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5.0 from 3 votes

Coq au Vin

Cozy up with a bowl of French chicken stew! This easy Coq au Vin recipe is a rich, flavorful combination of braised chicken in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, onion and herbs.

Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 750 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

  • 4 lices bacon, diced
  • 3 ½ lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 thighs) or 1 (3-4 lb.) chicken, cut into pieces
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 lb. peeled carrots, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces and halved in thick parts
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 12 ounces Sliced Fresh Mushrooms
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup Burgundy red wine (such as Pinot Noir)
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. In a large cast iron Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the drippings in the pot.
  3. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown the chicken, skin-side down, until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  4. Leave 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot, then discard any extra fat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the stock, thyme, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Return the bacon and chicken (skin-side up) to the pot. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook at 350° F for about 40 – 50 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink.
  6. Place the pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by about half, approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the butter and vinegar. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Remove bay leaf and thyme stems. Serve in individual bowls; garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

  • Pat the chicken dry before seasoning and searing. Minimizing excess moisture helps the skin get crisp and brown in the pot.
  • Use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces rather than boneless, skinless thighs or breasts. The skin and bones add flavor to the dish and help to prevent the meat from drying out.
  • While a whole cut-up chicken or rooster is most traditional, I prefer chicken thighs in this dish. The pieces are a uniform size, so they cook in the same amount of time. The dark meat on the thighs stays moist and juicy during the braising process, while white meat breasts have a tendency to become dry when cooked for too long.
  • If the chicken isn't crispy enough for your liking when it comes out of the oven, you can place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes while you simmer the sauce. This will help the skin crisp up nicely! Just keep a close eye on the meat because it can burn quickly under the broiler.
  • Pick a high-quality dry red wine (nothing too sweet) such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/6 of the recipe Calories 750kcal (38%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 48g (96%) Fat 52g (80%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 274mg (91%) Sodium 663mg (28%) Potassium 1150mg (33%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 12948IU (259%) Vitamin C 14mg (16%) Calcium 68mg (7%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 750

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/6 of the recipe
Calories 750kcal 38%
Carbohydrates 14g 5%
Protein 48g 96%
Fat 52g 80%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 274mg 91%
Sodium 663mg 28%
Potassium 1150mg 24%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 12948IU 259%
Vitamin C 14mg 16%
Calcium 68mg 7%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.