Cooking with wine can add flavor and depth to your dishes. (Not to mention it gives you an excuse to open a bottle of wine and enjoy a glass while you’re cooking.) September is National Chicken Month as well as Missouri Wine Month; talk about a perfect pairing!

Wine is used in three primary ways when cooking… as a marinade ingredient, a cooking liquid (think simmer or braise), and flavoring in finished dishes (sauces, primarily). Some things to remember when cooking with wine:

• The golden rule of “Drink what you like” extends to cooking. Don’t cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink. Cooking a wine is going to intensify the flavors, and if you didn’t like it before, you certainly won’t after.
• Adding wine to a dish just before serving it can result in harsh flavors. Allow your wine to cook with the dish for at least a few minutes.
• If you’re using the wine in a marinade, acidity is key. Be sure to select a wine with a decent amount of acidity to get the benefit of tenderizing the meat as well as adding flavor and complexity.

Try out these recipes that show the simple, classic ways to use wine to transform and enhance chicken dishes:

• It’s grilling weather in Missouri and this recipe for Wine-Marinated Grilled Chicken is a must-try. Use a dry Missouri Vidal Blanc wine for the acidity and citrus flavors.
• Braise chicken in red wine (You read that correctly; white wine and white meat is not a hard and fast rule) with this Classic Chicken in Red Wine A Missouri Chambourcin is perfect! Once the dish is served, pair with the same Chambourcin you cooked with or shake it up with a Chambourcin rosé wine.
• Simmer chicken in white wine in this simple, one-pan Skillet Chicken A Missouri Chardonel is the ideal choice for this dish, both for cooking and sipping alongside the meal.
• This recipe for Chicken in a Creamy Parmesan and Sundried Tomato Sauce is a great example of adding wine as a flavor enhancer. Try it with your favorite dry Missouri white wine.

Chicken sometimes gets a bad reputation as boring or plain, but that’s just not true… if it’s prepared well. Chicken is a lean protein that offers mild flavor that can be used as a blank canvas for truly delicious culinary creations. Adding Missouri wine to the mix is a way to ensure a tasty meal. Try it out and enjoy!