Chicken marsala is a beautiful dish loaded with fresh mushrooms and juicy coated chicken breasts in a beautiful marsala wine sauce.
The meal is light and goes with just about anything from a bed of rice to a pile of mash or freshly tossed salad.
The meal is beautiful and satisfying, especially on cold nights. Now, what wine do we serve with marsala chicken?
What Wine Goes With Chicken Marsala?
The wines that go well with chicken marsala are Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Chardonnay. You can also choose a few light to medium red wines such as Pinot Noir or Gamay. You can even drink marsala wine with the chicken marsala dish. I find it nice to have a marsala wine flavor throughout the meal then have a nice light wine to compliment the flavor that is different.
What Is Chicken Marsala?
Chicken Marsala is a chicken escalopes dish that comes with beautifully tasting marsala wine sauce.
The dish is Italian/American and is a variation of the scaloppini dish, where you will find many types all around Italy.
What Flavors Are Found In Marsala Wine Sauce?
The flavors of the marsala sauce are very rich and earthy. I find that the sauce has a strong umami flavor.
There is an earthiness that comes from the wine and the mushrooms, which are the main ingredients in the sauce.
You will get a bright taste that is fresh and full of herbs, along with the sweetness of the sautéed onions that isn’t too overpowering.
The primary flavors are earthy and savory.
What Texture Is The Marsala Sauce?
The marsala sauce is quite chunky with large pieces of chicken, onion, and mushroom.
It almost represents a thin stew that tops over your main course. The sauce has a thickness like gravy, and a good sauce will have plenty of creaminess.
You can get different varieties that use cream and butter to make the dish richer and heavier.
What Wine Pairs Well With Chicken Marsala?
When it comes to pairing wine with a good chicken marsala, you don’t want to go overboard with reds such as Zinfandel, Cabernet, and Sangiovese.
These will overwhelm the marsala sauce and the chicken. Your better choices are wines that are full-bodied, like Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, viognier.
You can also go for more medium-bodied such as Pinot Noir, Grenache Gris, Gamay, and Frappato.
What Flavour Does The Gamay Wine Hold?
Gamay is a very easy wine to drink has plenty of raspberry and cherry flavors. The aromatic notes of black tea and violets with a few earthy characteristics are thrown in.
What About Viognier Wines?
These wines are noted for their oily feeling that sits right on your tongue, which comes from the grapes used to make the wine.
If you want a less fruity flavor, the drier styles might be better suited. These, however, do come with a mild bitterness.
Pinot grigio, Grauburgunder, and Pinot Gris are the white wine version of the Vitis Vinifera.
The name comes from the greyish to blue fruit, but the grapes can be found in black, pink, and even white.
The Pinot Grigio is the most popular when it comes to flavor as it is more clean and vibrant with a light body taste of citrus.
The Pinot Gris is a sweeter version with a hint of spicy tropical fruits. With a rich texture, low acidity, and a higher level of alcohol. It is a popular choice for chicken marsala.
Now For The Chardonnay
This, I think, would have to be the most popular white wine. Well adored for its rich and oaky flavors with a clean and crisp texture.
This wine is made from green-skinned grapes. The chardonnay has plenty of range when it comes to flavor.
From the fruit flavors of citrus, tropical, melon, pear, and apple to the buttered oak flavors.
It is seen in more places as people are going for the unoaked or naked tags on their wine.
This is due to many stating the wine is over manipulated by the flavors of the oak.
How To Serve Wine With Chicken Marsala
When it comes to serving wine, there are plenty of tips and tricks that come with serving wine.
Things such as learning to pour the right way and to use the right wine glasses for the type of wine you are serving.
Following certain tips correctly can actually make the wine taste better.
Wine needs to be slightly chilled before serving; it tastes better that way. Just like warm coke or orange juice, yuk!
Those certainly taste different at room temperature than what they do chilled. Wine is the same.
The delicate floral aromatics that are found in most wines can end up subdued when the wine is too cold.
They can also burn off fast if the wine is at room temperature. If you are serving cheap wine, it is best to serve it chilled as the cold will disguise some of what wine lovers call “off” aromas.
If you are serving red wine with your chicken marsala, then you want to aim for a temperature of 53 °F to 69 ° F (11.6-20.6°C).
The lighter wines such as the Pinot Noir are better when they are served at, the colder end.
When serving a white wine, you want to have it sitting at about 44 °F to a max of 57 ° F (7-14°C). The oak-aged wines stick to the warmer side and stick with the cooler side for the zesty ones.
When dealing with sparkling wine, the cheaper versions work for temps at 38 °F and 45 °F (3-7°C) for the higher-quality champagne, which does better at the same temperature as the white wine.
Conclusion
If you are dishing up chicken marsala, think about the right wine to serve it with to leave that extra pleasing impression on the taste buds of your guests.
Crack open a good bottle, enjoy a good feed and simply relax.
Frequently Asked Questions About What Wine Goes With Chicken Marsala
Where Do I Store Left Over Wine?
It is best to store wine that is already opened in the fridge. Storing it cold will help to slow the wine development down, helping to keep it fresh.
Can I Drink Marsala Wine With Chicken Marsala?
Some people like to do this, while others state too much of the same flavor can ruin the meal. It can be exciting to mix things up a little bit and experiment with different wines.