blubber, undercooked raw. I’ve botched this before: too cold pan, soggy mushrooms, bland sauce. Now I trust smell, sound, sheen. Serve on noodles to catch sauce, don’t drown everything though. Quick tip: zest lemon to cut cream if feeling heavy.
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 60 ml olive oil
- 3 shallots chopped
- 1 lb sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 400 ml (1 2/3 cup) riesling white wine
- 200 ml (7 fl oz) chicken stock
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 200 ml 15 percent cooking cream
About the ingredients
Use boneless skinless thighs so browning quick and even—that skin on bone slows chilling down, longer cook. Olive oil replaces butter here; butter burns quicker and heavy—makes cleanup easier and cuts saturated fat without flavor loss. Shiitake make sauce more savory but button mushrooms OK if needed. Shallots swap for garlic to avoid harsh bite, they deglaze better releasing sweet aromatics. Riesling must be dry or semi-dry—sweet wine cloys sauce. If no riesling, try dry pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. Stock ideally homemade but low sodium store-bought fine. Cream 15% brought silkiness without heaviness; skip heavy cream unless richer sauce preferred. Keep salt low at start as liquid reduces intensifies seasoning. Pasta or rice bases a must for sauce cradle.
Method
- Heat half oil in heavy pan til shimmering but not smoking. Pat chicken dry get even browning. Add pieces skinless side down first for color. Cook about 5 min each side till golden but not cooked through then remove. No crowding pan.
- Add rest of oil. Toss in shallots, stir till translucent, mushrooms next. Sizzle loud, moisture evaporates, edges crisp and brown. Watch closely, don’t burn. About 8 min til mushroom texture soft, color rich brown, pan almost dry.
- Nestle chicken back in pan. Pour riesling in slow steady stream, scrape brown bits from bottom. Add stock, swirl together. Cream last, fold gently without breaking sauce. Bring to simmer uncovered.
- Reduce heat low, partially cover lid askew. Let bubble slow for 50 min or till chicken tender and sauce thickened enough to coat spoon back. Stir occasionally, test sauce thickness: should coat spatula surface but flow slowly.
- Salt and pepper now. Taste. Cream temp lowers sauce—adjust accordingly. If too thin, simmer uncovered few more min. Sauce should be velvety, mushrooms soft and flavorful, chicken easily pierced but not falling apart.
- Serve immediately, spoon sauce over, on top fresh pasta or simple rice. Sprinkle chopped parsley for brightness, optional zest lemon peel to lift heavy cream richness.
Cooking tips
Start hot pan, oil shimmering but not smoking—too hot means blackened, too cold no sear. Dry chicken crucial for Maillard crust, pat with paper towel thoroughly. No crowding pan or chicken steams. After initial sear, remove quickly to avoid overcooking inside. Add shallots then mushrooms; sauté until mushrooms lose all water and get lightly browned edges—this step builds flavor base, no mushy mushroom slurry. Return chicken to pan nesting amid veggies, pour wine slowly, scrape fond bits for richness. Stock and cream follow. Simmer partially covered so steam escapes, thickening sauce without drying it out. Stir once in a while, check texture and taste. Adjust salt last. Sauce stage tells when done—shiny, coats spoon, chicken fork tender but intact. Serve hot. Learned this by burning sauce once and undercooking thighs another time. Watch, listen to pan, sniff aromas coming off—it’s your best guide.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat oil until shimmering but avoid smoking - overheated oil burns and ruins flavor. Dry chicken very well with paper towels so surface browns, not steams. Sear skinless side down first, patience there wins crispness. Work in batches if needed, crowding traps steam. Remove quickly when golden but undercooked inside or texture mushy.
- 💡 Watch mushrooms carefully, stir often but gently. They should sizzle loudly, edges darken to rich brown, moisture fully evaporated. If pan too wet, sauce turns dull. Don’t rush this step. Texture shifts from spongy to soft yet chewy, aroma deepens. That browned mushroom edge is foundation for overall sauce depth.
- 💡 Add wine slowly in thin stream. Scrape fond bits from bottom well, they carry flavor heft. Pour stock next, swirl to combine liquids before cream. Fold cream last softly to avoid breaking sauce, keep glossy texture. If sauce looks thin, simmer uncovered few minutes after seasoning. Thickness is your cue.
- 💡 Simmer with lid offset to allow gentle bubbling - too tight traps steam, thins sauce; too open dries too much. Stir every now and then, feel sauce coating spatula - thick, slow flow means done. Fork test chicken: tender, offers slight resistance still firm. Overcooked chicken is spongy, sauce dulls.
- 💡 Season salt and pepper late, because liquids reduce and intensify. Cream cools sauce, dulls salt impact, taste after full melding. Lemon zest optional but brightens heavy cream rounds. Shiitake earthy, swap with button only if no other option. If no riesling, dry white wine alternatives okay but adjust sweetness.
Common questions
Can I use bone-in thighs?
Bone slows heat transfer, longer cook needed. Careful not overcook exterior. Better dry skin well, sear more time. Might need extra simmering. Bone adds flavor but messes with quick browning benefit here.
What if no dry riesling available?
Try dry pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. Avoid sweet wines, they coat sauce oddly, cloy. If no wine, extra chicken stock can work but flavor flattens. Acid important to balance cream richness. Add splash of lemon juice if skipping wine.
Mushrooms turn soggy or watery?
Mushrooms release water, need strong heat to evaporate. If they stew, sauce muddled. Use hot pan, stir often to dry. If pan crowded, cook mushrooms separately quick before adding back. Dry mushrooms sear better flavor wise.
How to store leftovers?
Cool sauce fast, fridge up to 3 days ok. Reheat low heat, add splash water if thickened too much. Cream may separate slightly on reheating, stir gently. Freeze in airtight container 1 month max. Defrost slow in fridge, reheat with care.
