Chicken Veronique with Grapes
This simple Chicken Veronique recipe is made with roasted chicken breasts, red grapes, and simmered in a tasty wine sauce with rosemary.
This French chicken dish is roasted in a braiser or roasting pan, in a tasty sweet onion sauce with white wine and plump juicy grapes. It’s the ultimate recipe to serve for company on a cool fall day. Grab your roasting pan, turn your oven on, for this easy Chicken Veronique with grapes recipe!
Chicken Veronique with grapes
We always love a good roasted chicken recipe that you can prepare ahead, and pull out of the oven when company arrives. You can serve this main dish with a side of rice, mashed potatoes potatoes, or mashed sweet potatoes, polenta, or a light salad. We’ve also served a similar recipe, Baked Chicken recipe, that is made with Five Spice and honey sauce!
What is the history of chicken Veronique?
This chicken dish was invented in London in 1903 by the French chef Auguste Escoffier. He named the recipe after Messager’s comic opera Véronique that was running at the Coronet theatre. Now the term Véronique is used to describe chicken dishes that are served with grapes.
Why we love this recipe
- It’s easy to prepare, and good enough for company.
- The flavors are amazing, and the house smells so good when it’s cooking.
- Take the leftovers and make a Chicken Veronique Salad the next day.
Gather these ingredients:
- Chicken breasts
- Sweet onion
- Shallot
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- White wine
- Fresh rosemary
- Balsamic vinegar
- Seedless red grapes
- Lemon
How do you make Roasted Chicken with grapes?
Print off the full recipe below (with full instructions).
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Rinse the chicken, pat dry with paper towels, and cut in in half to ensure even cooking. Salt and pepper each piece. Tenderize if desired.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced onions and shallots when oil is hot—sauté until ingredients are golden.
- Add the wine, lemon, rosemary, and grapes and cook on medium heat. Remove the skillet form heat and set aside.
- In a separate, large skillet, add a remaining olive oil on high heat and sear the chicken breast on each side, drizzle a splash of balsamic vinegar over each side as you flip. Sear until chicken lightly caramelized—it does not have to be fully cooked. Keep juices and add to roasting pan for moisture and flavor.
- Place some of the onion and grape mixture on the bottom of a roasting pan, then place chicken on top with juices from pan. Spread remaining grapes and onions on top.
- Sprinkle with remaining chopped rosemary, and place the pan in the oven. Roast the chicken.
- Remove it from the oven and serve immediately!
Do you have to cover a chicken when roasting?
- Roasting is a technique that relies on high heat! You want the most tendy and juicy meat.
- To roast chicken, cook it in a heavy roasting pan at high heat (we use 400 degrees F for this recipe).
- Do not cover the chicken to roast it. Using a lid will prevent browning and create a moist, soft skin instead.
Our version is a quick and easy, low fat, low calorie chicken dish: chicken breasts roasted with grapes and served in a classic French wine sauce. Pop off the lid, and the aroma is out of this world.
What to serve with Chicken Veronique:
- Mashed potatoes
- Mashed sweet potatoes
- Brown Rice
- Polenta
- A side green salad (or a house salad)
I think so many people say “no” to entertaining because it’s scary, it’s imperfect, and they just do not feel confident. But I like to think of each entertaining moment as an opportunity I can learn from. We all start somewhere small, with what we can handle, and those baby steps take us to the next experience.
How to feel confident with your cooking:
-Decide on the menu. Don’t get in over your head with recipes that are too difficult. Pick something you know you can handle.
-Prep ingredients–like chopping vegetables–earlier in the day.
-Start off with a clean kitchen, which makes cooking feel more organized.
-Don’t feel rushed. Enjoy the cooking experience!
-Think about the guests who are coming and how you are going to bless them!
If you struggle with entertaining, I wrote a post about it years ago.
JOY really comes from doing for others. It’s the simple things that really count in life that make your heart happy, happy, happy—like giving, listening, cooking, connecting. For me, it’s about inviting friends and family in to our home. Acts of love can really make you happy, which can increase or respark that joy in your life. :)
More cozy chicken recipes you may want to try:
Get the Recipe:
Chicken Veronique with Grapes
Ingredients
- 4 large whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
- ½ medium sweet onion, finely diced
- 1 large shallot, diced
- ½ cup Olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup white wine
- 4 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 cups seedless red grapes, cut in half if large
- ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse the chicken, pat dry with paper towels, and cut in in half to ensure even cooking. Salt and pepper each piece. Tenderize if desired.
- Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced onions and shallots when oil is hot—sauté for 4-5 minutes or until ingredients are golden. Add the wine, lemon, rosemary, and grapes and cook for another 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Remove the skillet form heat and set aside.
- In a separate, large skillet, add a remaining olive oil on high heat and sear the chicken breast on each side for 2 minutes, drizzle a splash of balsamic vinegar over each side as you flip. Sear until chicken lightly caramelized—it does not have to be fully cooked. Keep juices and add to roasting pan for moisture and flavor.
- Place ½ of the onion and grape mixture on the bottom of a roasting pan, then place chicken on top with juices from pan. Spread remaining grapes and onions on top. Sprinkle with remaining chopped rosemary, and place the pan in the oven. Roast the chicken for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven and serve immediately—pair with rice, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, polenta, or a light salad!
Looks delicious! Iโm wondering if you used breasts on the bone with skin or boneless skinless?
We used boneless skinless chicken breasts.
I love it! Similar to Chicken Veronique, where the grapes are mixed with the juices from the chicken, then reduced with cream and grapes. Delicious!
Yes and you are so right … delicious!
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Hi Sandy – I just stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest and it piqued my interest right away. It looks amazing! My only concern is whether the chicken will be too sweet…? My boyfriend has a weird thing against eating sweet meat, so before attempting, I wanted to make sure it wasn’t too sweet. Can you please let me know? Thanks!
Made this for Sunday night dinner. It was a big hit. My one year old loved the chicken. Thank you for the great recipe!
Looks yummy. I think I’ll make this for today’s Sunday dinner. One question: your pictures look like you used a Dutch oven, but the instructions specify a roasting pan, which has Lowe sides. Is either ok? I presume if a Dutch oven were used you would cook it uncovered? Or is this better in a roasting pan so the chicken and grapes can carmelize? Happy holidays! Best, Beth C.
I made this dish yesterday and enjoyed it with friends last night. I was delighted how moist and delicious it was, and the presentation with the grapes was fantastic. Thank you so much for a great recipe!
I am loving the rosemary and grapes, and the polenta serving suggestion is spot on.
This looks absolutely wonderful, Sandy. I’m betting those sweet pops of grapes are amazing with the chicken and rosemary!
Love these flavors and colors, Sandy!! Great winter combo!
I love that you paired grapes with this roasted chicken. The combination is definitely a winner.
This is just the recipe I need. Thanks, Sandy!
Di
I’ve been wanting to do a grape roast chicken for a while, but haven’t gotten around to it, can’t wait to try your recipe, love the addition of rosemary!
Great tips. The chicken looks great!
I’m much more confident when I am cooking for myself. When I am cooking for others I feel much more pressure. I appreciate the advice!
Love all of these flavors, Sandy! What a combo!
You’d be proud – I invited a friend over for happy hour cocktails this afternoon/evening. :-) I have no idea how I’ll shower or get ready with a toddler and a newborn but I don’t care – haha. xoxo