Let’s face it—you’ve got that perfect chicken dish planned for dinner, but you’re standing in the wine aisle completely stumped. White wine seems like the safe choice, but you’re craving a glass of red. Good news! You don’t have to compromise.
I’ve spent years experimenting with different wine pairings (and enjoying every minute of it!), and I’m here to tell you that chicken and red wine can be absolute besties on your dinner table The old rule about “white wine with white meat” is seriously outdated
Let’s dive into the wonderful world of pairing red wines with chicken dishes so you can impress your guests—or just treat yourself to a perfectly harmonious meal tonight!
Why Red Wine Works With Chicken
Chicken is basically the chameleon of proteins. It’s incredibly versatile and takes on the flavors of whatever you cook it with That’s what makes it such a fantastic canvas for wine pairing experiments
The basic principle to remember is this: don’t overpower the meat or the dish. You want a balance where both the chicken and the wine get to shine.
When choosing a red wine for chicken, consider:
- The preparation method (roasted, grilled, fried)
- The sauce or seasonings (spicy, creamy, herbal)
- The richness of the dish overall
As a general rule: the richer and more flavorful the chicken dish, the more body and structure you can have in your wine.
Light-Bodied Red Wines for Chicken
Light-bodied reds with high acidity and low tannins are perfect partners for simpler chicken preparations. These wines won’t overwhelm delicate flavors but still provide enough character to complement the meat.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is basically chicken’s BFF in the red wine world. With its fresh cherry flavors and earthy undertones, it’s versatile enough to pair with nearly any chicken dish.
Best with: Roasted chicken, chicken with mushrooms, herb-rubbed chicken
Try: Old World Burgundy Pinot Noir brings elegance that elevates a simple roast chicken to restaurant-quality status. New World Pinot Noir from Oregon offers more fruit-forward notes that complement herb seasonings beautifully.
Beaujolais (Gamay)
Made from Gamay grapes, Beaujolais delivers tart red berry notes and a light body that makes it incredibly food-friendly.
Best with: Fried chicken, roast chicken with herbs
Why it works: The bright acidity cuts through the richness of fried coating or helps balance herbs and lemon in roasted preparations.
Garnacha/Grenache
Soft and fruity, Spanish Garnacha (or French Grenache) brings berry flavors with a touch of spice.
Best with: Spanish-style chicken braised with peppers and onions
Pro tip: Look for younger Garnacha that hasn’t spent too much time in oak for the best pairing with lighter chicken dishes.
Medium-Bodied Reds for Heartier Chicken Dishes
When your chicken dish includes richer sauces or more robust seasonings, step up to medium-bodied reds with a bit more structure.
Sangiovese
The bright cherry and herbal notes of Italian Sangiovese-based wines like Chianti Classico make them perfect companions for tomato-based chicken dishes.
Best with: Chicken cacciatore, chicken pasta dishes with red sauce
Why it works: The wine’s natural acidity complements tomato sauces beautifully, while the herbal notes enhance Italian seasonings.
Merlot
Plush, fruit-forward Merlots from places like Napa Valley or Washington State offer enough body without overwhelming the chicken.
Best with: Pan-seared chicken with red wine reduction sauce
Expert pairing: A Merlot actually makes a great reduction sauce for chicken—then pair that same wine with the finished dish for harmony!
Malbec
With its smoky, plum-scented profile, Argentinian Malbec brings a touch of boldness that works with more intensely flavored chicken dishes.
Best with: Chicken mole, barbecued chicken
Why it works: The fruity sweetness balances spice, while the wine’s structure stands up to rich, complex sauces.
Bold, Spicy Reds for Intense Chicken Preparations
For chicken dishes with strong flavors from spices, smoke, or sweetness, you can successfully pair with fuller-bodied reds.
Shiraz/Syrah
Smoky, peppery Shiraz from Australia’s Barossa Valley or Syrah from the Rhône Valley in France can stand up to bold flavors.
Best with: Jerk chicken, chicken tikka masala, barbecued chicken
Pro tip: The peppery notes in Shiraz/Syrah complement the spices in these dishes without fighting them.
Zinfandel
California Zinfandels offer sweet, jammy fruit flavors that work brilliantly with sweeter sauces.
Best with: Barbecued chicken with sweet sauce, spicy chicken wings
Why it works: The wine’s fruit-forward nature tames the heat in spicy dishes while complementing sweet sauce components.
Tempranillo
Spanish Tempranillo from regions like Rioja or Ribera del Duero brings savory cherry and tobacco notes.
Best with: Chicken braised with Spanish aromatics like saffron, paprika and chorizo
Perfect match: A Rioja Reserva has just the right balance of fruit and savory elements to complement Mediterranean chicken dishes.
Pairing By Cooking Method
The way you prepare your chicken makes a huge difference in which red wine will pair best.
Roasted Chicken
Roasted chicken is incredibly versatile and pairs well with everything from Pinot Noir to Merlot to Garnacha. The simple, pure flavors of a good roast chicken make it the perfect canvas for showcasing a favorite red wine.
Fried Chicken
The rich, crispy coating of fried chicken calls for wines with good acidity to cut through the fat. Beaujolais or a fruity Zinfandel make excellent choices.
Chicken With Tomato-Based Sauces
Italian-style chicken dishes with tomato sauce call for Italian reds like Sangiovese-based Chianti or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Spicy Chicken Dishes
For spicy preparations like jerk chicken or chicken vindaloo, look for reds with some sweetness to balance the heat—Zinfandel or Shiraz are perfect.
