Garlic chicken is a beloved dish across many cuisines. The pungent, aromatic flavor of garlic makes it a perfect match for chicken. However, when it comes to wine, the bold taste of garlic can be tricky to pair. The key is finding a wine that complements, rather than competes with the garlic. In this complete guide, we’ll explore the perfect wine pairings for garlic chicken.
How Garlic Impacts Wine Pairing
Garlic contains a sulfur compound called allicin that gives it its distinctive strong flavor and aroma. Allicin can create a metallic taste when paired with the wrong wines For this reason, high tannin red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are not recommended with garlic chicken. The tannins bind with the allicin, creating an unpleasant metallic taste. Instead, you want a wine that has enough acidity to cut through the richness of the chicken and match the intensity of the garlic
Factors that Influence Pairing
There are a few factors that impact what wine pairs best with your garlic chicken
Preparation Method
-
Roasted garlic becomes sweeter and milder This allows for more wine options
-
Fried or raw garlic is more pungent. Choose wines with very high acidity.
Other Ingredients
- Additions like soy sauce, chili peppers, or lemon change the flavor profile. Sweeter wines help balance spice, while citrus pairs well with Sauvignon Blanc.
Type of Garlic
-
Elephant garlic is milder. More wine options pair well.
-
Stronger garlic varieties like Spanish need wines with higher acidity.
Best Wine Varieties for Garlic Chicken
Crisp, Acidic White Wines
-
Unoaked Chardonnay – No oak flavors allow the bright apple flavors to shine. Acidity cuts richness.
-
Pinot Grigio – Italian Pinot Grigio has racy acidity and citrus notes that refresh the palate.
-
Dry Riesling – Riesling from Germany or Alsace has acidity, minerality, and subtle sweetness to balance garlic.
-
Sauvignon Blanc – Herbaceous with bright citrus. Refreshing with garlic chicken containing fresh herbs.
Dry Rosé
- Dry rosé from Provence has the acidity, subtle red fruit, and fuller body to stand up to garlic’s intensity.
Light Red Wines
- Beaujolais – Low tannins, bright acidity, and berry flavors pair better than big reds. Serve chilled.
Sparkling Wines
- Prosecco – The bubbles and acidity refresh the palate after the richness of garlic chicken.
Pairing Tips
-
Acidity is the key element for garlic chicken wines. Prioritize wines with lively acid.
-
Avoid high tannin reds like Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah. Their tannins clash with garlic.
-
Roast garlic to mellow its flavor. More wines will complement milder garlic.
-
Add sweet wines like Riesling or Gewurztraminer to balance spicy garlic chicken.
-
Match citrus-flavored chicken with Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
-
Cream-based garlic chicken sauces need fuller whites like oaked Chardonnay.
-
For grilled garlic chicken, rosé has the fruit and acidity to match.
-
Vintage matters less than balance and quality. Focus on reputable producers.
-
Dry sparkling wines like Cava and Prosecco refresh the palate with garlic chicken.
Pairing Examples
Here are a few delicious examples of wine paired with popular garlic chicken dishes:
-
Garlic Parmesan Chicken – Unoaked Chardonnay
-
Garlic Chicken Stir Fry – New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
-
Garlic Lemon Chicken – Italian Pinot Grigio
-
Garlic Butter Baked Chicken – Dry French rosé
-
Garlic Chicken Pizza – Prosecco
The Final Sip
Garlic chicken demands a wine with enough acidity and flavor intensity to match the garlic’s robustness. Crisp, acidic whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and unoaked Chardonnay are foolproof options. For those determined to have red, go for a chillable light red like Beaujolais. Remember to consider preparation method, other ingredients, and garlic type to hone the pairing. With an understanding of garlic’s impact on wine, you can confidently uncork a bottle to perfectly complement your garlic chicken.
Another wine pairing for chicken with garlic
You may also enjoy these other types of wine with chicken with garlic or this Chicken with Garlic wine pairing:
(shar-doh-NAY): A ripe and crisp white with fruit flavors such as apple, pineapple and citrus.
Try This 5 Ingredient Garlic And White Wine Chicken Dish | TODAY
FAQ
What kind of wine goes with garlic chicken?
The wines to drink with 40-cloves-of-garlic chicken
Those usefully neutral Italian whites like Orvieto Classico, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Vernaccia di San Gimignano or, more interesting still, Timorasso, would work just fine. A good Soave, as well.
What pairs well with garlic chicken?
- I like to serve mine with a side of saffron rice and lemon parmesan asparagus. Yum.
- But really, anything goes. Potatoes made any way, steamed, grilled, roasted or sauteed veggies or pasta with a light lemon butter sauce.
- More healthy alternatives are a quinoa or bulgur wheat pilaf. …
- Just use you imagination.
What wine pairs well with garlic?
What you need with raw garlic is acidity. Just as lemon and garlic are natural bedfellows so are citrussy white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, other crisp fresh whites like Picpoul de Pinet and Italian whites like Vermentino or Falanghina. Even Chablis works well with dishes like Chicken Kiev.
Do you serve red or white wine with chicken?
Pairing wine is mostly simple. Generally white wine is paired with light colored meats such as fish and chicken, whereas reds are paired with dark colored meats such as beef. Pork can be paired with white or red depending on the preparation. Here are some other pairing examples: