Chicken with White Wine, Leek, Spinach, and Arugula Pan Sauce
on Aug 19, 2018, Updated Apr 18, 2025
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Served over chicken, this pan sauce begs for some rice or crusty bread, so you don’t lose one drop.
I do go on about pan sauces, I know that. But it is kind of my job to offer suggestions about what to cook (it is, in fact, my job), and it’s kind of my job to try and make your life in the kitchen easier (it is also, in fact, my job). And pan sauces are simply one of the greatest ways to get a piece of food (e.g., chicken breast, pieces of salmon, pork chop) from boring to not-at-all-boring in the shortest amount of time possible.
And after the selected food has cooked — in part or completely — that’s when the pan sauce starts. And you can use any liquid to deglaze a pan, but the liquid of choice is really wine. And not just any wine. Good wine. The kind of wine that you drink.
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I would serve this over rice or couscous with some crusty pieces of baguette (maybe even this Roasted Tomato and Garlic Bread) to sop up all of that deliciousness.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a great choice for this recipe.
- Leeks – Add a light onion flavor to the sauce.
- Dry white wine – When the wine hits the pan, releasing all of those gorgeous brown bits of leeks and chicken that may have stuck to the pan. Terlato Pinot Grigio is a personal favorite, but any good-quality white wine with a drier profile will work. See notes below about choosing wine for a pan sauce.
- Chicken or vegetable broth – The wine is supplemented by some broth to soften the sauce. 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, 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: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken breasts about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Set the chicken aside on a plate and tent them with foil to keep warm. Do not wipe out the skillet!
- Sauté the leeks: Add the leeks to the skillet and sauté for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly tender.
- 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 in the broth, stirring occasionally for another 4 minutes until the mixture reduces slightly.
- Finish the sauce: Add the arugula and spinach, stirring until they start to wilt. Add the lemon juice and butter, and stir until the butter is melted and the arugula and spinach are wilted.
- Serve: Plate the chicken and spoon the vegetables and sauce over the chicken breasts.
How to Choose Wine for Cooking
You may have heard the kitchen adage that you should only cook with wines that you want to drink. That is 100% true. In the cooking, you will burn off most of the actual alcohol, but the flavor will remain to season the dish, and that’s why you should be a fan of the wine in your glass first, then in the dish.
Also, unless you are making something like coq au vin for a big crowd, you will likely not be using an entire bottle of wine in one dish.
So, pick a wine you like to drink, and then use that in your cooking. Again, most of the alcohol disappears as it simmers and reduces, but it’s one of the central ingredients in the sauce.
(Don’t you dare even pause in the market and glance at the “Cooking Wine” on top of the shelf. That is some sort of not-quite-vinegar substance pretending to be wine.)
What to Serve With Chicken in White Wine Pan Sauce
More Pan Sauce Recipes
- How to Make a Pan Sauce
- Chicken with Arugula and Mustard Pan Sauce
- Chicken Piccata
- Creamy Mustard Pork Chops
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Chicken with White Wine, Leek, Spinach, and Arugula Pan Sauce
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.
