With spicy chicken dishes, a slightly sweet white wine, specifically a riesling, can be your best choice, as its sweetness coats your tongue, reducing your heat perception.

Low on tannin, a riesling doesn't overpower lighter fare like chicken, and it's usually poured ice cold, making it more refreshing and desirable when eating spicy foods.

Rieslings also tend to be lower in alcohol than some other white wine options, and a bit more easy drinking, which will allow you to consume more wine with that spicy meal.

Sommelier Beverly Crandon suggests Alsatian Riesling from the Alsace region in northeast France as one of the best rieslings to pair with spicy food.

Riesling grapes from that area get exposed to the sun's rays for longer, so their wines have a good amount of natural acidity that works well with the spice from the chicken.

The Alsace region's soil adds some minerality to the wine, which shines through when paired with spicy food. If you want something sweeter, a German riesling is a good choice, too.