Shabbat Wine Chicken
A traditional, comforting Shabbat chicken dish simmered in a rich, aromatic sweet wine and onion sauce.
Ingredients
- •4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
- •2 tablespoons olive oil
- •2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- •3 cloves garlic, minced
- •1 cup sweet red Kiddush wine or Manischewitz
- •1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- •2 tablespoons tomato paste
- •1 teaspoon paprika
- •1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- •1 teaspoon salt
- •1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- •2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- 3
Add the chicken skin-side down and sear until golden brown and crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.
- 4
In the same skillet with the remaining chicken fat, add the sliced onions and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and soft, about 10 minutes.
- 5
Add the minced garlic, paprika, and dried thyme, stirring constantly for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 6
Pour in the sweet red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and let it simmer for 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- 7
Whisk in the chicken broth and tomato paste until smooth, creating a rich sauce.
- 8
Return the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices back into the skillet, nestling them into the onions and sauce.
- 9
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- 10
Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes of cooking if you want to thicken the sauce further, then garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
💡 Chef tips
- You can substitute dry red wine mixed with a tablespoon of brown sugar if you do not have sweet Kiddush wine on hand.
- This dish tastes even better the next day, making it a fantastic make-ahead option for Shabbat lunch.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished dish features tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken coated in a glossy, deeply savory-sweet wine and caramelized onion sauce that fills the kitchen with a rich, inviting aroma.