Chicken Soup and Chardonnay May Be A New Favorite Winter Wine Pairing

Are you ready for the chicken soup and Chardonnay pairing our winemaker can’t get enough of?

Far Niente Winemaker Nicole Marchesi recently had our mouths watering with her recommendation for homemade chicken soup and Chardonnay, specifically Far Niente’s Napa Valley Chardonnay. “The wine’s bright citrus and floral notes really paired well with the fresh veg in the pot, Nicole says, “while both offered a richness of flavor, with the wine’s fresh acidity lifting the end and leaving us wanting another sip … and another bite of soup.”

Ready to whip up a batch of the chicken soup and wine pairing that had her sighing with comfort? Read on for her garden-fresh chicken and soba noodle minestrone recipe. It's a knockout with Napa Valley Chardonnay. "I like to make it with slightly Asian flare," Nicole says. "We also put out an assortment of condiments, so that each of us can make it more or less spicy, salty, etc."

Nicole’s Favorite Chicken Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ medium onion, chopped

1 small shallot, chopped

2-4 garlic gloves, minced

1 inch fresh ginger, minced

1-2 tablespoons turmeric

8 cups chicken broth (can be a combo of low-sodium, homemade and/or bone broth)

1 ½ - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

6-8 cups chopped, diced or sliced veggies (Nicole’s preferred combo is carrots, celery, mushrooms, broccoli and peas)

6 ounces soba noodles, cooked

2 tablespoons white miso

2 -3 teaspoons ponzu sauce, soy sauce or tamari

Salt and pepper (or, Nicole’s fave, Omnivore Salt)

Serve with harissa, Japanese barbecue sauce or chili sauce

Method

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, two to three minutes. Add ginger and turmeric, cook, stirring, one to two additional minutes.

Pour in eight cups of broth, add chicken and simmer until cooked, approximately 20-22 minutes.

Transfer chicken to cutting board. Once cool, shred or chop into bite-sized pieces.

Add veggies to the pot and return to a simmer. Cook five to ten minutes, until just tender.

Add soba noodles and chicken back to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Nicole loves to use a salt and pepper combo called Omnivore Salt. Usually one and a half to two teaspoons is all it takes!

Cook all until heated through, then add white miso and ponzu to give the finish a nice flavor kick.

Presentation

Generously fill your bowls with steaming, fragrant soup, pour a glass of chilled Far Niente Chardonnay, and, then, as Nicole says, dial up or down the seasonings to make it your own. “My husband likes to mix in some harissa sauce for a little more spice. I also like to add a little squirt of Bachan’s Japanese BBQ sauce,” she says. “A squeeze of lemon or lime would probably be nice, too.”