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!
This recipe looks delicious and I’m looking forward to trying it as written but am on a mission for a gluten free/dairy free recipe. Do you think omitting the butter and flour will change the flavor profile too much or worth giving it a shot?
Hi, Kara, Thanks so much for your question. All you would need to do is sub out the dairy butter for something plant-based like Earth Balance, which I use frequently and really like. As far as thickening, just use whatever thickener you’re comfortable using–cornstarch, arrowroot or xanthan gum will work fine. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Oh my!! Delicious and not that difficult to make. My family loved it 🥰. I used baby Bella mushrooms and served the chicken with mashed potatoes. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you 😊
Hi, Cassandra, Thanks so very much and happy you enjoyed! Baby portobellos are a great choice. Thanks again and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment.
Used a jar of roasted red peppers instead of tomato due to my husband’s allergy but this came out amazing! We both loved it. The chicken was so tender and the broth was perfect. It will be a go to… thanks for sharing!
Hi, Renee, Thanks so very much and so happy you both enjoyed! Love that you used roasted red peppers instead of the tomatoes–what a great idea! Thanks again and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment.
So tender. So flavorful! Can’t wait to make again!
Hi, Barry, Thanks so much and happy you enjoyed!! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment.
Didn’t realize this WASN’T a soup until after I shredded the cooked chicken and put back in the pot. But you know what? It’s a soup now! And one of our favorites!
Hi, Jimmy, Thanks so much and that’s fantastic!! Glad you’re enjoying. Thanks again!
Very good! I used bone in, skin on chicken thighs and it was delicious!
Hi, Anna, Thanks so very much and happy you enjoyed!
This was excellent! And very easy to put together. Will definitely make it again.
Hi, Julie, Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed!!
Cut the recipe by 1/3 except chicken and it’s good to go. Too over barring in chicken broth and wine.
Hi, James, Sorry something in the recipe was “over barring.”
I haven’t made it yet, but lots of people appreciate extra sauce in a recipe!
Hi, Amanda, Thanks so much!! Yes, extra sauce for the potatoes, the rice, the pasta, the polenta, the cauliflower mash…. And, it’s not too difficult then to pop an extra breast in without having to do a lot of calculation. Thanks so very much!! Hope you try it and hope you enjoy!
How can I make a low fat version of this recipe? 16 grams of saturated fat is high.
Dee
Hi, Dee, Thanks so much for your question. The saturated fat sources in this recipe is coming from the chicken skin and the butter. You’d want to remove the skin and any additional chicken fat from the bone-in chicken breasts and skip the butter. You could substitute something plant-based, such as Earth Balance. Hope that helps and hope you enjoy!
Would this still work without the skin and boneless?
Hi, Audrey, 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!