Greek epicurean delights and wine are both known for their robust, earthy, natural flavors. How can they be combined for the perfect meal?.
Since they typically feature different courses served family-style, it can be challenging to choose an appropriate wine for this cuisine. It’s easiest to focus on the main dish, planning accordingly.
Greek chicken has a lot of different ways to make it taste great. The herbs, spices, lemon, garlic, and olive oil give the chicken a great Mediterranean flavor. When you pair wines with Greek chicken, you want wines that go well with the strong flavors instead of clashing with them. This guide will help you find full-bodied reds, crisp whites, and sparkling wines that go well with your Greek chicken.
Choosing the Right Wine Style for Greek Chicken
Greek chicken needs wines with a lot of body and intensity to go with its sour, herbal, and spicy flavors. Very light, delicate wines would be easily overpowered. Here are the best wine styles to consider:
Full-bodied reds: Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec, Syrah, and Tempranillo Reds’ fruit, oak, and tannins go well with spices and go well with the richness of Greek chicken. Their heaviness prevents them from being drowned out.
Crisp whites—Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, and Verdejo are dry, acidic whites that make the chicken taste less rich. They have lively fruit and a zip. They also complement the lemon and herbs.
Sparkling wines – Bubbly wines like Cava, Prosecco, and Champagne have the acidity and effervescence to refresh the palate from the chicken’s intensity. Their crispness cleans the palate beautifully.
Specific Wine Recommendations for Greek Chicken
Based on expert pairings and my own tasting experience, these are some of the best wine varieties and regions to try with Greek chicken:
Reds
California Cabernet Sauvignon – Bold CA Cab has enough backbone of dark fruit, oak, and tannins to match the savoriness of Greek chicken. Its black cherry notes are perfect with the spices.
Argentine Malbec – Malbec from Mendoza has a velvety texture and flavors of plum that complement the chicken beautifully. Its soft tannins don’t overpower.
Chianti Classico – This hearty Italian red has cherry/herbal flavors that mirror the chicken. Its savory, faintly smoky edge is perfect for Greek spices.
Rioja – With lush cherry fruit and vanilla-oak tones, aged Rioja Reds from Spain have the rich flavor and silky texture to complement your chicken.
Whites
Sauvignon Blanc – The lively acidity and bright citrus/tropical fruits of New Zealand and California Sauvignon Blanc refresh the palate from the chicken’s richness.
Greek Moschofilero – This crisp, floral Greek white has great acidity and aromatics (rose, lemon) to match the chicken’s Mediterranean flavors.
Albariño – From Spain and Portugal, Albariño is fresh and fragrant, with peach/apricot fruit that provides a delicious contrast to the savory chicken.
Soave Classico – The minerality of this Italian white provides an excellent counterpoint in texture and flavor to the chicken. Its lemon-lime notes mirror the dish beautifully.
Sparkling
Cava – Affordable Cava from Spain has apple, brioche, and mineral flavors that cleanse the palate from the chicken’s richness. Its bubbles cut through the oily flavors perfectly.
Prosecco – Bright, fruity Prosecco has just enough richness to complement the chicken, while its brisk bubbles provide a refreshing contrast.
Champagne – The elegance of fine Champagne is a splurge, but its delicacy, fine bubbles, and crisp green apple flavors beautifully accent the chicken.
Tips for Serving Wine with Your Greek Chicken
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Chill your white and sparkling wines – Serving them too warm will prevent them from refreshing your palate. Reds can be served at room temp or lightly chilled if desired.
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Try rosé – Dry rosés like Provence in France pair nicely too, standing up to the chicken with berry flavors and a crisp, dry finish.
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Think herbal – If your chicken has lots of fresh herbs like oregano, mint, or thyme, choose a wine with similar herbal notes like Sauvignon Blanc or Verdejo.
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Consider oak – If you use an oaky marinade or grill the chicken with oak, select a wine aged in oak barrels like Chardonnay or Cabernet to mirror the flavor.
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Don’t neglect the sides – Factor sides like tzatziki, pita, salads, and veggies into your pairing when choosing a wine.
With this handy guide, you can confidently select wines that will perfectly complement your Greek chicken recipe. Trust your senses, experiment with different bottles, and enjoy discovering new flavor combinations. Opaa!
Calamari Tiganita and Assyrtiko
Assyrtiko is a crisp, citrusy white wine from Santorini that goes well with these fried calamari rings. It has a unique saline character that goes well with the squid, and is also quite refreshing. A simpler option would be to choose your favorite bubbles–sparkling wines are always fantastic with fried food. Look no further than a nice Spanish Cava or a Crémant.
Spanakopita and Fiano
This delicious creamy spinach and cheese pie needs a full, textural, acidic wine to go with the decadently buttery filo pastry of the dish, which is why Fiano works so well. It’s nutty, zesty and built for rich savory dishes like this one. It also leaves wonderful hints of grapefruit and apricot. If your pie is a bit on the heavy side, try an unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or a lovely Portuguese Verdelho for the same effect.
What Wine Goes with Chicken
FAQ
What kind of wine with Greek chicken?
A smooth white wine from France’s Loire Valley, like Lot 126 Sancerre, goes well with lighter meats like chicken and lamb. The bright white flowers and citrus notes in this wine balance out the herb and spice-crusted chicken and lamb, while allowing the creamy tzatziki to really shine.
What kind of wine goes well with Greek food?
Both should be medium bodied, inoffensive, align with the cuisine, and deliver a consistent experience for drinkers. A nice grigio, vermentino, fiano, verdelho, etc. for white, and sangiovese, tempranillo, montepulciano for red would be great.
What wine goes well with Mediterranean chicken?
Our French Rosé is the perfect duet for our Wood-Fired Grilled Chicken. This dry rosé, with its hints of strawberry and citrus, complements the Mediterranean spices in the chicken, creating a delightful harmony.
What is served with Greek chicken?
What to Serve with Greek ChickenGreek Salad. Mediterranean Orzo Salad. Potato Salad with Yogurt, Arugula and Dill. Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill and Feta. Broccoli Feta Pasta. Greek Lemon Potatoes. Tzatziki Sauce.