After 13 years as a vegetarian, I returned to the dark side by way of lamb. It wasn’t long before I started eating sweetbreads, steak tartare and just about every other meat product.
But for some reason I held out on chicken.
That was until I went to Mexico and stumbled across a woman roasting chickens in her back yard. I finally caved in. It was the most succulent bird I’d ever tasted. Since then, I’ve been obsessed with roasting the perfect chicken myself. During the winter, it’s a weekly occurrence. I love trussing it, slathering it with butter and making sure the skin crisps up in the oven.
Sipping on a glass of wine is of course crucial to the process.
The best thing about chicken is how wine friendly it is. While I avoid the lightest whites and the most robust tannic reds, I can never exhaust all the options in between. When I am in the mood for white, I look to richer, fuller examples like Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris, Soave and whites from the south of France. If I’m craving red, I gravitate towards something in the light to medium zone with soft supple tannin. Beaujolais is my default. Beyond that, Pinot Noir, Grenache-based wines like Côte-du-Rhône, Frappato from Sicily or a friendly Merlot are all excellent partners.
Even a gutsy rosé wouldn’t be out of place.
Roasting a whole chicken means there will likely be leftovers. The next day, pick the carcass clean and sauté all that delicious flesh with mushrooms and cream. This is when Pinot Noir is a must. You could also add it into a Thai curry and serve with a Torrontés or a Viognier. If your preference is to make a chicken salad for lunch, just promise me you’ll pour yourself some wine. May I suggest a dry Riesling from Australia?
At this point, I’m still not finished with that bird. I boil up the bones with vegetables to make a stock. A couple of weeks ago, I recommended a slew of wines with all sorts of soup. I neglected to mention chicken noodle though. Yes, there’s even a wine for this! Try Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc or crisper, lighter expression of Chard.
Here’s to the humble chicken!
2013 Bila-Haut • Côtes-du-Roussillon Villages AOC, France • $17.99, BC Liquor Stores
A southern French white boasting luscious stone fruit balanced by refreshing citrus and mineral notes. Perfect for that thyme and lemon roasted chicken.
2013 Telmo Rodríguez Basa • Rueda DO, Spain • $18.99, BC Liquor Stores
This vivacious white offers pungent aromas of bay leaf and jasmine with concentrated flavours of lime and wet stone. Try it with chicken noodle soup.
2013 Clos du Soleil Rosé • Similkameen Valley, BC • $20-25, winery direct and private wine stores
A local pink crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon and bold enough to stand up to the bird. Exuberant red currant and plum with a pleasant hint of pepper.
2012 Tabalí, Pinot Noir Reserva • Limari Valley DO, Chile • $19.99, BC Liquor Stores
Wild strawberry and black raspberry meet subtle herbs and spice. A must if you’re incorporating mushrooms into your leftover chicken dish.
2012 Judeka • Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Italy • $29.99, BC Liquor Stores
A juicy Sicilian gem blending indigenous grapes Nero d’Avola and Frappato for a fleshy fragrant red. Bursting with cherry and flowers, it could be Italy’s answer to Beaujolais. W
