Chicken Breast with Morels and a Spring Herb Cream Sauce

In honor of Pinot Gris Day—and a wine from New Zealand that’s perfect for the occasion

New Zealand wine for Pinot Gris Day—it captures the very essence of spring. The Whitehaven Pinot Gris from Marlborough has everything this moment deserves: fresh pear, delicate white blossoms, a subtle hint of almond, and a crisp, precise acidity that makes the glass empty almost on its own. Pair it with a dish that’s as seasonal as they come: chicken breast, gently pan-seared, with a velvety cream sauce made from fresh morels and spring herbs. Morels are the most fleeting ingredient of the year—just a few weeks in May, then they’re gone. Anyone who finds them at the market right now deserves something special. And a glass of Pinot Gris to go with it, of course.

Ideal wine pairing: Whitehaven Marlborough Pinot Gris (Marlborough, New Zealand)

Marlborough is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc—but anyone who has tasted the Whitehaven Pinot Gris knows that this region has even more to offer. Hand-harvested grapes from the estate’s own Tussocks and Pauls Road vineyards, gently whole-cluster pressed and aged on the fine lees for four to five months, result in a white wine of quiet elegance. The color is a delicate lemon with brilliant clarity. On the nose, the wine opens with fresh pear, lightly toasted almond, delicate white flowers, and a hint of orange peel—aromatically precise, never overpowering. On the palate, this profile is confirmed: ripe pear and red apple, a subtle baked-goods note, a hint of white stone fruit. The wine is dry, with fine, crisp acidity and a long finish. It is precisely this lively acidity that makes it the perfect match for a creamy mushroom sauce—it cuts through the richness of the cream, highlights the earthiness of the morels, and allows the delicate spring herbs to shine once more.

The recipe:

Chicken Breast with Morels and a Spring Herb Cream Sauce

A delicate spring dish for Pinot Gris Day—tenderly pan-seared chicken breast with a velvety cream sauce made from fresh morels, shallots, and spring herbs. Pair it with a dry wine from New Zealand’s Marlborough region, whose subtle acidity and pear notes complement the sauce perfectly.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Festive meal, Seasonal

Cuisine Seasonal

Servings 2 people

Calories 720 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Große beschichtete Pfanne
• 1 Kleiner Topf für die Sauce
• 1 Schneidebrett und scharfes Messer
• 1 Mittlerer Topf für die Beilage
• 1 Küchenthermometer (optional)

Ingredients

  

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FOR THE CHICKEN BREAST:

• 2 Chicken breast fillets about 200 g
• 1 1 tablespoon of clarified butter
• Salt white pepper
• 1 A sprig of fresh thyme

FOR THE MOREL CREAM SAUCE:

• 150 g fresh morels Alternatively: 20 g dried morels, soaked
• 2 shallots finely diced
• 1 small clove of garlic finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 100 ml dry white wine e.g., Pinot Gris
• 150 ml whipped cream
• 100 ml Chicken broth
• 1 tsp fresh tarragon chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh chervil chopped
• Salt white pepper, nutmeg

FOR THE RIBBON PASTA:

• 200 g Ribbon noodles Tagliatelle
• Salt
• 1 tbsp butter
• Fresh chives for garnish

Instructions

 

PREPARATION:

• Clean the morels carefully: use a soft brush or damp cloth to clean them; do not soak them in water. Cut them in half lengthwise and inspect them. If using dried morels, soak them in warm water for 20 minutes and reserve the soaking liquid through a fine sieve for the sauce.
• Finely dice the shallots and garlic.
• Pat the chicken breast fillets dry, then season with salt and pepper.
• Wash the herbs and chop them finely.

COOKING STEPS:

• Cook the ribbon pasta in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions until al dente, drain, toss with butter, and keep warm.
• Heat the clarified butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts with the sprig of thyme on each side for 3–4 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches about 72°C. Remove from the skillet and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Melt the butter in the same pan, then sauté the shallots and garlic over medium heat until translucent—about 3 minutes.
• Add the morels and sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown slightly.
• Deglaze with white wine and let it reduce briefly.
• Add the chicken broth and cream, then simmer uncovered over medium heat until the mixture reaches the desired creamy consistency—about 5–7 minutes.
• Stir in fresh tarragon and chervil, then season to taste with salt, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
• Slice the chicken breast and let it warm through briefly in the sauce.

SERVE:

• Arrange the ribbon noodles with chives in deep plates.
• Place the chicken breast slices on top and generously spoon the morel cream sauce over them.
• Garnish with a sprig of chervil and a pinch of fleur de sel.
• Serve the Pinot Gris slightly chilled—around 10–12 °C—to bring out its freshness and fruitiness.

SIDE DISHES:

• Fresh baguette for dipping in the sauce
• Alternatively: buttered rice or new potatoes instead of ribbon noodles

Nutrition

Calories: 720kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 48gFat: 31g

Keyword Chicken Breast with Morels, Morels in May, Pinot Gris Recipe, Poultry and white wine, Spring Herb Cream Sauce, Wine from New Zealand

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