The Ultimate Wine Pairing For Grilled Chicken Breast

Whether you're looking to impress a special someone at your next dinner party or are simply wanting to treat yourself to a quality homemade meal, knowing how to match a wine's tasting notes with the flavors found in an entree can be a gastronomic crown. Not only will friends ask for your recommendations and encourage you to make the wine orders during your next night out, but with the right pairing of food and drinks, you can enjoy restaurant-quality meals while keeping palates refreshed, regardless of location. 

In advance of our next hosting duties, we spoke to master sommelier Gillian Ballance for tips on how to choose the perfect bottle to accompany a classic plate of grilled chicken. "A grilled chicken breast is often best complemented by a bottle of chardonnay," she instructs. "The medium to full-bodied structure of the wine coupled with the subtle oak flavors pairs nicely with the lightly smoky and savory flavors of a grilled chicken." 

Depending on the herbs and seasonings you use to prepare your chicken, ingredients like parsley, oregano, and garlic in a Mediterranean-inspired recipe can be highlighted by the right glass of chardonnay. While some labels of chardonnay can offer fruity aromas and notes of zingy citrus, others can deliver more acidic palates and sweeter notes of spiced caramel. 

Look to bring forward some of the bright freshness in your dish with an oaky glass, as Gillian Ballance directs. Since oaked and unoaked chardonnays can offer a wide variety of expressions, you may want to undergo an explorative process to sample labels and decide whether you're wanting to serve a lighter or richer wine along with your meal. Chardonnay bottles can offer a range of flavor profiles, so you can open a few different bottles to offer a more buttery, silky mouthfeel alongside zippier glasses with fruit-forward sips to the guests at your dinner party. After all, we've never met a guest who didn't enjoy discovering the wine that excites their palate.