6 Best Wine Pairings For Any Chicken Dish

Chicken is a simple dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways, but one of its greatest attributes is its versatility.

This versatility makes it a great food to pair with wine since you have so many options.

In this post, I’ll tell you what wine I would choose for this meal and why.

What is chicken?

Chicken is a type of poultry.

The flesh can be divided into white meat (like chicken breast) and dark meat (like chicken thighs) with slight differences in taste, flavor, and nutritional values.

Chicken can be cooked by roasting, frying, grilling, sauteing, or poaching.

Chicken is often considered to taste better when it’s been marinated in herbs and spices before cooking.

Chicken is a good source of protein, niacin, and selenium; vitamin B6 and B12; choline; phosphorus; zinc as well as several other essential nutrients.

These nutrients help reduce the risk of heart disease while also protecting against cancer.

What to consider when choosing a wine to serve with chicken?

Consider the weight of the wine

You don’t want a heavy, full-bodied red with chicken because it will overpower the delicate flavor of your dish.

Choose a light-bodied white instead.

Consider the tannin level of the wine

A high tannin level can be harsh on your palate and may even cause you to have a bitter aftertaste in your mouth (which is not pleasant when eating chicken).

Consider how acidic or tart you like your food when picking out a bottle

If you’re looking for something sweet and smooth, stick with something that has low acidity levels such as Riesling or Gewürztraminer wines which are both perfect matches for poultry.

However, you also need to take into account the flavor profile of your chicken dish to make the right decision on which kind of wine and how acidic it is.

6 best wine pairings for chicken

Here is the list of the six wines that we find best when served with chicken:

Chardonnay

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Chardonnay is a white wine grape that goes well with chicken for good reasons.

It’s light, crisp, and refreshing.

The acidity in Chardonnay cleanses your palate after each bite of rich, creamy chicken, making it the perfect wine to go with this dish.

Additionally, the buttery notes of Chardonnay will balance out the creaminess of the chicken without overpowering it.

The fruitiness of this wine will enhance the flavor of the chicken without overwhelming it.

Finally, Chardonnay has a long finish that leaves you feeling refreshed and ready for more food!

Sauvignon Blanc

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Sauvignon Blanc is another white wine grape variety that produces dry, crisp wines.

It’s known for its ability to pair well with food such as chicken and fish due to its acidity.

The aromas of Sauvignon Blanc can range from tropical fruits like pineapple and passion fruit to citrus-y notes like lime or lemon zest.

The flavors tend to be tart and acidic up front, but they round out in the middle with some tropical fruit flavors followed by grassy or herbal notes on the finish.

Cabernet Sauvignon

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To complement the rich flavor of chicken, Cabernet Sauvignon offers a bold wine that will pair well with your meal.

Cabernet Sauvignon also has a fuller, fruitier flavor than some other red wines, which makes it great for pairing with foods that have bold flavors like curry or barbecue sauce.

It also helps bring out the flavor of herbs in the dish such as rosemary, thyme, and sage which are used to season chicken dishes.

Champagne or other sparkling wines

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Champagne is a sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France.

This wine has been associated with celebrations and special occasions for hundreds of years.

If you’re looking for something less expensive than Champagne, other good options include sparkling wines made in Italy and Spain (such as Prosecco), South Africa (Kwazulu-Natal), Germany (Mosel), and New Zealand (Marlborough).

Sparkling wines have enough acidity to cut through the fattiness of the chicken dish and make it taste delicious.

Moreover, it’s light and refreshing, which makes them easy to drink for even a novice drinker.

Zinfandel

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A nice American Zinfandel is a great wine to pair with chicken.

Zinfandel is a red wine grape variety that originated in Croatia and was brought to California by Franciscan monks in the late 1700s.

Zinfandel can be found in many blends and also as a varietal wine, but it’s best served chilled (60°F) or even slightly cooler.

The tannins of this wine are softer than most others, which makes it easy to drink and perfect for pairing with food!

Pinot Noir

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Pinot Noir is the last suggestion from us.

It is a red wine grape variety, and the most widely planted red wine grape in the world.

It’s grown in many regions, including Burgundy, California, and New Zealand.

Pinot Noir is a great match for chicken because it has high acidity and can be made into an elegant red wine that pairs well with this protein-packed dish.

The added bonus?

Pinot Noire is also low in tannins—the bitter compounds that cause red wine to feel dry on your tongue—which makes it easy to drink on its own or pair with almost any dish you’re serving up!

Conclusion

Now that you know what wine to serve with chicken, it’s time to start planning your next dinner party.

If you’re looking for more food and wine pairings, we’ve got plenty of great articles on the topic here.