Wine Braised Chicken (Drunken Chicken)

Wine Braised Chicken is the most mouthwatering, savory dinner you'll ever try! Slow simmered in red wine, this fall-apart-tender chicken is an easy dinner recipe the whole family will love.

Wine Braised Chicken

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Check out some of my other chicken recipes:

• Honey Balsamic Chicken
• Baked Chicken Parmesan
• Tarragon Chicken

One of the most popular recipes on this site is the Drunken Pork Chops. And it makes sense- thin-sliced pork chops, braised in a savory red wine sauce that is so good you'll want to drink it with a straw. And when the cooking time is up, you're left with the most fall-apart-tender meat.

I knew I had to try it with chicken. And I'll be honest, I was a little nervous before testing it. It can be easy to overcook stove top chicken breast, and I wasn't sure what to expect, especially since it was our dinner that night.

But my fears were unfounded! This recipe translated so beautifully to a skillet chicken recipe and the results were absolutely mouthwatering!

Tips for making braised stove top chicken

• Filet the chicken so that the pieces are nice and thin. Try to make the pieces around the same size for even cooking.
• Slice the onions into rings. I find that this helps them stay together a little easier. They will still break down as they cook, which is totally ok.
• If you aren't a big fan of the texture of the onion, slice them thin and they'll melt into the sauce as they braise.
• Once the chicken is covered and cooking, check hem and give them a stir half way through. You want to make sure they haven't dried out. If necessary, add a little water (I've never had to but know that this is an option if necessary).
• Make sure you serve these with a nice, crusty loaf of bread to sop up all those amazing juices.

How do you filet chicken breasts?

You can do this by placing the chicken breast on a cutting board and slicing through the middle of the chicken breast horizontally so that you have two thin pieces.

What is braising?

Braising is a cooking process where you sear/brown the meat in a small amount of fat at a higher heat and then cook it slowly in a braising liquid over lower heat. This slower cooking helps to break down the tissue resulting in fall-apart-tender meat.

Is braised chicken healthy?

Yes- braising is an excellent way to have flavorful tender meat with a minimal amount of added fat.

Can I make this without alcohol?

Technically you can substitute with additional broth. But this recipe is really built around wine, so I wouldn't encourage it.

How long does braised chicken last?

Around 3-4 days covered in the refrigerator.

How do you reheat braised chicken?

I do it in individual portions in the microwave or in a large portion over medium heat on the stove, stirring frequently.

Can you freeze braised chicken?

Yes, but I'd encourage you to freeze it after cooking and cooling. Be aware, the onions might break down even more once thawed.

What do you serve with braised chicken?

• Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
• Marinated Vegetable Salad
• French Onion Mashed Potatoes
• Peas with Onions

Ingredients for Drunken Chicken

• Olive oil
• Chicken breasts
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• Onion
• Garlic
• Red wine
• Chicken broth
• Tomato paste

How to Braise Chicken

1. Heat oil and sear seasoned chicken breasts until golden brown. Remove from pan.
2. Add onion and garlic and sauté.
3. Deglaze pan with wine, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Add chicken back to the pan and reduce heat to medium.
5. Cover and simmer for an hour, stirring once in a while (add a bit of water if it starts to dry up.
6. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Helpful tools:

1. Large saute pan
2. Wooden spoon
3. Chef’s knife
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring cups
6. Measuring spoons

Wine Braised Chicken (Drunken Chicken)

Jessy Freimann

Wine Braised Chicken is the most mouthwatering, savory dinner you'll ever try! Slow simmered in red wine, this fall-apart-tender chicken is an easy dinner recipe the whole family will love.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 7 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 17 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 large chicken breasts fillet into 6 thin cuts of chicken breast
• Kosher salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1 medium onion sliced into thin rings
• 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 14.5 ounce can chicken broth (you can also use beef broth if that's what you have on hand)
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• Water (optional)

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towel and season well with salt and pepper on both sides.
• In batches, sear each chicken piece until browned on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side and then place them into a side plate. Make sure you don't overload the pan!
• Once all the chicken is browned and out of the pan, add the remaining Tablespoon of oil (only if needed) and then add sliced onion and smashed garlic.
• Season them with salt and pepper to taste and saute them stirring constantly for a minute or two.
• Next, add the wine to the pan and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.
• After the wine has simmered for a minute or two, add broth and tomato paste. Stir well to combine and add the chicken pieces back into the pan. Bring it to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for an hour, stirring periodically. If it starts to dry out, add a little water (I didn't run into this issue). Serve immediately after the hour is up.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!