Chicken piccata is a classic Italian dish that is simple yet bursting with flavor. It features chicken cutlets cooked in a sauce of lemon, butter, capers and white wine. With its tangy, bright citrus notes and the richness from the butter, chicken piccata can be fantastic when paired with the right wine. But with so many wine options out there, what kind of wine goes best with chicken piccata?
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the key factors to consider when pairing wine with chicken piccata. We’ll recommend the best wine varietals and styles, along with specific wine labels that are tried and true matches. Read on for an in-depth look at pairing wines with this bright, flavorful chicken dish.
How to Select the Best Wine for Chicken Piccata
When pairing any dish with wine, it’s important to consider the prominent flavors of the food. For chicken piccata, the key flavors stem from the lemon-butter sauce. Here are the main elements to keep in mind
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Bright tangy citrus – The lemon juice provides plenty of acidic brightness. A crisp high-acid wine is needed to match this.
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Rich, creamy butter – Butter lends a rich, creamy mouthfeel. The wine should have enough body and texture to complement this.
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Savory capers and herbs – Capers add a briny, salty accent. Herbs like parsley contribute grassy flavors. The wine needs enough complexity to complement these notes.
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White wine – Chicken piccata recipes call for white wine in the sauce. Selecting the same varietal creates cohesion.
Considering these prominent characteristics, the most suitable wine styles for chicken piccata include:
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Crisp, mineral-driven whites – The bright acidity of wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño and Vermentino match the citrus notes.
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Unoaked Chardonnay – Without oak aging, Chardonnay has fresh apple and citrus flavors to match the piccata sauce.
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Light-bodied reds – Red varieties like Pinot Noir and Grenache offer enough acidity and complexity to complement the dish.
Beyond these core considerations, you’ll also want to think about the weight and intensity of the chicken piccata preparation. Heavier, richer versions may call for a more substantial wine that can stand up to the dish. Lighter piccata recipes can be matched with more delicate wines.
Top Wine Recommendations for Chicken Piccata
Now let’s explore some excellent wine options to pair with chicken piccata. These wines amplify the bright flavors of the dish and make perfect partners.
Crisp Whites:
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Sauvignon Blanc – This white offers intense citrus peel, grapefruit and grassy flavors to match the piccata. Leaner styles work best. Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc is a classic choice.
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Albariño – From Spain, Albariño has mouthwatering acidity, flavors of lime, peach and saline minerality. It cuts through the butter nicely.
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Vermentino – With crisp lemon-lime notes, Vermentino from Italy (Sardinia) or France (Corsica) has herbal flavors that complement piccata beautifully.
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Pinot Grigio – Italian Pinot Grigio works well, with racy acidity and green apple, pear and citrus notes that accent the lemon.
Light Chardonnay:
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Unoaked Chardonnay – Without oak influence, Chardonnay has brilliant citrus and apple flavors. Leaner, mineral-driven styles from Chablis are excellent.
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Chablis – This French Chardonnay has pure green apple, lemon and stony minerality. Its palate-cleansing acidity balances the rich butter.
Light Reds:
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Pinot Noir – With its bright cherry flavors, fresh acidity and silky texture, Pinot Noir is very versatile with chicken. Choose lighter styles from France or Oregon.
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Grenache – From France or Spain, Grenache has delicate red berry flavors, spice and peppery notes to match piccata. Select young, fruity examples.
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Beaujolais – Made from Gamay, Beaujolais has juicy cherry flavors, medium body and low tannins. Its fruitiness complements the citrus notes nicely.
Specific Wine Labels for Chicken Piccata
If you want to skip straight to proven wine picks for chicken piccata, here are some excellent bottles to try:
- Matua Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) – passionfruit, grapefruit, gooseberry
- Martin Codax Albariño (Spain) – peach, apricot, lemon lime
- Terlato & Chapoutier Vermentino (Italy) – lemon, pear, mineral
- Bonterra Chardonnay (California) – apple, citrus, white flower
- Louis Jadot Chablis (Burgundy, France) – lemon, limestone, green apple
- King Estate Pinot Noir (Oregon) – cherry, raspberry, spicy oak
- Elouan Pinot Noir (Oregon) – red plum, vanilla, subtle oak
- La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux (Rhône, France) – red cherry, pepper, herbs
With any of these bottles, you’ll be set up for a memorable food and wine pairing experience with chicken piccata. The wines will amplify the succulent chicken, bright lemon sauce and savory herbs of this classic dish.
Serving Tips for Chicken Piccata and Wine
To get the most enjoyment out of your chicken piccata and wine pairing, follow these serving recommendations:
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Chill the white wines – Whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Chablis should be chilled to about 45-50°F to preserve their crisp acidity.
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Cool the reds lightly – Serve lighter reds like Pinot Noir and Beaujolais at about 55-60°F. This maintains their delicate flavors.
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Use large wine glasses – To appreciate the aromas and flavors, use a spacious white wine or all-purpose glass.
