Print

Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin
Print Recipe

Coq au Vin is a classic French dish featuring tender, slow-braised chicken cooked in rich red wine with mushrooms, pearl onions, and smoky bacon, creating a deeply flavorful and comforting meal that is perfect for both everyday dinners and special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Meat

  • 1.5 to 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks recommended)
  • 4 ounces bacon or lardons, cut into pieces

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 1 cup pearl onions, peeled
  • 8 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped

Liquids and Broth

  • 2 cups red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir preferred)
  • 1 to 1.5 cups chicken stock

Fats and Thickening Agents

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1.5 tablespoons flour

Herbs and Seasonings

  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Ingredients: Pat the chicken pieces dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Peel the pearl onions (blanch in boiling water for 1 minute then plunge into ice water for easier peeling), slice the mushrooms, chop the garlic, and cut the bacon into lardons.
  2. Brown the Chicken: Heat butter or oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides until golden and crisp. Remove the chicken and set aside to lock in flavor and texture.
  3. Cook the Bacon and Vegetables: In the same pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Add the pearl onions, mushrooms, and garlic, sautéing until they have color and release their aromas.
  4. Deglaze and Add Wine: Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all browned bits stuck to the bottom. This is essential for the depth of flavor in the sauce.
  5. Return Chicken and Add Herbs: Place the browned chicken back into the pan with its juices. Add fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Pour in chicken stock until it nearly covers the ingredients.
  6. Simmer Slowly: Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is tender and infused with the wine’s flavor.
  7. Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix flour with butter to form a paste (beurre manié). Whisk this paste into the simmering sauce to achieve a glossy, thick consistency that coats the chicken beautifully.

Notes

  • Choose a red wine you enjoy drinking; its flavor will intensify in the dish.
  • Do not skip browning the chicken and bacon as it builds essential flavor layers.
  • Simmer on low heat to keep the chicken tender and the sauce balanced.
  • Blanch pearl onions for easy peeling.
  • Coq au Vin tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld overnight.

Nutrition

Keywords: Coq au Vin, French recipe, braised chicken, red wine chicken, classic French dish

Find it online: https://sophiespace.com/coq-au-vin/