Ok, so I did my video for the Wine & Dine night. I made Chicken Parm & paired it with an Italian white wine. I know, traditionally we would probably reach for a red wine. Merlot is usually the first choice. The Marinara sauce needs a bold wine. However, I have learned so much about knowing the entire dish and how to pair with the flavors.
If I was going to smother the bed of pasta in sauce, and cover the chicken breast with more sauce, then I would have chosen the Merlot. I had them both available and I chose to use a little sauce on the pasta and focus on the chicken, cheese and pasta flavors. What a success that was.
Chicken Parm & Italian White Wine, the uncommon yet beautiful pairing
I chose a Stivale Del Sole. This is a fruity flavorful white wine from Italy, that I received from the Wine Discovery Club I am a member of. They used the Frebbiano grape, which is one of the most popular grapes in Italy as well as other parts of the world. The additional tastes of yellow fruit & citrus accented and paired well with the chicken and cheese perfectly. Though I did not think I could improve my Chicken Parm dish, this wine made that meal a beautiful event.
I learned from a few wine experts that it is wonderful to know and understand the wine well and the flavors of your dish well. It is perfectly ok to step away from old traditions and try new pairings. When pairing, you may even like 2 different wines according to the season. In the Winter months a Red might be more appealing, as compared to the fresh fruity flavors of a Fine White during summer months. Do yourself a favor and try new things.
Chicken Parm & Italian White Wine, the uncommon yet beautiful pairing
If you are not sure or it sounds like too much, join a Wine Discovery club like I did, and learn more with each bottle you receive. I get tasting cards with every bottle that gives me perfect food pairing. Those cards also tell me more about the country they were shipped from, the region, the climate, the type of grapes used, and the flavors I will taste. That sure makes it easy to either use the perfect pairing recommendation or pair with other foods that would match that acidity or main flavors.
Here is my recipe for the Chicken Parm I made for everyone. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you discover the right wine to pair it with. Your friends and family will consider you a chef and a wine expert. Enjoy.
Ingredients needed:
Sauce:
4 cans of tomato paste
your favorite seasonings ( or Italian seasoning blend)
minced garlic,
pork tips with fat
one lb. of ground beef
one onion and one green pepper (optional)
2 cans of sliced mushrooms (optional)
Chicken Breasts & extra’s
italian bread crumbs
olive oil
6-8 eggs
shredded mozzarella cheese
2-4-6-8 boneless skinless chicken (one per person) breast…
one lb. of angel hair pasta…
a great red or white wine
How to prepare the ingredients:
-first the sauce. (I start that the day before and cook down). Add 4 cans of tomato paste and fill can 4 times with water to add to stock pot. (16 cans) -add one lb. of browned ground beef to stock pot. (sauce has begun)
– then brown your small pieces of fatty pork tips and add to sauce
– now add all of your seasonings or your blend of Italian seasoning
-throw in a chopped half onion, and or chopped green pepper (optional)
– add 2 heaping tablespoons of minced Garlic
Let that sauce cook down for several hours and stir frequently on medium heat for first hour, and then low heat after it has come to a boil once. Start over heating it the next day, a few hours before starting this dish.
(substitute: if you dont have time to make a home made sauce, get 3 jars of Great Value brand Garden Chunky and add the above seasonings)
After making your marinara sauce (video coming) only secret is pork tips with fat for flavoring, then remove them for another dish when sauce is done. All I want is that sweet flavoring from the fat.
LET’S GET THESE CHICKEN BREASTS READY:
First: preheat oven to 350 degrees
4-6 eggs whipped in a bowl
4-6 chicken breasts fully thawed
dish full of Italian bread crumbs
pan full of olive oil on the stove medium-high heat
I drop the breasts into boiling water until they look like they are just starting to turn white, remove quickly. (internal heat) (OPTIONAL)
Second:
roll breasts in egg batter, then roll in bread crumbs (fully covered) then drop into pan of oil and lightly brown on both sides. almost searing and raising internal heat some more.
Next:
when breasts are browned, remove and place in a glass baking dish (casserole/lasagna dish) that has a thin layer of your sauce on the bottom.
after all breasts are in the dish… fill in the spaces with your sauce, leaving a little of the top of each breast exposed, not submerged.
Last step before the oven:
Then lay a heavy layer of Mozzarella cheese over the entire dish.
Cover with a top or foil and bake for 30-45 minutes @ 350 (all ovens are different… so watch boil and cheese color)
Prepare your angel hair pasta to your liking.
Ready to serve:
Remove, let sit for 10 minutes, then Put one full breast on a small bed of pasta that is lightly covered with a medium serving of your sauce (sprinkle parmesan cheese lightly on top just before serving (optional) and serve with either a good Merlot or an Italian white. The Italian white will go great with the cheese and chicken and season. ( if you are more sauce than cheese, I suggest the Merlot)
I hope you love this dish as much as we did. I want to give thanks to my Grandmother for teaching me how to make a good sauce and how to prepare the Chicken breasts. She is the person that enticed me to take Home Economics in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade and learn to love cooking.
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If you want to join our dinner parties, one of us broadcast live every Weds night at 8:30pm Eastern Standard time on our Wine & Dine night. There is always a new recipe and always a new wine pairing from somewhere around the globe. We already have so many recipes to share with you, come see a library of our wine events HERE !!!
We receive Fine Premium Wines from what I consider the Wine Capital, Senoma Valley and Nappa Valley at Walmart prices. The Wine Clubs of all Wines Clubs, and a great group of people to share the food and recipes with with. Maybe you have a dish you want to share, after joining our RRR247 Family. We would love to know about it and taste with you.