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Pour modestly – Start with 4-5 oz pours to prevent overwhelming flavors. You can always add more!
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Enjoy leisurely – Savor the dish fully and allow the wine flavors to complement each bite.
Food Pairing Tips
While chicken piccata alone makes a fast, tasty meal, you can make it a more substantial dish by adding:
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Pasta – Pair with linguine or angel hair. The wine matches the pasta too!
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Rice – Jasmine or basmati rice work nicely.
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Vegetables – Asparagus, broccoli and carrots complement the lemon-butter flavors.
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Salad – A green salad with vinaigrette dressing provides contrast.
The key is to avoid heavily flavored sides that may clash with the bright citrus notes of the chicken piccata and accompanying wines. Stick with simple, fresh sides to keep the focus on this flavorful Italian classic.
With its juicy lemon-caper butter sauce and sautéed chicken, piccata is a dish that calls for an equally bright, flavorful wine pairing. The best matches include Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir – wines with vibrant acidity, citrus and herb notes, and medium body. Specific wines like Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, Chablis from Burgundy and Oregon Pinot Noir are tried and true picks. Serve the wines chilled at 45-60°F and enjoy leisurely to appreciate how the wines interplay with the herbs, citrus and richness of delicious chicken piccata.
Types of Poultry Paired with Wine
A quick tip is to think “lighter meat, lighter wine.” Roasting poultry preserves a lot of the rich flavors, so sometimes you can get away with a red wine with more complexity.
Chicken – A lightly flavored, medium textured meat. Poussin – Poussin is like a mini chicken, tastes like chicken, often prepared like Quail. Quail – More assertive flavor than chicken but not as strong as duck. Very tender, small, usually with bones. Sweet nutty flavor. Quail is traditionally stuffed with forcemeat due to a small size. Turkey – The breast meat of turkey is lightly flavored and has a strong texture.
In this case.. “Darker meat, darker wine.” Below are the best birds to pair with red wines.
Pigeon Squab (rock dove) – Succulent but earthy with darker meat and delicate texture. Pheasant – Pinkish-white meat, with delicate flavors that are a touch more exotic and apple-like than chicken. Partridge – The texture is not as delicate as pheasant or squab but with a similar flavor of earthy dark meat. Guinea Fowl – Tastes like a combination of chicken and turkey with dark meat overtones. Duck – More assertive flavor with an oily and gamey note. Depending on the preparation, duck can be more reminiscent of pork. Turkey – Long grain and strong textured meat. Turkey has a rich buttery and nutty flavor. Goose – Almost like a wild turkey with all dark meat. Often noted as being similar to roast beef. Ostrich – Unlike other birds and more steak-like in texture. Ostrich is an extremely lean and tender red meat, so try to pair it with wines that have less tannin and more juiciness, such as a Côtes du Rhône or Syrah.
Sauces and Seasonings Paired with Wine
Since many Asian and Indian dishes play with spice and sweetness, make your wine choice a sweet and fruity white or red wine served chilled. Pick rosé or red wines with darker soy-sauce based dishes.
What would you pair with Sweet and Sour Chicken?
Remember, this is a sweet dish with pineapple acids, fried chicken, and some green vegetable characteristics. All of these elements should be taken into account when picking a wine.
ANSWER: Riesling or another medium-sweet white wine with high acidity.
Specifically, I’d pick a German Spatlese Riesling for this dish and serve it quite cold so that it could also act as a palate cleanser. I think it’d be perfect with this dish because it would match the pineapple flavors. The onion and bell pepper in the dish would let the wine taste fruitier, like apricots, and bring out the complex beeswax-like nuances many German Rieslings have.
Sweet and sour is a complicated sauce to pair with most dry wines because the sweetness and acidity in the sauce makes most dry wines taste flat and tart. I bet this dish would be kickass with Moscato d’Asti.
Live the wine lifestyle. Use this chart to make amazing food and wine pairings.
How to Make Restaurant-Quality Chicken Piccata at Home
FAQ
Which wine goes with chicken piccata?
I recommend a dry white wine with a good amount of acidity to match the lemon juice in the sauce. Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre are great options, and Chardonnay is great if you want a smooth, buttery pairing.
What drink goes well with chicken piccata?
According to Chef Isidori, “the bright and tangy notes of [the limoncello spritz] complement the savory and citrusy flavors of piccata.” The limoncello spritz is a concoction of limoncello, prosecco, and a splash of club soda.
What pairs well with chicken piccata?
- Creamy Herb Pasta, One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta or Creamy Lemon Pasta
- Buttered Noodles
- Mashed Potatoes or Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Garlic Bread with Cheese or Buttermilk Biscuits
- Roasted Carrots, Green Beans, or Broccoli
What does giada serve with chicken piccata?
Chicken piccata can be served with an array of side dishes. Popular choices include buttery mashed potatoes, angel hair pasta or crisp salad with Italian vinaigrette.