Cucina by Elena › Recipe Index › Recipes by Ingredient › Italian Meat Dishes › Chicken Recipes

4.80 from 5 votes

Red Wine Braised Chicken and Plums Recipe

By Elena DavisUpdated May 21, 2025

Jump to Recipe ▼Email RecipeAdd us as a trusted site on Google Leave a Comment

Servings: 6 -8 servings

1 hr

Winner-Winner Chicken Dinner

This chicken dinner is simple for a weeknight meal and special for a weekend gathering meal. With a few quality ingredients you will have a delicious and flavorful dinner. These chicken drum sticks braised in wine, rosemary, and plums will elevate your ordinary chicken meal. Another plus is chicken drumsticks are fairly inexpensive, and if you use a just-good-enough wine you won’t break the bank! This is a simplified version of the Italian “chicken cacciatore” with a few less steps to make this a weekly menu repeat! Once it try it, you will want to share it at your next dinner gathering to impress your guests.

Simple Ingredients

The best recipes start with fresh and simple ingredients! Here is all you need for this delicious meal:

• chicken drumsticks
• olive oil
• red wine
• chicken broth
• Italian plums
• tomato paste
• plum jam (if this is too hard to find grape jelly will do)
• shallot
• yellow onion
• garlic
• rosemary
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• salt to taste

Braised Chicken

Braising is a simple technique were you lightly fry your meat before letting it cook, or “stew” in liquid (generally wine or broth), in a covered dish until it is fully cooked. The first part to braising involves lightly frying the seasoned chicken pieces in batches-about 5 minutes a side. This allows the chicken to brown nicely and not fully cook. Set aside on a plate until needed. This process requires only one pot and the result is an incredibly delicious chicken that is both crispy, tender and succulent. After the drumsticks simmer in the rosemary-infused wine sauce they will achieve a rich and complex flavor unique to the braising process.

Chicken, Red Wine, and Plums

The liquid in this braising recipe uses a combination of red wine and chicken broth. The flavor of the wine and the juice from the sweet plums is a match made in culinary heaven that makes this dish unique. The sauce turns into a thick, rich, flavorful combination that is perfect for bread plunging. After braising the chicken for about 45 minutes, the liquid reduces and thickens. This method will create the perfect consistency and maximize the flavor of the chicken and sauce. Before serving I put the pot in the oven and broil for 5 minutes to achieve a perfect crisp on the chicken. Super Scrumptious.

You will also love this chicken cacciatore and chicken spiedini recipe!

Plum Varieties

The recipe suggests “Italian plums” this plum variety is longer in shape, more tart in taste, and smaller than the typically round and larger plum variety. Any plum variety will work for this recipe. Make sure the plums aren’t too ripe or mushy or they will completely dissolve in the sauce.

4.80 from 5 votes

Chicken Braised in Wine and Plums

By: Elena Davis

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

SaveSaved Pin Rate Print

Braised chicken is succulent and tender with a sweet and savory wine and plum sauce. Take a 15 minutes to prep then relax while the dish finishes cooking without extra fuss. A meal to serve over and over again! Always Made with Amore! 

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 8 chicken drumsticks, about 3 lbs seasoned with plenty of sea salt on all sides
• ▢ 4 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup red wine
• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 12 Italian plums , pitted and cut in half, if using regular plums use 6 as they are larger
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 3 tablespoons homemade or store bought plum jam, if this is too hard to find grape jelly will do
• ▢ 1 shallot, chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup yellow onion, chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• ▢ salt to taste

Instructions 

• In a medium mixing bowl add the wine, chicken broth, plum jam, and tomato paste. Stir until combined and set aside.
• Heat a large oven safe pot or sauté pan to medium-high heat, warm the oil. Cook the chicken (already salted) until golden brown on all sides, turning the chicken often so that it browns evenly, about 5 minutes per side. Set the drumsticks aside on a plate.
• In the same pot add the garlic, shallot,  onion, rosemary, and red pepper flakes (if using). Reduce the heat slightly, and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 3 minutes. Add the plums and cook an additions 3 minutes. Pour in the liquid mixture from Step 1 over the top of the plums.
• Place the drumstick back in the pot. Do not submerge the chicken completely. Cover with lid, leaving a slight vent, and simmer on low-medium heat for 40-45 minutes. Sit back and enjoy the delicious aroma of your meal simmering in the pot.
• Optional: Right before serving set the oven to broil.  Place the pot of chicken and plums in the oven for 5 minutes (watch carefully as broilers are different) to get the chicken skin extra crisp on top!

Notes

Serve with a green salad and warm bread. If desired serve with rice for a heartier meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 19gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.05gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 304mgPotassium: 494mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 476IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian/ French

Tried this recipe?Mention @cucinabyelena or tag #cucinabyelena!