Chicken Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil
Updated Sep 15, 2021, Published Oct 07, 2015
Jump to RecipeThis Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read My Disclosure
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!
Excellent recipe! No modifications needed. Served it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Deeelicious!
Hi, Tillie, Thanks so very much and happy you enjoyed!! Sounds like a great menu!
Is it possible to leave out the tomatoes? We just have never gotten along.
Hi, Audrey, Thanks so much for your question. Yes, you can try leaving them out. Have you heard of Nomato products? It’s a line of products that taste like tomatoes which uses beets and other vegetables that might work for you. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Hi, this looks delicious, but I can’t eat mushrooms. What would you use instead?
Thank you!
Hi, Lisa, Thanks so much for your question! I totally understand; my husband is allergic to mushrooms, so he has to pick them out, or I just can’t put them in. What about carrots and pearl onions–similar to a coq a vin. I considered recommending artichoke hearts, but not sure they’d be very attractive in this recipe because of the red wine. Thanks again so much and hope you enjoy!
Would you be able to use chicken lefts I this recipe?
Hi, SS, Thanks so much for your question. I’m assuming you mean chicken thighs? Yes, you absolutely can! If that’s not what you meant, just let me know. Thanks again!
Hi Carol,
This was amazing! I didn’t have wild mushrooms so used basic sliced brown mushrooms, and served with green beans and croissants to sop up the sauce. So delicious, will definitely add to my regular rotation.
Thank you!
Hi, Liz, Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed! The brown cremini mushrooms (baby Portobellos) are a great substitute. Thanks again!
Hi there. Are the tomatoes essential? I have a nightshade sensitivity and wondering if the dish would still be good without the tomatoes.
Hi, Tiana, Thanks so much for your question. You could leave them out; the sauce will just be different. Do you use Nomato products? If so, perhaps a half cup or so of that? Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
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!
Hi, Tillie, Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed!
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 😋
Thanks so very much, Lesley!! So happy you enjoyed and it has now become a classic in your home! Thanks again!
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
Thanks so much, Susan! Glad you enjoyed! Love your idea about reducing the sauce more. Thanks again!
Can I make this with regular boneless chicken breasts?
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!