Description
Coq au Vin is a classic French slow-cooked chicken stew braised in red wine, enhanced with bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions, and aromatic herbs. This hearty dish features tender chicken thighs and drumsticks simmered to perfection in a rich, flavorful sauce, delivering a comforting and rustic meal perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on (~220g / 7 oz each)
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 16 pearl onions or picking onions
- 1 bay leaf, fresh (dry also ok)
- 3 thyme sprigs (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- 750 ml / 3 cups pinot noir red wine (or other dry red wine)
For Cooking
- 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
- 400g / 14oz white mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
- 150g / 5oz bacon piece (speck), cut into 1 x 2.5cm / 0.4 x 1″ batons
- 60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 7 tbsp plain / all-purpose flour
- 750 ml / 3 cups beef stock
- 1/4 tsp salt (cooking/kosher salt, or 1/8 tsp table salt)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped for garnish
- Mashed potato or tagliatelle for serving
Instructions
- Marinate chicken: Place the chicken, pearl onions, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and red wine into a large glass or ceramic dish. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 24 hours to develop deep flavors.
- Prepare marinade and chicken: Strain the wine into a bowl, reserving the herbs and wine separately. Remove the chicken and onions from the marinade. Pat the chicken dry on a tray lined with paper towels to ensure good browning.
- Reduce wine: Pour the reserved red wine into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer vigorously, skimming off any impurities, until the volume is reduced by half. Set aside.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan).
- Season chicken: Sprinkle the chicken pieces evenly with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper for proper seasoning.
- Brown chicken: Heat 3 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based, oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin side down and brown for 2-3 minutes until dark but not burnt. Flip and brown the other side for 1 minute. Remove and set aside. For the drumsticks, pull the skin over the flesh and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes total. Set aside.
- Cook bacon: Add extra oil if needed, then cook bacon pieces in the pot for 3 minutes until golden. Remove and add to the chicken tray.
- Sauté mushrooms: In the same pot, cook mushrooms for 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a bowl.
- Sauté onions: Add extra oil if necessary and cook the pearl onions in the pot for 5 minutes until golden patches appear on them.
- Create roux base: Add butter to the pot. Once melted, stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen flavor. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes to form the roux.
- Add liquids: Gradually pour in beef stock while stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Then add the reduced red wine, mixing thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and mostly lump-free.
- Combine ingredients: Return chicken, bacon, mushrooms, thyme, bay leaf, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper to the pot. Stir everything together gently to combine.
- Oven slow-cook: Bring the stew to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for 45 minutes until the chicken is very tender but still holds shape.
- Adjust seasoning: Remove the pot from the oven, taste the sauce, and add additional salt if needed to balance flavors.
- Rest and enhance flavors: For best taste, let the stew sit overnight in the refrigerator. Before serving, reheat gently over low heat, covered, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Serve: Spoon the coq au vin over creamy mashed potatoes or tagliatelle. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Optionally, serve with homemade brioche to mop up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- Note 1: Use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces for the best flavor and texture in this dish.
- Note 2: Pearl onions add sweetness and texture; if unavailable, small shallots can be used as a substitute.
- Note 3: Pinot noir or any dry red wine works well; avoid very tannic or very sweet wines.
- Note 4: White mushrooms are preferred for their mild flavor and ability to absorb the sauce.
- Note 5: Speck or a similar cured bacon adds smoky depth; regular bacon can be used alternatively.
- Note 7: Adjust salt carefully throughout cooking to avoid overseasoning.
- Note 8: Stirring slowly helps dissolve flour lumps for a smooth sauce.
- Note 9: Oven cooking gently tenderizes chicken while intensifying flavors without falling apart.
- Note 11: Stews taste better the next day as flavors meld; reheating gently preserves texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes plus 12-24 hours marinating
- Cook Time: 1 hour (including oven time)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Coq au Vin, French chicken stew, red wine chicken, slow-cooked chicken, classic French recipe
