Coq au Vin is a Classic chicken stew, loaded with flavor, making this rustic provincial stew a dish your whole family will love. The chicken is marinated and then braised in red wine with mushrooms, bacon, onions and carrots.
This dish is perfect for a chilly night or simply to celebrate life any time of the year.
If you’ve ever had Coq Au Vin then you understand how I feel about this classic French stew. The rustic provencal stew has a complexity of flavors that brings moans to the table.
I encountered this classic French dish on my first trip to Paris and it’s been a family favorite ever since. Although there are a few extra steps in this dish, it’s not difficult to make and you don’t need a long list of exotic ingredients.
If you love delicious hearty chicken dishes my Chicken Chasseur is also a good choice.
What is Coq au Vin?
It’s a French dish of chicken braised with wine, lardons, mushrooms, and garlic. A red Burgundy wine is typically used.
You can also find this farmhouse dish made in many regions of France make variations using different wines. So if Burgundy isn’t your favorite or available you can swap it out for your favorite wine.
*I used chicken thighs, but you could also use a cut-up whole chicken (skin-on, bone-in) for this stew.
What Ingredients do I need to make this stew?
I like to gather my ingredients together before I start to make the dish. This makes the cooking process easier and more enjoyable. This is your Mise en Place (everything in its place).
Since I’m using easily accessed ingredients I’ve swapped out the lardons for bacon. I would suggest trying to find fresh herbs for this dish. They can usually be found in any chain grocer these days in the produce section, conveniently packed in small plastic containers.
I do suggest using Red Burgundy Wine for your first attempt at this classic dish. Once you see how easy it is to make you can try other wines.
*Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir are also good choices.
Do I have to marinate the chicken?
No, you don’t, but it will definitely enhance the flavor of this dish.
Testing has revealed that marinating for as little as 20 minutes can really help the flavor, but I always like to marinate overnight whenever possible. Use a ziplock bag and squeeze all the air out as you seal the bag. Place it in your fridge overnight (on a plate, just in case it leaks) massaging the bag a few times during the process.
Use a ziplock bag and squeeze all the air out as you seal the bag. Place it in your fridge overnight (on a plate, just in case it leaks) massaging the bag a few times during the process.
Important Steps in making Coq au Vin:
There’s not a lot to the dish in terms of difficulty, but if there were two points I’d emphasize they’d be to braise the chicken pieces without moving them for 7-8 minutes to get that rich crispness to the skin. And to sauté the mushrooms for at least 5-6 minutes to allow them to caramelize, building rich flavors in the process.
Coq au Vin is generally served with parslied buttered baby potatoes, but my wife loves mashed potatoes, so I made a buttery mashed potato to go with this dish.
Recipe FAQ’s:
Coq au vin can is a rich, complex, earthy, aromatic chicken dish.
Red Burgundy is my first choice of wine to make coq au vin, but any light or medium-bodied red wine will work. Choose a wine you enjoy drinking.
Coq au Vin also originated in the Burgundy region of France. It’s basically Beef Burgundy made with chicken instead of beef.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love!
Coq Au Vin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 slices bacon diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms
- 6 small white onions cut in half or quartered depending upon size
- 2-3 cloves garlic mashed
- 2 carrots peeled and rough cut
- ½ bottle of full-body red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 8 ounces chicken broth
- unsalted butter
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 large skin on, bone in chicken thighs
Instructions
- Add chicken to a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Pour in one cup red wine and seal bag, pressing out air. Let stand while you prepare the remaining ingredients or overnight for the best results.
- Preheat oven to 350°
- In a large Dutch oven or rondeau, add the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring and reducing heat as necessary to prevent scorching, until browned and fat has rendered about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Remove chicken from zipper-lock bag, discard wine, and pat dry.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Return Dutch oven with rendered bacon fat to medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin-side down, and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, about 5 minutes. Don’t move the chicken around while cooking, allow it to sear in place. Use a spatula to get under the chicken when turning being careful not to rip the skin.
- Remove Chicken from pan setting aside until needed
- Add the olive oil and mushrooms to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add onions, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add bacon, the remainder of the wine, tomato paste, chicken stock, thyme, and rosemary and bring to a simmer, stirring up any browned bits.
- Add chicken back to pan, leaving skin side up and not submerged if possible. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Remove pan from the oven and take the chicken out of the pan.
- Add in two tablespoons of unsalted butter that has been rolled in flour, getting as much flour into the butter as possible. This is called a beurre manie and will thicken your sauce. Mix the beurre manie in well and allow to simmer over medium heat.
- Return chicken to pot, spooning sauce on top. Garnish with remaining sprig of thyme or rosemary. Serve with potatoes, pasta, or rice.
Melanie
You always make the fanciest dishes! This looks amazing, and I would definitely dig into this meal. I know my husband would, too!
Rena
I’ve never had Coq Au Vin before but it looks like something that I would absolutely love! I have to try this myself.
robin rue
That sounds like a really delicious meal. I cannot wait to try it.
Doug Crawford
Amazing, after the second helping of wine the flavor just jumped off the bottom. I knew it was a home run. Thanks.
Chef Dennis Littley
Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Doug
Tim Pope
Is this recipe able to be frozen
Chef Dennis Littley
It should freeze well. You may need to add a little more liquid to it when you reheat it.
RB
Loved it. Used same pot to cook. I didn’t see where to use the olive oil may be to cook bacon but I did use olive oil, it turned out really good, gravy tasted to so good on mashed potatoes. Thank you so much.
RB
correction….I didn’t use olive oil.
Mark Carozza
Are you supposed to use half a bottle of wine total? Or 1 cup to marinade and then half a bottle for cooking?
Chef Dennis Littley
use 1/2 bottle in total.
Eleanor W. Craig
Hi, Chef Dennis, this recipe looks amazing! My husband (sadly) is allergic to pork. What can you recommend in place of the bacon? I have turkey bacon, but I know it will not yield the delicious fat that pork bacon does.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations you have!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Eleanor
go with the turkey bacon and add a little butter in to make up the bacon fat. It won’t be exactly the same but it will still be delicious!
Anthony Gartin
Just made this, followed the recipe almost exactly(increased portion by 50%). This is my wife and I’s new favorite dish. So rich and delicious. Thank you!
Dee Dee
Would you adjust the cooking time for chicken breasts? I’m not a fan of dark meat.
Chef Dennis Littley
It would depend on the size of the chicken breasts, if they are much larger than thighs I would leave the time alone. Otherwise you can reduce it by about 15 minutes if they are the same size if you like. But this type of cooking, it shouldn’t make much difference leaving the cooking time as is.
CanyonCitySteve
IMHO, this recipe won’t work out with breasts. You need the yummy dark meat.
Angela Cardamone @marathonsandmotivation.com
This is one of my favorite dishes! I have not made it in ages, so I will try this recipe!!
Becca Wilson
I have only ever heard of this dish but never had it. This looks like it would be absolutely delicious!
Nathan Tran
That is amazing recipe:) My mom is gonna love it:) What a fantastic recipe for my family at this weekend
Tanya Connor
Wow that looks so good! Delicious
Eloise
my mother and grandmother (french women) used to make this dish for the family and it is SOOO good! . I haven’t had it in a looooong time, too long! This post brings back memories! I’ll have to make it for the family this week… thanks for the reminder ; )