Regional Pairings for Authentic Flavor Combinations
When preparing chicken in a particular regional style, consider reds from the same area for natural flavor harmony.
| Chicken Dish | Regional Wine Pairing |
|---|---|
| Coq au Vin | Burgundy Pinot Noir |
| Chicken Mole | Mexican Tempranillo blends |
| Chicken Tagine | Moroccan Merlot/Cabernet blends |
| Chicken Paprikash | Hungarian Kadarka or Kekfrankos |
Red Wine Pairings by Chicken Type
Different types of poultry have varying flavor intensities that pair with different red wines:
- Regular chicken – Works with most reds, from light Pinot Noir to medium-bodied Merlot
- Dark meat chicken – Can handle slightly more robust reds like Tempranillo or Malbec
- Duck, goose, or game birds – These more flavorful birds pair beautifully with fuller-bodied reds like Syrah or even Cabernet Sauvignon
Special Occasion Chicken Pairings
For those special dinner parties or celebrations, try these elevated pairings:
- Truffle-infused roast chicken with aged Burgundy Pinot Noir
- Chicken coq au vin with the same Pinot Noir used in the recipe
- Spatchcocked herb chicken with an elegant Rioja Reserva
My Personal Favorite Chicken and Red Wine Pairings
After years of delicious “research,” these are my top three chicken and red wine combos:
- Herb-roasted chicken with Oregon Pinot Noir – The wine’s bright cherry notes and subtle earthiness complement the herbs perfectly
- Chicken cacciatore with Chianti Classico – The tomatoes and herbs in the dish sing alongside the similar notes in the wine
- Barbecued chicken with Zinfandel – The sweet-spicy balance is absolutely magic!
Common Questions About Pairing Red Wine With Chicken
Can I really drink red wine with chicken?
Absolutely! The old rules about white wine with white meat are outdated. The preparation style and sauce matter more than the type of meat itself.
What’s the best red wine for roast chicken?
Pinot Noir is considered the classic pairing for roast chicken, especially French Burgundy with its delicate fruit notes and touch of complexity.
What if I’m serving chicken to people who prefer different wines?
Pinot Noir is your safest bet – it’s versatile enough to please most palates while still complementing chicken beautifully.
Are there any chicken dishes that just don’t work with red wine?
Very lemony or citrus-based chicken dishes might clash with some reds. In those cases, consider a high-acid red like Sangiovese or stick with white wine.
Final Thoughts
Wine pairing isn’t rocket science—it’s about finding combinations that taste great to you. The only way to discover your perfect chicken and red wine pairing is to experiment!
Remember these basic guidelines:
- Match the weight of the wine to the richness of the dish
- Consider the sauce and seasonings, not just the chicken itself
- When in doubt, Pinot Noir is usually a safe bet
- Trust your own taste buds above all else
Next time you’re planning a chicken dinner, don’t automatically reach for the white wine. Give one of these red wine pairings a try—I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how delicious the combination can be!
What’s your favorite red wine to pair with chicken? Drop me a comment below—I’m always looking for new combinations to try!
Sauces and Seasonings Paired with Wine
Since many Asian and Indian dishes play with spice and sweetness, make your wine choice a sweet and fruity white or red wine served chilled. Pick rosé or red wines with darker soy-sauce based dishes.
What would you pair with Sweet and Sour Chicken?
Remember, this is a sweet dish with pineapple acids, fried chicken, and some green vegetable characteristics. All of these elements should be taken into account when picking a wine.
ANSWER: Riesling or another medium-sweet white wine with high acidity.
Specifically, I’d pick a German Spatlese Riesling for this dish and serve it quite cold so that it could also act as a palate cleanser. I think it’d be perfect with this dish because it would match the pineapple flavors. The onion and bell pepper in the dish would let the wine taste fruitier, like apricots, and bring out the complex beeswax-like nuances many German Rieslings have.
Sweet and sour is a complicated sauce to pair with most dry wines because the sweetness and acidity in the sauce makes most dry wines taste flat and tart. I bet this dish would be kickass with Moscato d’Asti.
Live the wine lifestyle. Use this chart to make amazing food and wine pairings.
Types of Poultry Paired with Wine
A quick tip is to think “lighter meat, lighter wine.” Roasting poultry preserves a lot of the rich flavors, so sometimes you can get away with a red wine with more complexity.
Chicken – A lightly flavored, medium textured meat. Poussin – Poussin is like a mini chicken, tastes like chicken, often prepared like Quail. Quail – More assertive flavor than chicken but not as strong as duck. Very tender, small, usually with bones. Sweet nutty flavor. Quail is traditionally stuffed with forcemeat due to a small size. Turkey – The breast meat of turkey is lightly flavored and has a strong texture.
In this case.. “Darker meat, darker wine.” Below are the best birds to pair with red wines.
Pigeon Squab (rock dove) – Succulent but earthy with darker meat and delicate texture. Pheasant – Pinkish-white meat, with delicate flavors that are a touch more exotic and apple-like than chicken. Partridge – The texture is not as delicate as pheasant or squab but with a similar flavor of earthy dark meat. Guinea Fowl – Tastes like a combination of chicken and turkey with dark meat overtones. Duck – More assertive flavor with an oily and gamey note. Depending on the preparation, duck can be more reminiscent of pork. Turkey – Long grain and strong textured meat. Turkey has a rich buttery and nutty flavor. Goose – Almost like a wild turkey with all dark meat. Often noted as being similar to roast beef. Ostrich – Unlike other birds and more steak-like in texture. Ostrich is an extremely lean and tender red meat, so try to pair it with wines that have less tannin and more juiciness, such as a Côtes du Rhône or Syrah.