This traditional pollo en salsa recipe is a quick and easy chicken dinner recipe that everyone will love. The fragrant white wine and garlic sauce makes this simple dish absolutely irresistible!
If you'd like to try other easy Spanish dinners, make these recipes for chorizo a la sidra (chorizo in hard cider), Spanish tortilla, or berenjenas rellanas (stuffed eggplant).
Introduction
One of my favorite simple Spanish chicken dishes is this chicken in white wine and garlic sauce--simply called pollo en salsa. The sauce is what really makes this dish shine! You won't want to waste a drop of this simple yet mouthwatering blend of olive oil, sautéed garlic, chicken stock, and white wine.
My mother-in-law first made me this recipe after my twins were born. I was home from the hospital and absolutely starving at all times (feeding twins does that to one). I fell in love at my first bite, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to make a tasty pan of pollo en salsa? Fortunately, you only need a handful of simple ingredients to bring this dish together! Let's talk about the key ingredients.
- Chicken Breast: Either thinly slice the chicken breasts, or pound them thin with a meat mallet. Bring them to room temperature before cooking for more juiciness.
- Garlic: This adds an incredible flavor to the sauce! You'll crush and pan fry the garlic still in its skin, then peel it, mash it, and add it to the sauce.
- Spices: The flavor is simple with only three spices: salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
- White Wine: Combined with the chicken broth, the wine creates an amazing sauce that combines perfectly with the chicken.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Pollo en Salsa
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Pound or thinly slice the chicken breast, then pat it dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (image 1)
- Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife or a heavy bottle, leaving the skins on. (image 2)
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then sear the chicken on both sides until lightly browned. (image 3)
- Cook the garlic cloves in the remaining oil until they're browned, stirring occasionally. (image 4)
- Peel the garlic, then purée or mash it. Mix the garlic with the chicken broth. (image 5)
- Put the chicken back in the pan, then pour in the stock mixture, white wine, and bay leaves. (image 6)
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and simmer for another 5 minutes uncovered. The chicken is cooked when it has an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). (image 7)
- Let the chicken sit off the heat for 5 minutes, then serve warm and enjoy! (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
I like to pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. That's all you need to do for this simple pollo en salsa recipe!
Yes, you can simmer raw chicken breasts in a sauce until they're cooked and have an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). However, you'll have a better flavor if you sear the outside of the chicken breasts first in a skillet, then simmer them.
I recommend using a dry white wine for the best results. There's no need to use anything fancy, as it's there simply to enhance the flavors of the garlic, chicken, and spices.
Serve
This pollo en salsa makes a wonderfully quick and flavorful dinner! My mother-in-law loves serving it with Spanish fried potatoes, but it also would taste great with Manchego mashed potatoes, Spanish rice with mushrooms, or pasta.
Expert Tips
- Bring the chicken breasts to room temperature before searing.
- Use any dry white wine you like in this recipe.
- Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Pollo en Salsa - Spanish Chicken in Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced or pounded thin
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 head garlic
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ¾ cup white wine
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towel, then season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then sear both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Separate the cloves of garlic, but don't peel them. Smash each clove with the flat side of a knife or a heavy bottle so they're broken a little, but not fully out of the skin.
- Add the smashed garlic cloves to the skillet and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown.
- Take the sautéed garlic out of its skin, then purée it with the chicken stock using an immersion blender. (You can also mash the garlic with a fork and mix it into the stock.)
- Add the chicken back to the pan, then cover it with the garlic and stock mixture, white wine, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then uncover and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes, then serve in bowls with the sauce. Enjoy while it's hot!
Notes
- Bring the chicken breasts to room temperature before searing.
- Use any dry white wine you like in this recipe.
- Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Giulia
I thought this was going to be A LOT of garlic but actually it was perfect!
Super easy to make and really flavourful.
The sauce was so good I could drink it. I decided to mop it up with lots of crusty bread and it was just a great dinner.
Andreas Schäfer
That stuff is fabulous
Lynn
Another winning recipe. I can't fault this one, it was sooo delicious and really easy to make. I used a large head of garlic and didn't find it too much, just really flavoursome.
Thank you Lauren
Nigel
Hey SpanishSabores,
Looks fantastic, going to tr it here in Perth Western Australia. Stay safe over there and we will all get through this and not take things for granted anymore. Many thanks for this recipe and look forward to returning to Spain soon, Nigel
Charlie
Wow..... that’s a lot of garlic for only one pound of chicken. Maybe I’ll try it with half a head of garlic the first time. Otherwise, this recipe seems perfect — all the classic ingredients of a great chicken dish. It has the exact same ingredients as my recipe for braised chicken thighs.