Cowboy Chicken with a Dry Creek Valley Syrah Blend

Hello, everybody, and happy July 4, 2011.  Welcome back to Cèpage et Cuisine, Mary’s and Brian’s wine and food blog.  We’ve been in the mood for something casual, not too complicated, a real crowd pleaser, a very American dish around the celebration of Independence Day.  Plus, Mary and I are about to travel to San Antonio for a week, so what could be more perfect than Cowboy Chicken?

This is a recipe we found at Emeril Lagasse’s website, so we’re giving credit where credit is due.  Like many recipes we try, Mary adjusts ingredients and technique a little to take advantage of what’s readily available and to put her spin on things.  It brings a big, savory, slightly spicy casserole out of the oven that everybody can enjoy.  A hearty wine from Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County is the perfect pairing.  Here’s Mary to describe the preparation.

This is a fun and easy dinner to make, not exactly a 30 minute meal, but it doesn’t take too long.  The ingredients are boneless chicken breasts, three cups of homemade chicken stock, white wine, lime juice, garlic, pepper & salt, oregano, bay leaves, butter, flour, tortilla chips, onions, bell peppers, pepper jack cheese, cheddar cheese, Cajun seasoning, chili powder, cumin, chopped tomatoes, and diced green chilies.  A quick word about the stock -- I’ve learned that homemade stock makes a big difference in the quality of a dish, especially compared to canned broth.  I know I’ve said that before, but it’s worth repeating occasionally.  I make the stock from the carcass when we roast a chicken and just freeze it in individual portions for using later in recipes like this.  It’s great for gravies, soups, and casseroles.

Here are all my veggies, chopped and ready to go. 

The chips are crushed and layered in the bottom of a large casserole dish.

Some of the stock is poured over the chips and the chicken layered on the chips in small pieces.

Then come the onions, green pepper, pepper jack (I just used slices), grated cheddar, and a generous sprinkling of Cajun seasoning.

I made a gravy with some of the stock, butter, and flour and poured that over the casserole.  Then I added layers of chopped tomatoes, green chilies, and more pepper jack and cheddar cheese.

The whole thing goes into the oven for 45 minutes.  That’s it!  It’s kind of a Cajun-Tex-Mex party!  While it’s baking, here’s Brian to talk about the wine.

I’m a big believer in drinking the wine you like to drink with the food you like to eat.  With a few noteworthy exceptions, there aren’t all that many combinations that just don’t work at all.  With this dish, I thought a fruity American wine would do just the trick.  I didn’t want one that is over the top on ripeness and alcohol, but I wanted something that would stand up to the vivid flavors and textures of Mary’s Cowboy Chicken with all the cheese and peppers and spices and gravy.

I chose a blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah from Preston Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley.  Looking back at an earlier blog post, we used the same wine with our grilled pizza.  Once again, it performed just fine.  Lou Preston is a big believer in sustainable farming and growing balanced grapes in a balanced environment.  The wine is definitely New World in style, but as Allen Meadows has said about certain New World wines, it has a generosity without descending into vulgarity.  I could not say it any better.  Lou’s wines are full and fruit forward, but they have structure and balance, don’t feel hot on the palate from too much alcohol, stand up to hearty food without overwhelming it, and don’t leave us fatigued and lethargic after sharing a bottle of it.  Here are my notes on the wine.

Preston Vineyards Syrah-Sirah Dry Creek Valley 2004.  This wine hit the spot for a dinner of Cowboy Chicken.  With the cheese, the chicken, and the tortilla chips, the rich fruitiness of the wine was the perfect pairing.  It was dense in color with aromas of dark berries and plums.  The palate showed a rich, full body with a velvety texture.  The tannins were not fully resolved, but the texture was not rough or astringent.  The acidity was low to medium, just adequate for balance.  Flavors of blackberries, blueberries, plums, and a prominent peppery-spicy characteristic were noted.  I would describe the wine as definitely New World in style, rich and powerful, but it did have adequate balance, moderate complexity, and a nice finish.  It would be pleasurable on its own and paired well with this type of food.  It would also be great with burgers or barbecue, perfect for summer grilling on the deck or patio.  65% Syrah, 35% Petite Sirah, 13.9% alcohol.  We paid $25 for this wine when we visited Preston Vineyards a few years ago.

Ok, Brian, enough about the wine.  The casserole is ready and it is beautiful!  I suggest letting it rest for about 10 minutes after coming out of the oven so it will set up and be easier to slice into portions, sort of like lasagna.

Put some greens alongside and a dollop of sour cream if you like and you’ve got a fun dinner for the family.

Brian here again.  Folks, thems is good eats.  That’s our post for today.  We hope you enjoyed it.  Keep checking back here at Cépage et Cuisine for more wine and food adventures.  In the meantime,

Cheers,

Mary♥Brian