These skillet chicken breasts in rich and creamy white wine sauce are simple enough for weeknight dinner, yet indulgent enough for special occasions. Paired with pasta, this dish is a satisfying comfort food your family will devour at any time!
To serve dinner as quickly as possible:
- Work quickly and efficiently by cutting, dicing and slicing the ingredients while waiting for pasta water to boil.
- And start cooking the chicken and sauce as soon as you drop the pasta in boiling water, so that everything is ready to be tossed together at the same time.
This way your dinner will be ready in as little as 35 minutes!!
Luxuriously rich and creamy white wine sauce is truly the star of the show. Infused with flavorful shallots and fresh garlic, this beautifully balanced white wine cream sauce soaks into pasta perfectly, making the dish so satisfying and irresistible!
What kind of white wine to use for this white wine sauce?
Any dry white wine you like to drink would work for this creamy white wine sauce. I use unoaked chardonnay, but Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are also great choices.
You can also read more about wine option for cooking here.
For even cooking, I highly recommend cutting chicken breasts horizontally, or butterflying them. Thinner and more even chicken breasts also cook faster!
Burnt garlic turns bitter, so be careful not to burn them. That’s why we’re adding garlic after shallots are softened and aromatic. And don’t forget to stir frequently!
Asparagus adds much needed freshness to otherwise rich and heavy sauce.
Ah, I can’t wait for you to try this dish. This indulgent sauce is truly the best cream sauce for chicken and pasta!
Enjoy!
Chicken Breasts in Creamy White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti or angel hair, fettuccine
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut horizontally
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot diced
- 5-6 garlic cloves sliced
- 6 oz dry white wine* Unoaked Chardonnay is a great choice
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ bunch asparagus trimmed and cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Generously salt it.
- Meanwhile, cut each chicken breast horizontally (if desired, you can butterfly it as shown here) and season with salt on both sides. And dice shallot, slice garlic, trim and cut asparagus.
- When the pasta water comes to a boil, add pasta and cook it al dante according to package directions.
- As soon as you drop the pasta in boiling water, heat a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. (I used 12-inch skillet.)
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add chicken breasts into the sizzling hot skillet in a single layer. (Work in batches, if needed.)
- Sear chicken without disruption until golden crust forms, 2-3 minutes . If they are still stuck to the pan, it means they are not ready. Don’t force it. Try again in about 30 seconds.
- Using a pair of kitchen tongs, flip the chicken and cook the other side for another 2 minutes. Chicken doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through at this point. Remove the chicken onto a clean plate.
- Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
- When all the chicken are cooked, reduce heat to medium low and add shallots. Cook until nice and aromatic.
- Add garlic and cook for a minute, stirring frequently.
- Add wine. (Be careful as it might splatter when you add wine.) Deglaze the pan by scraping the bits off the bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon, about 1 minute.
- Pour in heavy cream and add chicken and asparagus. Cook gently for about 5 minutes.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain the pasta and reserve about ½ cup of pasta cooking water.
- Add pasta and lemon juice. Toss to combine. Salt to taste. If needed, add reserved pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on May 21, 2019, and last updated on January 23rd, 2020.
Stay connected and join Busy Cooks community:
FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM
Comments + Reviews