Chicken with Leek White Wine Pan Sauce
on Jul 01, 2025
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Tender chicken breasts in a silky white wine pan sauce with sautéed leeks, garlic, and herbs — a simple yet elegant dinner for any night of the week.
Pan sauces are simply one of the greatest ways to get a piece of food (e.g., chicken breast, salmon, pork chop) from boring to not-at-all-boring in the shortest amount of time possible. This sauce is colorful and fresh from the addition of leeks, spinach, and arugula.
After you have sautéed your chicken, you will use the flavorful brown bits as the base of your pan sauce. White wine is used to deglaze the pan, loosening up the fond (those flavorful bits on the bottom of the pan that are the result of sautéing the chicken and the aromatics). Then some broth is added, along with the greens. A little fresh lemon juice and a pat of butter finish the rich and savory sauce.
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Serve chicken with leek pan sauce over rice or couscous with some crusty bread (maybe even this Roasted Tomato and Garlic Bread) to sop up all of that deliciousness.
What's In This Post?
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Leeks
- Dry white wine
- Chicken or vegetable broth – Use less-sodium broth so you can control the dish’s saltiness.
- Arugula and spinach – Handfuls of some of my favorite chopped lettuces wilt away in the sauce.
- Lemon and butter – A little fresh lemon juice and a pat of butter finish the rich and savory sauce that’s more like a topping for the chicken.
How to Make Chicken in Leek White Wine Pan Sauce
- Cook the chicken: Set the chicken aside on a plate and tent them with foil to keep warm. Do not wipe out the skillet!
- Sauté the leeks.
- Make the sauce base: Add the white wine and stir to scrape up the flavorful bits. Simmer for about 2 minutes until reduced by half. Add the broth, stirring until the mixture reduces slightly.
- Finish the sauce: Add the arugula and spinach, stirring until they wilt. Add the lemon juice and butter, and stir until the butter is melted.
- Serve: Plate the chicken and spoon the vegetables and sauce over the chicken breasts.
What to Serve With Chicken in White Wine Pan Sauce
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Chicken with Leek White Wine Pan Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 4 (8-ounce) boneless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 leeks (sliced; white and light green parts only)
- 1 cup dry white wine (such as Terlato Pinot Grigio)
- ¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup roughly chopped arugula
- 1 cup roughly chopped spinach
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sauté until done, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate and set aside; tent with foil to keep them warm. Do not wipe out the skillet!
- Add the leeks to the skillet and sauté over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly tender.
- Add the white wine and stir to scrape up all the little flavorful bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for about 2 minutes until the wine reduces by half. Add in the broth and return to a simmer, stirring occasionally for another 4 minutes until the mixture has reduced slightly (by about a third; this is not a precise science).
- Add the arugula and spinach, stirring until they start to wilt. Then add the lemon juice and butter. Stir until the butter is melted and the arugula and spinach are wilted.
- You can slice the chicken breasts or leave them whole. Transfer them to individual plates and spoon the vegetables and sauce over the chicken breasts. You can also slice them all up and serve them with the sauce spooned over on a serving platter.
