Let’s talk about this gorgeous Coq Au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine). Coq Au Vin is a French dish that literally translates to ‘rooster in wine’. Classically French, deliciously rich and savory, it’s a favorite for entertaining or romantic dinners at home…on let’s say….Valentine’s Day, which is right around the corner!
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Is Coq Au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine) Difficult to Make? Nope!

I know that people are intimidated by any recipe with a French name, but on my honor I swear you can do this! Coq au Vin takes about 25 minutes to prep and an hour to cook, and while it is a little labor intensive it requires no special skills or knowledge. A beginner can do it, but just know it’s not a dish you can really walk away from until it’s in the oven  I’ll walk you through the process…

1. Cook bacon or pancetta in Dutch oven, remove, then brown chicken and sauté onions in bacon fat.
2. Add wine, broth, thyme, garlic, carrots, sea salt and pepper, then pop it in the oven for 35 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and thicken sauce with butter and flour, and add mushrooms. See??? No tricky stuff.

What to Serve With Coq Au Vin:

You can serve alone, with rice, or with my traditional mashed potatoes or cauliflower puree!

Let’s Talk Quality Ingredients: 

Friends, ingredients matter. Good quality chicken stock and red wine will make a big difference in this recipe! Don’t skimp here, get the good stuff. And to answer a question I know will be asked, you can not substitute wine for cooking sherry or red wine vinegar. No, just no:)

Want to Make a Smaller Batch?

While I love to have leftovers, feel free to cut this recipe in half if you don’t or if you want it to be less labor intensive. 

The Recipe: Coq Au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine)

What you need: a Dutch oven or heavy pot and as always a good knife!

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Coq Au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine)

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 10 mins

Total Time

1 hr 30 mins

 

A fancy dinner that's perfect for entertaining or Valentine's day! Be sure to use quality chicken stock and good red wine such as a Burgandy.

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: chicken dinner, coq au vin

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces bacon or pancetta (cut into 1" pieces)
• 4 pounds chicken thighs or thighs with drumsticks
• quality sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 cups good quality red wine (such as a Burgandy)
• 1 cup good quality chicken stock
• 4 med size carrots, sliced 1/2"
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 sprig rosemary
• 3 tablespoons room temp butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and place oven rack in center position. Prep bacon/pancetta.

2. On the cooktop: heat Dutch oven on medium heat. When hot add olive oil and bacon or pancetta to pot. Cook until golden brown (6-8 minutes) Remove from pan and place on paper towels. While bacon cooks: prep onion and sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper. .

3. Once bacon is removed from pan, brown both sides of chicken in the bacon fat until skin is golden brown. You may have to work in batches if chicken doesn't fit in the pan in a single layer. Once chicken is nice and browned place on separate plate, set aside. While chicken cooks: prep mushrooms, carrots and garlic..

4. Place onions into pan, add 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to pan. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until onions begin to brown. Use a spatula to stir frequently while scraping any brown bits from bottom of pan (yum flavor!) Add minced garlic and cook for one more minute.

5. Add bacon, chicken and any juices from the plate back into Dutch oven. Add red wine, chicken stock, carrots, thyme and rosemary, bring to a simmer. Put lid on pot and place in the oven for 30-35 minutes (until chicken is no longer pink) Place Dutch oven back on the stove top (no heat).

6. Use a fork to combine 2 tablespoons butter and the 3 tablespoons flour, add to the Dutch oven, stir. If using frozen pearl onions, add now. Stir, cover and set aside. Place a small sauce pan on cooktop, add 1 tablespoon butter, sauté mushrooms for 10 minutes, until golden. Add to pot, bring stew to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes. Serve! You can serve alone, with mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, or rice! Pro tip: the pancetta/bacon will sink to the bottom of the pan, be sure to scoop that stuff up!

MAY I PLEASE ASK A FAVOR?