Chicken Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil is a dish with a European flair! A rich, yet light wine sauce with earthy wild mushrooms is perfect for transitioning from summer to fall!
I’m baa-aack!
….Back from an amazing trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland my hubby and I took to celebrate our 20th anniversary which is today! We did a 14-day Rick Steves tour that was as much fun as you can have with your clothes on. We had a great time with great people and experienced so many great things!
The inspiration behind this recipe:
Before we left, 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:
- Chicken with Romesco Sauce and Saffron Cauliflower Rice
- Korean Braised Chicken Thighs
- Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Butternut Squash, Chickpeas and Olives
- Nashville Style Hot Fried Chicken
- Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
- Pesto and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken with Roma Tomatoes
- Curry Braised Chicken Thighs
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)
- ½ 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
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - softened, divided
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms - cremini, oyster and shiitake, sliced
- ¼ 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.
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Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Tillie says
Excellent recipe! No modifications needed. The house smelled amazing, the chicken was tender and the gravy was so flavorful. Lots of prep work but worth it!
Carol says
Hi, Tillie, Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed!
Lesley54 says
I’ve made this recipe four or five times now and it’s been a hit every single time! I’ve used fresh thyme and basil from my garden, and a bit more flour for thickening, but those are the only variants. So, so yummy 😋
Carol says
Thanks so very much, Lesley!! So happy you enjoyed and it has now become a classic in your home! Thanks again!
Susan says
I made this today and I absolutely loved it. Such a deep earthy flavour with many different layers of flavor. I think next time I would reduce the sauce a more and it would make it look a little more elegant! An absolute keeper for sure.
Susan
Carol says
Thanks so much, Susan! Glad you enjoyed! Love your idea about reducing the sauce more. Thanks again!
Deidre says
Can I make this with regular boneless chicken breasts?
Carol says
Hi, Deidre, Thanks so much for your question. Yes, you can use boneless chicken breasts; I think some other readers have. You can brown the chicken breasts, set them aside then make the sauce and let that flavor develop. Add the chicken and cook it through. Or, you braise the chicken breasts the chicken for the amount of time stated and they should be almost shreddable. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
TheFreckledFlamingo says
Holy moley! This was DELICIOUS and my house smelled heavenly while it was in the oven! I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and used more thickening than the recipe stated, but I followed it otherwise. What a treat!
Carol says
Thank you so very much! Seeing and reading your comment is a great way to start my day! Thanks again and glad you enjoyed!
Melissa says
First time I’ve made this and it was a hit with the whole family. Very tasty and classy meal. Goes great with a glass of Pinot Noir.
Joe says
OK, Amazing. Made it with Chicken Thighs, add pearl onions and rainbow carrots. Cooked it skin side up, you were right — didn’t help. Fantastic company dish. Served it with polenta with peas and bacon — I thought I invented it but found a recipe. Wine, Apothic Inferno aged in whisky barrels. Perfect. My wife thinks I am amazing…
Carol says
Hi, Joe, Thanks so very much and I think you’re amazing, too! So glad you all enjoyed this dish. Love how you made it your own and polenta as a side dish is a great choice. Thanks again!
Sandy says
I made this in a cast-iron skillet with the lid and although the sauce was pretty good (too much butter for me), the skin-on, bone-in breasts were pretty dry. I’ll try it again with thighs next time.
Carol says
Hi, Sandy, Thanks so much for your feedback. Generally, braising skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts makes them more tender. Glad you enjoyed the sauce and maybe the thighs will work better for you. Thanks again!
Bev says
Seriously good. Used pearl onions and erved with an arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette dressing and small fresh nugget potatoes.
Carol says
Hi, Bev, Thanks so very much and so glad you enjoyed! Pearl onions are a great addition and thanks for the suggestion.
Luam says
Do you add the pearl onion frozen, directly to the pot at the same time with the mushrooms? I’m a new Dutch oven owner (#staubforlife)
Carol says
Hi, Luam, Thanks so very much for your question and I LOVE that you’re using a Dutch oven and didn’t ask me how long to do this in the Instant Pot. 🙂 The recipe doesn’t call for pearl onions but you could definitely add them. I would rinse them under cold running water to thaw them out and then add them during the last ten minutes or so. Thanks again and hope this helps!
Jan says
Hi
I have a big jar of dried mushrooms from Costco. Can I use them instead of fresh?
Thanks, Jan
Carol says
Hi, Jan, Thanks so much for your question! Yes, I think they will work fine. I would rehydrate them first then let them cook in the sauce. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Ariel says
Has this been made with shrimp and pasta?
Carol says
Hi, Ariel, I’m not too sure this recipe would work with shrimp but I think it would work perfectly with pasta! Thanks for your question.
Deborah says
Carol,
Delicious dish! Easy recipe to follow. Added some chopped kale to sautéed mushrooms! Thank you!
Carol says
Hi, Deborah, Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed!
Beth Hall says
Carol,
I’m so happy to have spotted this beautiful recipe! I’ll be trying it later this week and I’m eager to explore more of your recipes. (My husband and I also do Rick Steves tours! Our 6th, to Switzerland, is coming up this summer!)
Carol says
Hi, Beth, Thanks so much for getting in touch and I hope you enjoy this recipe! So nice to “meet” another Rick Steve’s fan, too! We went to Edmonds, WA last month to the tour reunion and I got to meet him. He’s SOOOOO nice and does so much for the community and the environment. We’ll be doing our third Rick Steve’s tour this year to Eastern Europe. You’re going to LOVE Switzerland! Thanks again!
Debbie W says
Made this tonight, using a Cornish game hen, cut in quarters. Used a shallot instead of an onion because I had one cut. I also didn’t make the butter/flour mixture. It was WONDERFUL. I have already been told to make it again, even for company. Thanks for the recipe!
Carol says
Hi, Debbie, Thanks so much and so glad you and yours enjoyed! I love how you made the recipe your own, too! Thanks again and hope you’ll stay in touch.
William Forrester says
HI Carol,
I wanted to double the recipe for 4 people. Would I double the liquid amounts to make more juice and cover the chicken?
Carol says
Hi, William, Thanks so much for your question. You absolutely could do that. I tend to like more sauce in general. Thanks again and hope everyone enjoys!