This Champagne braised chicken recipe makes an easy weeknight dinner that feels a little fancy. It comes together in about 35 minutes, with crispy chicken thighs simmered in a savory champagne sauce.
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Why You’ll Love This Braised Chicken Leg Dinner
I’m genuinely obsessed with this one. I made it twice in a single week and didn’t even pretend to feel bad about it. The chicken comes out perfectly crispy (which I will never apologize for loving), and between the smoky bacon, tender leeks, and savory mushrooms, every bite just works. It’s cozy, flavorful, and exactly the kind of food I crave when I want something comforting but not boring.
What I love most is how easy it is and how special it feels. You can prep everything ahead, throw it together when dinnertime rolls around, and suddenly you’ve got a meal that looks and tastes like you tried harder than you actually did. It’s warm, inviting, and one of those dinners that makes the house smell amazing. Here's why this recipe works so well:
- One pan from start to finish
- Crispy skin with tender meat
- Easy to double for guests
- Cozy and comforting
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Chicken thighs- Bone-in, skin-on thighs give the best texture. Chicken legs also work, but may need to cook a bit longer.
- Bacon- Adds smokiness and depth. Pancetta works as well.
- Shallots- Brings a mild, sweet onion flavor. Swap with a yellow onion if needed
- Mushrooms- Add umami and richness. Cremini or button mushrooms both work well.
- Fresh thyme- Lemon thyme is lovely, but regular thyme works just as well.
- Champagne or sparkling wine- Light and slightly acidic. Sweeter wines can throw off the balance of the sauce. Dry white wine is a great substitute.
- Chicken broth- Makes a deliciously flavorful sauce.
- Cornstarch- Thickens the sauce into a lovely gravy.
- Salt and pepper- Because flavor is important.
How To Make Champagne Chicken
Step 1- Sear the chicken.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat dry chicken thighs and salt the skin side.
Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in a deep, oven-safe skillet. Turn the heat onto medium high. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the bottom side of the chicken.
Allow the chicken skin to sear until golden, not turning until the chicken thighs easily pull up from the pan without sticking, about 10 minutes. Cook the other side for two minutes and remove from the pan.
Step 2- Add the shallots and bacon.
Add the bacon and shallots and cook for 5 minutes stirring often to soften the shallots and crisp up the bacon.
Add mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often.
Step 3- Cook mushroom and deglaze.
Add mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often.
Deglaze with champagne, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes.
Step 4- Add the broth and chicken.
Whisk the cornstarch in with your chicken broth and stir it into the pan with th remaining salt and pepper. Place the chicken thighs, skin-side-up and top with some sprigs of fresh thyme.
Step 5- Roast the chicken.
Place the entire pan in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes, until the thickest part of the chicken thigh reaches 161 degrees F (be careful not to touch the bone with the temperature probe).
Step 6- Rest and serve.
Remove the chicken from the oven and rest for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prep all the ingredients ahead of time, but this dish is best cooked fresh so the chicken skin stays crispy. If needed, you can fully cook it earlier in the day and gently reheat before serving.
An oven-safe pan is easiest, but not required. If you don’t have one, you can deglaze the pan after the vegetables soften, then transfer everything to a baking dish before baking.
Yes, it doubles easily. Just make sure the chicken isn’t overcrowded in the pan so it can still sear properly. You may need to use a larger skillet or two pans.
Tips For Making Braised Chicken Thighs
- Moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels before seasoning and make sure you don't overcrowd the pan so they browns properly instead of steaming.
- Start with a cold pan- this will allow the chicken fat to render and give you the perfect golden-brown sear on the chicken skin.
- Be patient to the searing- it takes a good 10 minutes and the chicken will easily release when it's ready.
- Don't put any black pepper on the chicken skin- to prevent burning. The other side is ok to add it.
- Mince the bacon nice and small- try to let it be the same size and the small diced shallots so they cooked evenly.
- Deglaze the pan properly. Scraping up the browned bits after adding the wine builds the base of the sauce. This step adds more flavor than any extra seasoning.
- Rest the chicken after cooking- Pull the chicken when the thickest part of the chicken thigh registers at 161 degrees F. Remove from the oven then rest the chicken for 5 minutes. During this time, the juices will redistribute during this time and the temperature will rise to 165 degrees F resulting in perfectly cooked chicken every time.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Clean and slice the mushrooms, small dice the shallots and bacon.
- Leftovers and storage- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven to keep the meat tender.
What To Serve With This Braised Chicken Recipe
This dish already has a rich, savory sauce, so simple sides work best. Pair it with something that can soak up all those juices, and finish the meal with a light dessert to balance everything out:
Other Chicken Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Champagne Braised Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- oven-safe skillet
- sharp knife
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds chicken thighs bone-in, skin on
- 2 strips bacon diced small
- 1 cup shallots diced small
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- ¾ cup champagne or sparkling wine
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper,
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme lemon thyme is great if you have it!
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat Dry chicken and sprinkle some of the salt on the skin side of the chicken. Mix remaining salt with black pepper and set aside.
- Place chicken thighs skin-side-down in cold skillet and turn the heat on to medium-high. Sprinkle a pinch of the salt and pepper mixture onto the backside of the chicken pieces.
- Sear until the chicken easily pulls up to flip the chicken, about 10 minutes. Thew chicken skin will be perfectly golden brown. Once you flip the chicken, cook 2 more minutes and remove from the pan.
- Add the shallots and bacon to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, to brown the bacon and soften the shallots.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook 5 more minutes stirring frequently.
- Deglaze the pan with the champagne, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to bring up all the brown bits. Cook 2 minutes to reduce.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the broth and add to the pan. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Place chicken thighs back into the pan and place the pan into the preheated oven uncovered.
- Bake until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 161 degrees F, about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes; the internal temperature will rise to 165 degrees F during this time. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels before seasoning and make sure you don't overcrowd the pan so they browns properly instead of steaming.
- Start with a cold pan- this will allow the chicken fat to render and give you the perfect golden-brown sear on the chicken skin.
- Be patient to the searing- it takes a good 10 minutes and the chicken will easily release when it's ready.
- Don't put any black pepper on the chicken skin- to prevent burning. The other side is ok to add it.
- Mince the bacon nice and small- try to let it be the same size and the small diced shallots so they cooked evenly.
- Deglaze the pan properly. Scraping up the browned bits after adding the wine builds the base of the sauce. This step adds more flavor than any extra seasoning.
- Rest the chicken after cooking- Pull the chicken when the thickest part of the chicken thigh registers at 161 degrees F. Remove from the oven then rest the chicken for 5 minutes. During this time, the juices will redistribute during this time and the temperature will rise to 165 degrees F resulting in perfectly cooked chicken every time.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Clean and slice the mushrooms, small dice the shallots and bacon.
- Leftovers and storage- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven to keep the meat tender.
Nutrition
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