Poussin chicken, sometimes called spring chicken, makes for an excellent roast. And just like any roasted chicken dish, it really comes alive when paired with the proper wine. The good news is that you don't need to be a wine connoisseur to figure out a good pairing.

More Choices Than You Think

There are actually quite a few types of wines that go with chicken. That's because chicken plays quite a few roles. It's poultry, so it pairs well with wines that are ideal for poultry, such as rich whites. It contains both white and dark meat, so it pairs well with medium and light reds. So you really can't go wrong with your choices.

The real deciding factors are the accoutrements.

• How did you roast the chicken?
• What kind of rub or marinade did you use?
• Did you use a sauce on the final dish?
• What are you serving the roast chicken with?

These things can all change the overall flavor profile of your dish, which can make the choice seem far more difficult than it should be.

The Safe Choice

If you want to play it safe, you can't go wrong with a light red. Light reds go with almost any kind of roasted poussin chicken dish. It's not something you have to put much effort into. In fact, just go ahead and pick up a nice pinot noir and call it a night.

The Not So Safe Choices

If you want to create matches that aren't so safe, then you'll have to choose your wine more carefully. You will have to consider the smokiness of the roast, and the consistency of the other components of your dish.

For example, if you roast using an acidic ingredient, such as lemon, then you should go with a rich white, like chardonnay. Equally, if there are any creamy elements to the dish, a rich white will serve you for that as well.

If you add a lot of spices or herbs, then you may want to consider a medium red, such as a Merlot or Grenache. In general, the bolder the flavor profile of the meal as a whole, the redder you go. The sweeter or greener the overall dish, the whiter you go.

Experiment and Have Some Fun With It

Roasted poussin chicken is a versatile dish, and as with many other chicken dishes, it pairs well with many wines. That means you can have a lot of fun just experimenting with different combinations to see what works best for your particular dish. Know what you plan to do with it, so you can pick p the wine when you buy the poussin chicken.