Chicken in Riesling

I have to admit, Gourmet Magazine's Chicken in Riesling dish exceeded my expectations on flavor. Similar to the traditional French Coq Au Vin, it was composed of almost all the same ingredients but used white wine instead of red.

The success of the recipe is achieved by braising the chicken in the creamy, sweet sauce. After browning the meat to get a nice crust, the chicken is combined with a mixture of shallots, leeks, carrots, and wine to braise in the oven for 25 minutes. At the end, creme fraiche is added along with a hint of lemon juice and red potatoes. I thought the sauce could have been a hint thicker, but the flavor was spot on. Because of the braising, the chicken was infused with the wine's same sweetness. The creme softened this sweetness and the lemon juice added enough acid to balance the boldness of both the wine and dairy.

The only thing I would change about the process of making this meal was cutting the chicken myself. I decided to buy the meat try carving it, but I learned that is not my best skill. Next time I plan on having the butcher do this for me!

We ate our chicken with a lovely Riesling wine called Clean Slate.

Browning the chicken

The freshly seasoned potatoes

Finished product

The cherry on top: Clean Slate Riesling