Crispy skinned roasted chicken thighs and tender leeks in a delicious sauce with white wine, garlic, lemon, butter and fresh herbs. An impressive, one skillet chicken dinner that will quickly become one of your new favorite things to cook.

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Wine makes food, and life, better. It’s also a versatile ingredient in the kitchen, helping to keep meat moist and juicy and imparting wonderful depth of flavor. Roasted chicken thighs and leeks is a simple, Spring inspired elegant dish that look and tastes like it takes way more work than it really does – thanks to the wine!
Bone in skin-on chicken thighs don’t get the credit they deserve. They’re full of flavor and lay flat in the pan, allowing for that perfect sear to get super crispy skin. Make an easy sauce of pan juices, sweet, oniony leeks, tons of garlic, some white wine, butter and fresh herbs and you’ve got yourself a restaurant worthy meal.
This recipe comes together in one pan, making it simple enough for a weeknight but also a great meal for company. If you’re looking for a great signature chicken dinner to add to your repertoire, you’re welcome.
So, open up a bottle of California sustainable white wine, measure out what you need for the recipe, pour yourself a glass and let’s get into it!

Ingredients
A handful of simple ingredients and a good bottle of wine is all you need to make your new favorite chicken recipe.
- White wine – when choosing a wine for cooking, remember the saying, “Only cook with wine you’d drink.” After all, the fun is in drinking wine while you’re cooking! For this recipe, I recommend going with a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris. Chardonnay can have a strong, oaky flavor that doesn’t always translate well for cooking as the flavors can turn bitter. If Chardonnay is what you love, go with an unoaked bottle for best results.
- Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs – you can also use boneless chicken thighs. I would advise against using chicken breasts or boneless skinless thighs, it just won’t produce the same delicious result!
- Leeks – the sweet, oniony alliums melt and caramelize in the sauce and give this dish such great flavor.
- Garlic – a whole head of garlic. YES.
- Vegetable Stock – a little bit to bring the sauce together. You can also substitute chicken stock or more wine.
- Butter and olive oil – to brown the chicken and add tons of flavor.
- Lemons – this dish is fairly rich and lemons give it a pop of necessary acidity.
- Fresh herbs – garnish with lots of fresh parsley. I also like to drop in a few sprigs of fresh thyme before it goes into the oven. A bit fresh tarragon as garnish is also a delicious addition.
- Salt and black pepper

Method
You don’t need any special equipment, just a braiser, large dutch oven or ovenproof skillet. We all love a great one pan meal!
Start by patting the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. You want the skin of your chicken thighs to be super dry. This is the key to getting it super crispy. If I have time, I’ll do this step ahead of time and place the chicken in the fridge uncovered to let it dry out. Pro tip – wiggle your finger underneath the skin to separate it from the meat. Don’t rip it off, just create a little pocket. This allows for more air circulation during the cooking process and ensures the crispiest skin possible.
Season chicken on both sides with salt and black pepper. Heat your pan over medium-high heat and add butter and olive oil. Place chicken skin-side down in the pan and let it cook undisturbed in the pan for 8-10 minutes. You will be tempted to touch it but resist! This allows the fat to render out, making the skin super crispy!

While the chicken cooks and gets nice and brown, slice and wash the leeks and peel a whole head of garlic or 10-12 cloves. No need to mince, I trim off the tough ends of the garlic cloves and smash them with a knife or with the bottom of a sturdy drinking glass. The whole garlic cloves will go right into the dish and get super soft and sweet.
When the chicken is brown and crispy on the skin side, flip it over and cook on the other side for another five minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate. There will be a significant amount of fat in the pan from the butter, olive oil and chicken skin. Use a spoon to remove some of it, leaving a generous 3-4 tablespoons in the pan to start the sauce.
Add the cleaned, sliced leeks and whole garlic cloves to the pan and sauté over medium heat until leeks are melted and starting to caramelize. The pan will be full of leeks but they will reduce down as they cook. Deglaze the pan with white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the delicious browned bits on the bottom of the pan. This is where all the flavor is! Let it simmer for a few minutes and then add the chicken broth.

Nestle the chicken back in the pan in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes until the sauce is reduced and the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
Use tongs to remove the chicken from the pan. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice and use the back of a wooden spoon to mash the softened garlic cloves into the sauce. Stir in remaining butter to create a silky sauce. Place the chicken back on top, garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices. I don’t even use a serving platter, it looks gorgeous served right out of the pan!

Tips for recipe success
This dish is pretty much foolproof but here are a few important tips to get the best results.
- Use a decent bottle of dry white wine that you enjoy drinking.
- Clean the leeks really well. They can have a lot of grit and sand and you don’t want that ending up in the dish!
- Get the chicken as dry as possible before you start to cook. This is key to getting the crispiest skin.
- Be patient while browning the chicken and allow the fat to render out. Don’t move it around or flip it too early. Crispy skin is the goal!
How to serve roasted chicken thighs and leeks
Scoop up a bed of leeks onto a plate and place a crispy chicken thigh (or two) right on top. My favorite way to serve this is family style with a side of rice or crispy potatoes and crusty bread. Add a simple green salad and another bottle of good California sustainable white wine and you’ve got yourself an amazing meal.

How to look for California sustainable wines
You can find California sustainable wines in most regular grocery stores. In fact, you may be already drinking some of your favorite brands! For a full list of sustainable wines and wineries, check out this list on the California Sustainable Wine website.
If you really love your wine and want to learn more, consider taking this awesome FREE California Sustainable Winegrowing Ambassador Course! Here you will gain a clear understanding of sustainable practices used in California vineyards and wineries and get certified to confidently share this important information with others.
More delicious chicken recipes you will love
- Grilled Mojo Chicken Leg Quarters
- Garlic Herb Roast Chicken with Baby Potatoes
- Grilled Mediterranean Chicken
- Baked Peri Peri Chicken Wings


White Wine Roasted Chicken Thighs and Leeks
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Bone in skin-on chicken thighs 6-8 pieces
- 2 pounds leeks 3-4 large
- ¾ cup dry white wine Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris recommended
- ½ cup vegetable broth or substitute chicken broth or more wine
- 1 head garlic 10-12 cloves
- 2 lemons one juiced and one for garnish
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- salt and black pepper to taste
- rice, potatoes or crusty bread for serving and a good bottle of California sustainable white wine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat a braiser or large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. Carefully place chicken thighs skin-side down in pan and sear, undisturbed, for 8-10 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, peel and smash garlic cloves. Thinly slice the white and light green parts of the leeks and place in a bowl of water to remove any sand or dirt.
- Flip the chicken thighs over and cook on the other side for another 5 minutes. The skin should be a nice golden brown color.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate. Add the smashed garlic cloves to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until they become fragrant. Add in the leeks. It will look like a lot at first but they will melt and cook down.
- Sauté leeks and garlic for 3-4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Deglaze the pan with white wine and continue scraping the bottom. Add in the chicken broth and let it simmer for a minute or two.
- Turn off the heat and nestle the chicken thighs, skin-side up, back into the pan with the garlic and leeks. Nestle in a few sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Place the pan, uncovered in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- To finish the sauce, remove the chicken thighs and squeeze in the juice of one lemon. Add in remaining butter and stir. Place the chicken back on top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and additional lemon slices.
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