Wine-Braised Chicken with Peaches

As they bake, the peaches soften and meld into the flavorful chicken drippings to create a succulent sweet and salty sauce. Which white wine to choose for braising? For this recipe (or for any wine braised chicken recipe really), I almost always recommend using a white wine that is dry and crisp.

A “dry” white is any white wine that isn’t sweet. And a “crisp” white is a wine that has a high acidity.

Some of my recommendations are:

• Sauvignon Blanc– this is my go-to white wine for cooking. It provides a great acidity.
• Pinot Grigio– a neutral white wine, which makes it easy to cook with and is very versatile.
• Unoaked Chardonnay– this one is slightly richer than the two above.
• Dry Marsala– it adds lovely nutty notes and creates a great caramelization.
• Dry Sparkling Wine– it is a light and crisp option. Note that the bubbles dissipate when cooking, so you won’t notice this was a sparkling wine.

In any case, avoid opting for sweet white wines (ie. Riesling, Sauternes) which will create over-caramelization and/or sweetness to the finish dish.

This recipe already relies on peaches to provide a delightful natural sweetness. Also, avoid full-bodied, rich and/or oaky white wines (ie.

Oaked Chardonnay) which tend to develop bitter undernotes when cooking. Lastly, you shouldn’t necessarily reach for a “cheap” bottle, but one that is still drinkable – trust me, it will really make a difference.

Forget the “cooking wines” from the grocery store! Can you substitute the chicken thighs?

Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are my pieces of choice for this type of wine-braised recipes. They are so flavorful and turn fork-tender.

However, yes, you can replace chicken thighs for skin-on legs or quarters if you would like. Avoid using chicken breasts as they will likely become too tough after 30 minutes of baking in the oven. Whether you choose chicken thighs, legs or quarters, leaving the skin on the chicken is essential to this recipe.

The chicken will be first cooked, skin-side down, in the pan. The fat from the skin will melt and render into the pan, and be used later to caramelize the shallots and garlic, and as a base for the sauce.

It will contribute greatly to building flavors in this dish. You can choose to remove the skin later – in your plate, once the dish is served. Cooking tips:

• I recommend you salt your chicken beforehand (2 to 3 hours before), to allow the salt to penetrate the meat.
• Choosing in-season peaches is best. However, do not opt for peaches that are too ripe or soft, or they will turn mushy once baked. You will want to choose peaches that are still firm, so they turn soft yet keep in once piece once baked.
• Use a pot/pan/skillet that can go from the stove-top to the oven.

I hope you’ll love this Wine-braised Chicken with Peaches as much as I do! This is a simple yet impressive recipe that is perfect for Summer.

You can serve it with rice and a salad on the side.