Coq au Vin
User Reviews
4.9
112 reviews
Excellent
Coq au Vin
Report
Coq au Vin is a classic French stew featuring chicken marinated in red wine, slowly cooked with pearl onions, mushrooms, and bacon. The recipe highlights bone-in, skin-on chicken, which produces tender, juicy meat with rich flavor. The use of pinot noir and beef stock creates a deep, savory sauce that complements the earthy mushrooms and smoky bacon pieces. Slow cooking allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken naturally over time.
Description
This Coq au Vin recipe starts with marinating bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces overnight in a mixture of pinot noir, bay leaf, and thyme to infuse the meat with subtle wine notes. After marinating, the chicken is patted dry and browned in vegetable oil, which develops color and flavor before slow cooking.
Pearl onions and mushrooms are added along with bacon cut into chunky batons, which provide smoky depth. A roux made from flour and butter helps thicken the sauce, which is further enriched with tomato paste and beef stock. The stew is then braised gently in the oven until the chicken is tender but still holds shape, and the sauce becomes luscious and richly flavored.
Coq au Vin is traditionally served with potatoes or tagliatelle to soak up the sauce, making the dish hearty and satisfying. The recipe emphasizes the use of quality beef stock for the best depth of flavor. Leftovers develop even better flavor after a day in the fridge, allowing the wine and herbs to mellow and blend further.
When fresh pearl onions are unavailable, pickling onions or small brown onions can be substituted after adjusting the size. Bacon is essential for seasoning and texture, and the recipe advises against using powdered beef stock to maintain sauce quality. The slow oven braising method is preferred for even cooking and hands-off convenience.
Share:
Ingredients
Red Wine Chicken Marinade:
- 4 chicken thighs , bone-in, skin on (~220g / 7 oz each) (Note 1)
- 4 chicken drumstick Note 1
- 16 pearl onions Note 2, or picking onions
- 1 bay leaf , fresh (dry also ok)
- 3 thyme sub 1 tsp dried thyme, sprigs
- 750 ml / 3 cups pinot noir or other dry red wine (Note 3, red wine
Browning Chicken:
- 3 - 4 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 3/4 tsp salt (cooking/kosher salt, or 1/2 tsp table salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Coq au Vin Stew:
- 400g / 14oz white mushrooms , halved (quartered if large) (Note 4)
- 150g / 5oz Bacon speck) cut into 1 x 2.5cm / 0.4 x 1" batons (Note 5, piece
- 60g / 4 tbsp butter unsalted
- 3 garlic finely minced (with knife, cloves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 7 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- 750 ml / 3 cups beef stock , low sodium, preferably homemade (Note 6)
- 1/4 tsp salt (cooking/kosher salt, or 1/8 tsp table salt) (Note 7)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Garnish and serving:
- 2 tbsp parsley , chopped
- potato or tagliatelle, mashed
Instructions
Marinate chicken:
- Marinate chicken: Place the Chicken Marinade ingredients in a large glass or ceramic bowl or dish. Marinate overnight in the fridge (minimum 12 hours, maximum 24 hours).
- Strain wine into a bowl. Reserve herbs and wine. Separate the chicken and onion.
- Dry chicken: Spread chicken out on a try lined with paper towels, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Reduce wine: Pour red wine into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer vigorously, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface, until reduced by half. Set aside.
Brown chicken and vegetables:
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan).
- Season chicken: Sprinkle chicken with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Brown chicken: Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based, oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin side down and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until nicely browned (it will be darker than usual because of the red wine). Flip thighs and cook the other side for another minute to kiss it with a little colour. Remove to a tray. Pull at skin of drumsticks to cover flesh as best as possible, then brown (I do 3 to 4 sides, ~5 minutes in total). Remove and set aside.
- Fry bacon: Remove any loose black burnt bits. Add a bit of extra oil if needed, then cook bacon for 3 minutes until golden. Add to tray with chicken.
- Sauté mushrooms: Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden. Remove into a separate bowl.
- Sauté onion: Add a bit of extra oil if needed, then cook onions for 5 minutes or until there are nice golden patches.
- Butter and flour: Add butter into pot. Once melted, add garlic and cook for a further 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add wine and stock: While stirring, slowly pour in beef stock – this helps the flour dissolve lump-free into the stock. Then add the reduced wine and mix until flour mixture is dissolved and mostly lump-free. (Note 8)
- Add everything back in: Add chicken, bacon, mushroom, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper into the pot, then stir.
SLOW-COOK:
- Oven 45 minutes: Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven for 45 minutes. Chicken will be very tender - but not "falling apart". (Note 9)
- Adjust salt: Remove from oven, taste sauce and add salt if needed.
- Leave overnight (recommended, Note 11): If time permits, leave the stew overnight before serving because as with all stews, it gets better with time! Reheat gently on a low stove in a covered pot, ensuring that chicken is fully heated through. Add water if needed to loosen sauce.
- Serve over mashed potato or tagliatelle, sprinkled with fresh parsley! For the ultimate experience, mop the plate clean with homemade brioche (surprisingly straight forward to make). See in post for side salad and dessert options.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces for juicier and more flavorful meat; keep the breast whole and add later to prevent drying out.
- Fresh pearl onions are ideal, but pickling onions or peeled small brown onions can be substituted if needed.
- Pinot Noir is traditional, but use any dry red wine; quality is important but expensive wine is not necessary as long as it is cooked well.
- Swiss brown mushrooms or cremini work as alternatives to white mushrooms for this dish.
- Use bacon cut into chunky batons rather than bacon slices for better texture and flavor distribution.
- Prefer homemade or good-quality beef stock; avoid powdered stock for better sauce richness.
- The stew improves in flavor when left overnight to allow the wine and herbs to meld deeply.
- The oven braising method provides even cooking and ease; slow cooker is possible but requires sauce reduction afterward.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
977cal
(49%)
Carbohydrates
32g
(11%)
Protein
59g
(118%)
Fat
54g
(83%)
Saturated Fat
25g
(125%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
7g
(41%)
Monounsaturated Fat
15g
(75%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
278mg
(93%)
Sodium
2288mg
(95%)
Potassium
1407mg
(30%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
839IU
(17%)
Vitamin C
17mg
(19%)
Calcium
69mg
(7%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4- 5
Amount Per Serving
Calories 977 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 977cal | 49% |
| Carbohydrates | 32g | 11% |
| Protein | 59g | 118% |
| Fat | 54g | 83% |
| Saturated Fat | 25g | 125% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 7g | 41% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 278mg | 93% |
| Sodium | 2288mg | 95% |
| Potassium | 1407mg | 30% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 839IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 69mg | 7% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
112 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
