Autumnal Chicken Classics and What to Drink with Them
By the time we get to October it’s slower‑cooked, heartier meals with deeper flavours that start to make sense as the evenings draw in. Chicken is a good anchor for this time of year — familiar, versatile and well suited to the deeper flavours that come with autumn. We’ve looked up four recipes that work well at this time of year and paired them up with a wine that suits them down to the ground. We’ve added the recipes if you fancy following them, but flexibility’s the name of the game and hopefully these will give you a few pointers as to what makes good pairings.
Chicken Thighs Braised with Cider & Apples
Our suggestion:
Shadow Point Chardonnay (Singles £15.90, Mixed 6 £14.90)
If you have an apple tree in the garden, this is an autumnal dish that'll make good use of any recent windfalls. The sweetness of the apples and the gentle acidity of the cider work well alongside mustard and a bit of cream in the sauce. For the wine, a hint of nutty warmth from a lightly oak-aged Chardonnay like this is a really good match.
Recipe: Chicken Thighs Braised with Cider & Apples (serves 4)
8 chicken thighs, bone‑in
2 apples, sliced
1 onion, finely sliced
300ml medium cider
150ml chicken stock
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
A small handful of thyme
75ml double cream
Salt and pepper
Method: Brown the chicken thighs in a wide pan. Remove them, then soften the onion in the same pan. Add the apples, thyme, cider and stock, bring to a simmer, then return the chicken. Cook gently for 35–40 minutes until the thighs are tender. Stir in the mustard and cream, adjust the seasoning and serve with mash or buttered potatoes
Chicken & Wild Mushroom Ragù with Pappardelle
Our suggestion:
Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Domaine Fichet (Singles £21.90, Mixed 6 £19.90)
The Burgundy we’ve gone for here is on the lighter side, but it still has the earthy, forest floor character typical of Pinot Noir from this part of the world. And that makes it really well suited to a dish like this where mushrooms are an integral part.
Recipe: Chicken & Wild Mushroom Ragù (serves 4)
6 chicken thighs
300g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
A handful of dried porcini, soaked
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
A few sage leaves
150ml white wine
300ml chicken stock
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
400g pappardelle
Method: Brown the chicken thighs, then remove. Soften the onion, garlic and sage. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid. Pour in the wine and reduce slightly. Add the stock and porcini (with a little of their soaking liquid), return the chicken and simmer for 40 minutes. Shred the chicken into the sauce. Cook the pappardelle and fold it through the ragù
Roast Chicken with Squash, Cavolo Nero & Herb Butter
Our suggestion:
Sella & Mosca 'Medeus' Cannonau di Sardegna (Singles £18.50, Mixed 6 £16.50)
For this variation on a roast chicken recipe, we've picked a Sardinian Cannonau. Its ripe red fruit and subtle spice work well with the sweetness of the squash and the richness of the herb butter, while the savoury side of the wine sits comfortably alongside the cavolo nero. As an alternative to Cannonau, look for Grenache or Garnacha instead - they're different names for the same grape, and unoaked versions like this will also work well with dishes in this style.
Recipe: Roast Chicken with Squash & Cavolo Nero (serves 4)
1 whole chicken (about 1.5–1.8kg)
1 medium butternut squash, cut into wedges
1 bunch cavolo nero, stems removed
75g softened butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
A few rosemary sprigs, chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method: Heat the oven to 200°C. Mix the butter with the garlic and rosemary, then season well. Loosen the skin over the chicken breast and push some of the butter underneath, rubbing the remainder over the outside of the bird. Toss the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a large roasting tin. Sit the chicken on top and roast for around 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced. Remove the chicken from the oven and add the cavolo nero to the roasting tin, turning it through the roasting juices. Return everything to the oven for a further 10–15 minutes until the cavolo nero has softened and the squash is nicely coloured. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before carving and serving alongside the vegetables.
Chicken Thighs with Chorizo, Butter Beans & Smoked Paprika
Our suggestion:
Prunus Tinto, Dão (Singles £17.90, Mixed 6 £15.90)
A red from Portugal's Dão region is a good partner for this dish, whose roots lie in the other part of the Iberian peninsula. It brings bright fruit, a little spice and a freshness that sits comfortably alongside the assertiveness of the chorizo and smoked paprika. Our Prunus Dão is a good example, combining ripe fruit with soft tannins and a savoury character that feels quite at home here.
Recipe: Chicken, Chorizo & Butter Bean Stew (serves 4)
6 chicken thighs
150g cooking chorizo, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tin butter beans, drained
200ml chicken stock
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method: Brown the chicken thighs in a little olive oil until lightly coloured all over, then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the chorizo and cook for a few minutes until it begins to crisp and releases its oils. Stir in the onion and cook gently until softened, then add the garlic and smoked paprika and cook for another minute. Pour in the tomatoes and stock, stir well and return the chicken to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for around 30 minutes until the chicken is tender. Add the butter beans and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required, then serve in warm bowls with crusty bread.
When it comes to pairing wines, chicken dishes are very versatile, but hopefully there are a few pointers here as to which combinations work especially well. If you pick up any these, there's 10% off them until 14 November 2026.
Just enter promo code ACHCL10 at checkout.