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    You are here: Home / Dinner / Pan Seared White Wine Chicken

    Pan Seared White Wine Chicken

    Last Updated July 26, 2021. Published September 10, 2020 By Lorie 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pan seared chicken breast.

    Simple, delicious Pan Seared chicken in a rich white wine, buttery sauce is juicy, flavorful and feels extra fancy! But don't worry, this chicken dinner whips up in 20 minutes and compliments any dinner!

    Pan seared chicken with fresh thyme in pan with butter.

    I am pretty sure we all feel the same way about cooking dinner.

    We want it to taste amazing and we want to get it done with as little effort as possible. Am I right or am I RIGHT?

    This Pan Seared White Wine Chicken is the perfect compromise for dinner. Feels so fancy, super flavorful but absolute minimal effort to whip it up.

    Chicken is on the menu weekly, and while a lot of times we opt for something baked like Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken or these Slow Cooker Burrito Bowls, there is something to be said about a chicken dinner that is ready in 20 minutes with just about zero prep.

    I love this white wine chicken so much because:

    1. I almost always have all the ingredients in the house.
    2. Cooking with white wine always feels fancy--but tastes good too!
    3. The light buttery "sauce" to spoon over top is comfort food perfection.

    Go ahead, wow your family, your guests, whoever you are feeding. They don't need to know how simple it was to make! And if you love a creamy chicken skillet dinner--these Creamy Chicken Thighs are perfect as well!

    What you will need:

    • If you don't have chicken stock, chicken broth will work fine as well.
    • I prefer to cook with Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc when it comes to cooking with white wine.
    Chicken, wine, butter, thyme and labeled ingredients for recipe.

    How to make this recipe:

    1. Pat your chicken dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat for several minutes until shimmering. For best results make sure the oil is HOT. Place the chicken in the skillet over the oil and DO NOT TOUCH the chicken for about 6 minutes. The chicken will start to pull away from the skillet a touch when it is ready to flip.
    2. After about 6-7 minutes, flip the chicken and once again, try your best not to touch it at all--I promise this is the hardest part. Allow the chicken to cook for another 5-7 minutes. Flip once more.
    3. Add in the white wine, chicken stock, butter, garlic and thyme sprigs. Allow the butter to melt and stir the mixture, pouring it over the chicken several times, to allow all the flavors to meld.
    Raw chicken in skillet, flipped chicken in skillet, butter added.

    Allow the chicken to cook another 4-6 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. (finished chicken below)

    Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest four several minutes before serving. Pour extra butter wine sauce over plated chicken and enjoy!

    Pan seared chicken in skillet with white wine, thyme and butter.

    Notes and Pro-Tips:

    • It is ideal for your chicken breasts to be the same thickness. This will allow for them to cook the same amount of time. You can pound the chicken to even them out. Chicken that is about one/one and a half inches thick is ideal for the times given in this recipe.
    • I find that oil sprays out a bit at me when cooking at this high heat on stove top. I sometimes Take a piece of foil and fold it in half to make a little tent to help catch the oil. That stuff is hot! Here are some other ideas as well.
    • Make sure to use a large enough skillet for this pan seared chicken. I use at least a 10 inch skillet when making this recipe.

    What to serve with this recipe:

    I love going full on meat and potatoes with this meal and sever it often with these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes and Parmesan Roasted Green Beans.

    A big salad on the side like this Spring Salad with Burrata and Sourdough Croutons or Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad would pair well.

    Pan seared chicken in skillet with butter and wine.

    Try these other simple chicken recipes:

    • Instant Pot Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
    • Spinach Ricotta Chicken
    • Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Tomato and Basil
    • Orange Chicken One Pan Dinner
    • Baked Cashew Chicken
    • Parmesan Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
    • Honey Garlic Chicken

    DID YOU MAKE ONE OF MY RECIPES? LEAVE A COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW! I ALSO LOVE TO SEE YOUR LEMONS + ZEST RECIPES ON SOCIAL MEDIA–TAG ME @LEMONSANDZEST ON INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK!

    Pan seared chicken in skillet.

    Pan Seared White Wine Chicken

    Simple, delicious Pan Seared chicken in a rich white wine, buttery sauce is juicy, flavorful and feels extra fancy! But don't worry, this chicken dinner whips up in 20 minutes and compliments any dinner!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 340kcal
    Author: Lorie Yarro

    Ingredients 

    • 3-4 chicken breasts (about 1 ½ lbs.)
    • 3 T unsalted butter
    • ½ c white wine
    • ½ c chicken stock
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 6-8 fresh thyme sprigs
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon cracked pepper
    • 2 T olive oil

    Instructions

    • Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
    • Add olive oil to skillet at medium-high and heat for about 2-3 minutes or until shimmering. Place the chicken breasts into the oil and do not touch at all for about 6-7 minutes.
    • Flip the chicken and once again, allow it to cook for about 6-7 minutes without touching. Flip it back over and add in the chicken stock, wine, butter, garlic and thyme to the skillet. Once the butter is melted, stir the mixture and spoon it over the chicken several times.
    • Allow the chicken to cook another 4-6 minutes or until it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest several minutes before serving. Spoon remaining white wine sauce over chicken when serving.

    Notes

    • It is ideal for your chicken breasts to be the same thickness. This will allow for them to cook the same amount of time. You can pound the chicken to even them out. Chicken that is about one/one and a half inches thick is ideal for the times given in this recipe.
    • I find that oil sprays out a bit at me when cooking at this high heat on stove top. I sometimes Take a piece of foil and fold it in half to make a little tent to help catch the oil. That stuff is hot! Here are some other ideas as well.
    • Make sure to use a large enough skillet for this pan seared chicken. I use at least a 10 inch skillet when making this recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 691mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 313IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you try this recipe? I would love to see it! Mention @LemonsAndZest or tag #LemonsAndZest!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Catherine says

      January 28, 2021 at 7:52 pm

      5 stars
      So good. So easy. Do exactly like the recipe says. It was lovely and the whole family liked it. We had it with green beans and risotto. Perfect dinner. Thanks for a winner Lorie!

      Reply
      • Lorie says

        January 29, 2021 at 8:31 pm

        Oh my gosh now I need risotto! So glad that you all enjoyed another recipe!

        Reply

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    Hello! I’m Lorie, welcome to lemons + zest! If you love to eat, and you love delicious, simple recipes, then you are in the right place. When it comes to cooking these days, I firmly believe that if it takes too long, or too much work to make, then it’s not for me. Read More…

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