Chicken Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil
Updated Sep 15, 2021, Published Oct 07, 2015
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Chicken Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil is a dish with a European flair, blending the richness of a French-inspired wine sauce with the earthy flavors of wild mushrooms and the brightness of fresh basil. Serve with twice-baked mashed potatoes and a wedge salad with the best blue cheese dressing on the side!
“Oh my!! Delicious and not that difficult to make. My family loved it!”
The inspiration behind this recipe:
Before we left on a recent amazing European trip, we had a crazy time trying to come up with ways to use up our late summer produce. That’s when Chicken Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil was born.
When deciding what to cook this time of year, I often feel torn between the seasons. The calendar shows that summer is over, but the weather will continue to be nice for at least another month or two. I mean…it’s 84 degrees today here!
Although it’s still warm outside, it’s hard to resist hearty, cold-weather comfort food. Except, we’re still enjoying some fresh summer produce from our garden!
Chicken Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil is a dish with a European flair that’s perfect for transitioning from summer to fall. It has the summer produce we were trying to use up before our trip such as fresh tomatoes and basil.
This dish also incorporates cool-weather elements such as braising for the cooking technique, red wine and mushrooms.
Tips for making Chicken Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil:
- I used Pinot Noir because it’s a light to medium-bodied dry red wine and doesn’t overpower the delicate taste of white-meat chicken. If you prefer dark-meat chicken, pinot noir is still fine, or you could use a more full-bodied wine such as merlot.
- Dried herbs, such as the dried oregano and thyme used here, should be added early in the cooking process. Fresh herbs, such as basil, are best added at the very end.
- Cover the dish tightly to minimize the evaporation of the braising liquid before placing it in the oven. I like to place a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper over the pot before placing the lid on the pot.
- Although cremini (baby portobello), oyster and shiitake mushrooms are often referred to as “wild,” they are cultivated.
- Whether you wash mushrooms or not is a personal preference. Mushrooms already have a lot of water in them, so it’s difficult for them to absorb more water.
- If you prefer to wash them as I do, only wash whole mushrooms (not sliced). Do it shortly before using them then blot dry with a paper towel.
What to serve with this dish:
- Cauliflower White Bean Puree
- Asparagus Cordon Bleu
- Celery Root Puree
- Roasted Green Beans with Tomato Caper Relish
For more easy and delicious chicken recipes, be sure to try:
- Easy Skillet Mediterranean Chicken
- Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables
- 40 Clove Garlic Chicken
- Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Butternut Squash Chickpeas and Olives
Chicken Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 split chicken breasts, (bone in, skin on)
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, halved
- 3 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or 1 cup drained, canned diced tomatoes)
- 1 cup dry red wine, preferably pinot noir
- 1 can (14.5-ounce) chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms, cremini, oyster and shiitake, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven.
- Place chicken breasts skin side down in the hot oil and brown 4-5 minutes or until golden. Turn and brown the other side approximately 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the Dutch oven and add the onion.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook onion 3-4 minutes or until softened.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes and cook 1 minute.
- Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add the chicken broth, oregano and thyme and return to a boil.
- Place chicken skin side down in the pot, cover tightly and place in the oven. Cook 1 hour, turning once or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender. Transfer Dutch oven to the stovetop.
- Combine 1 tablespoon butter with flour. Add to pot with chicken and bring to a simmer to thicken.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat in a skillet or saute pan.
- Add the mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to pot with chicken, stir in chopped fresh basil, adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper and serve.
Video
Notes
- Can also use bone-in chicken thighs.
- Pinot Noir is a light to medium-bodied dry red wine that doesn’t overpower white-meat chicken’s delicate taste. If you prefer dark meat chicken, Pinot Noir is still fine, or you could use a more full-bodied wine such as Merlot.
- Dried herbs, such as the dried oregano and thyme used here, should be added early in the cooking process. Fresh herbs, such as basil, are best added at the very end.
- Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil or parchment paper before placing the lid on to minimize the evaporation of the braising liquid before placing it in the oven.
- Can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Cool and refrigerate.
- Heat covered in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through (30-35 minutes).
- Cool thoroughly, place in an airtight container and freeze up to 2 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator and heat covered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
WOW, I made this again and loved it. Had only boneless breast and I remembered this fab sauce. Floured and fried the chicken, made the sauce in a pan, when it was thick added the chicken back — was amazing.
Hi, Joe, Thanks so very much and happy this worked out so well for you with the boneless skinless chicken breasts. Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
In one section of the recipe it says to heat in the oven for one hour, but then further down it say 30 minutes???
Hi, Michele, Thanks for your question. That’s if you want to make it ahead. See the heading in RECIPE NOTES:
MAKE AHEAD:
Can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.
Heat covered in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through (30-35 minutes).
The chicken will be already cooked (the 1 hour time). Then, cool, and reheat for 30 minutes. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
This looks delicious. Do you think I could cook it in the Dutch oven on my stovetop instead of in the oven? I’m in Ecuador, and my rental doesn’t have an oven (they are not traditionally in homes here). I’m guessing I’d add extra liquid?
Hi, Candice, Thanks for your question. Yes, you certainly can! I think you’ll have enough liquid, but keep an eye on it. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Hi Carol,
I want to make this for 8 people and scaled the recipe to 8 on the recipe page. Are the scaled amounts correct?
Thank you,
Tony
Hi, Tony, Thanks so much for your question. I’ve found that sometimes just doubling and tripling amounts is not absolute. One to two medium onions or one large should be fine, I think you can get away with less garlic, perhaps 4-5 large plum tomatoes rather than small (less chopping that way, too), doubling the sauce, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, and 1/2 cup basil. All the rest should be pretty close.
Some readers have provided feedback that there is a lot of sauce with the two portion recipe and were able to cook four split chicken breasts with that amount of sauce. I would suggest doubling and then making a judgment call at that point based on the size of the chicken breasts you use as some can be huge. Hope this helps and everyone enjoys!
I doubled this recipe, so we’re using it in several meals. I’m serving it over Parmesan Peppercorn Grits, and we’re loving it!
Thanks, Carol, for another delicious dish. I’ll be saving to use in my work as a Personal Chef.
Dixie
Hi, Dixie, Thanks so much and so great to hear from a fellow personal chef! So happy you enjoyed! The Parmesan Peppercorn Grits with this sounds absolutely perfect! Thanks again and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
I made this last night and it is SO good! Very flavorful. I rehydrated wild mushrooms from France and used those. I will definitely be making this again!
Hi, Jack, Thanks so very much and love that you used wild mushrooms from France. Really appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate. Thanks again!
This is chicken cacciatore meeting coq au Vin. I made it lean more heavily in the cacciatore direction by using a whole cut up chicken hand adding a 14-ounce can of Mutti tomatoes. Also added a dash of paprika and cumin along with Italian herb mix. Cooked in a hotter oven 400 degrees and served on pasta.
Hi, Peggy, Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed! Love your description of cacciatore meeting coq au vin. Thanks again and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment.