super easy greek pairing: slower cooker greek chicken and assyrtiko

Erich and I love everything about Greece! We each spent a year living in Greece, at very different points in our lives. I was a preschooler in Athens while my family was in the process of emigrating to the US. Erich spent a year stationed on Crete shortly before we met. In fact, Greece was one of our first international destinations together after we met in 2013. We both have a great deal of affection for the country, it’s history, people, food, and drink! That’s why we gushed over this meal pairing Greek chicken with Assyrtiko!

Greek Wines – Santorini and Assyrtiko

Greece has a very long history of making wine. After all, Dionysus is the Greek god of grape harvest, winemaking, wine, fertility, festivity and revelry. For a long time, Greek wine was produced and consumed locally. However, in recent years Greek wines have started to get the attention of the international community for the unique and delicious wines they are producing.

Wine based on the assyrtiko variety, primarily grown on the island of Santorini, is one of these fabulous Greek wines. These wines are similar in style to dry riesling, albarino, or picoul. They are dry, high in acid, with minerally and citric aromas and flavors. Assyrtiko is also the most likely Greek varietal you’ll find at your local wine store.

An interesting fact about grape-growing on Santorini is that the vines are trained to grow in a basket or wreath shape, called a ‘kouloura‘ in Greek, close to the ground. The kouloura protects the grape from the strong Mediterranean Sea winds, the heat of sun, and the lashing of the blown sand that could damage vines and/or grapes, if the vines were grown in the traditional vertical methods. The kouloura also helps the vine retain moisture from the nighttime sea mist as the island is otherwise very dry.

The Pairing – Assyrtiko and Greek Chicken

The Wine – Santos Winery 2019 Assyrtiko

The 2019 Assyrtiko from the Santo Winery on Santorini is a great example of this varietal. The (US) label displays a kouloura paying homage to the vines of the island. I was able to get this wine at Total Wine and More for about $24. The wine was light-to-medium lemon colored. The aromas were delicate but definitely exhibited notes of citrus, honey, saline, and minerality. On the palate there was a good amount of acidity and alcohol, which brought out the sweetness in this bone-dry wine. Surprisingly, the finish was longer than expected as it was fermented entirely using stainless steel. A really beautiful wine with and without food.

Close your eyes and enjoy the Mediterranean sun and sea breeze as they swirl within your mouth with every sip!

The Dish – Slow Cooker Greek Chicken

For this pairing, I decided to make a Greek-inspired dish I found a few months ago, slow cooker/instant pot Greek chicken from wholesomelicious.com. This dish is great, I make it about once every other month!

The fatty chicken thighs pair so nicely with the acids in the marinated artichokes, roasted red peppers, and Kalamata olives. The prep is super simple, and it’s ready relatively quickly – 2-3 hours on high! I didn’t alter the recipe, but I got a little carried away and chopped up the red onion and roasted bell peppers instead of slicing them. However, this doesn’t change the flavors of the dish or its pairing with the wine in any way. For this meal we served the chicken with white rice; however, in the past we’ve paired it with caulirice sautéed in olive oil and Greek spices – both ways are very delicious. In the end you get a dish with beautifully blended flavors, but still each ingredient is recognized in every bite.

and together?

Although a chicken dish does not sound like a natural pairing for Greek Assyrtiko, the briny olives and fatty chicken thighs match the high acidity in the wine. It certainly stands up to the strong flavors of the dish and maintains its citrus and honey flavors. There was still more wine to enjoy on its own after the meal!

Make sure to take the wine out of the refrigerator before serving these two dishes together. Maybe enjoy a cold glass while you while you’re waiting for the meal to finish cooking, then pour another glass about 15 minutes before serving. This will open up the wine nicely, so that the acids have had a chance to mellow out and play nice with the fatty chicken thighs.

Καλή όρεξη (Kalí óreksi!)

* Remember, let a white wine come up to in temperature by removing it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you serve your meal. You want it cool, but not so cold that it doesn’t present its full aroma and flavor profile to you.

** I forgot to add the feta cheese that the dish calls for. Don’t worry, the salty cheese will only add to your delight! 🙂

*** This post was not sponsored by and is not affiliated with Total Wine and More or wholesomelicious.com.