If you have ever wanted to learn more about French cooking, consider trying this coq au vin recipe, which is chicken cooked in red wine. The chicken is incredibly juicy and takes on the tang from the wine and smokiness from bacon, making it a tantalizing dinner dish to serve with cooked noodles or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce.
To make coq au vin, you begin by marinating chicken thighs and drumsticks with onions, thyme, bay leaf, and red wine. Then, chicken gets browned before being braised in a sauce with red wine, mushrooms, bacon, and more. The results are a dish that you will undoubtedly want to return to.
What is Coq Au Vin?
Coq au vin is a dish with French origins, comprising chicken pieces, mushrooms, red wine, bacon lardons, onion, and sometimes garlic. Usually, this dish will be made with a burgundy wine, but it can be made with other types of red wine as well.
Pro Tips
- Don’t skip the step of marinating the chicken in the red wine as this will make the chicken taste extra good. Plan ahead to ensure that you can allow the chicken to marinate for at least 15 hours.
- Brown the chicken in batches so that it browns easily and forms a nice crust.
- Make sure to cook the mushrooms over at least medium heat so that they brown sufficiently.
- For a thicker gravy, feel free to thicken it with a cornstarch slurry at the end of the cooking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make Coq Au Vin With Boneless Chicken?
Bone-in chicken pieces is the best option for coq au vin as they impart more flavor to the sauce and can hold up better to a lengthy cooking time. However, if all you have on hand is chicken breasts and boneless chicken thighs, you could definitely use those as well. Just be aware that the chicken will likely cook much quicker than when you use bone-in chicken pieces.
What Type of Wine Should Be Used for Coq Au Vin?
Traditionally, a burgundy wine should be used for coq au vin, but in reality, several different types of red wine are used to make coq au vin in France. Simply use whatever type of red wine that you enjoy or is local to you.
What Should Be Served With Coq Au Vin?
This coq au vin is wonderful served with mashed potatoes, cooked noodles, or rice as they can soak up the sauce. Consider adding some blanched green beans or a salad on the side as well.
How to Store Coq Au Vin
Leftover coq au vin can be stored in a sealed container or covered baking dish in the fridge until you are ready to serve it. It should keep for up to 3 to 4 days.
Ingredients
How to Make Coq Au Vin
For the red wine marinade, place the chicken pieces in a bowl with the onions, thyme, and bay leaf. Pour the red wine over top, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to marinate in the fridge for 15 hours. Once marinated, strain the mixture into a bowl, reserving the herbs and wine, and separating the chicken and onions.
For the red wine marinade, place the chicken pieces in a bowl with the onions, thyme, and bay leaf. Pour the red wine over top, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to marinate in the fridge for 15 hours. Once marinated, strain the mixture into a bowl, reserving the herbs and wine, and separating the chicken and onions.
Place the wine in a saucepan and simmer it on the stove until it is reduced by half. Remove it from the heat.
Place the wine in a saucepan and simmer it on the stove until it is reduced by half. Remove it from the heat.
For the coq au vin stew, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pot; add the chicken pieces and cook them until they are browned. Remove them and set them aside.
For the coq au vin stew, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pot; add the chicken pieces and cook them until they are browned. Remove them and set them aside.
Fry the bacon in the same oil as the chicken was cooked in until it is browned.
Fry the bacon in the same oil as the chicken was cooked in until it is browned.
Cook the mushrooms in the same pot until they are browned followed by the onions.
Cook the mushrooms in the same pot until they are browned followed by the onions.
In another pot, melt the butter before stirring in the garlic, tomato paste, flour, and beef stock. Stir in the red wine.
In another pot, melt the butter before stirring in the garlic, tomato paste, flour, and beef stock. Stir in the red wine.
Add the chicken, onions, bacon, mushrooms, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the sauce, and stir the mixture until combined. Bring it to a boil before placing it in a 360 F (180 C) oven to bake for 1 hour.
Add the chicken, onions, bacon, mushrooms, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the sauce, and stir the mixture until combined. Bring it to a boil before placing it in a 360 F (180 C) oven to bake for 1 hour.
Serve garnished with the parsley.
Serve garnished with the parsley.
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