Description
Coq au Vin is a classic French dish of chicken braised in red wine, bacon, mushrooms, and onions. This hearty stew is rich in flavor and perfect for a special dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Red Wine Chicken 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 (sub 1 tsp dried thyme)
- 750 ml / 3 cups pinot noir red wine, or other dry red wine
Browning Chicken:
- 3 – 4 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Coq au Vin Stew:
- 400g / 14oz white mushrooms, halved (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 flour, plain / all purpose
- 750 ml / 3 cups beef stock, low sodium, preferably homemade
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- 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).
- 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. Flip thighs and cook the other side for another minute. Remove to a tray. Brown drumsticks. Remove and set aside.
- Fry bacon: Cook bacon for 3 minutes until golden. Add to tray with chicken.
- Sauté mushrooms: Cook mushrooms for 5 minutes, or until golden. Remove into a separate bowl.
- Sauté onion: Cook onions for 5 minutes or until golden.
- 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: Slowly pour in beef stock while stirring, then add the reduced wine and mix until flour mixture is dissolved. Add chicken, bacon, mushroom, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper into the pot, then stir.
- SLOW-COOK: Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven for 45 minutes. Adjust salt. Leave overnight if possible before serving.
Notes
- Chicken pieces – Bone in, skin on pieces are best for the most tender, juicy results.
- Pearl onions can be substituted with pickling onions.
- Pinot Noir is the traditional wine for Coq au Vin.
- Mushrooms – White mushrooms are traditional, but cremini can also be used.
- Beef stock gives the dish a rich flavor.
- Do not use powdered beef stock.
- Flour lumps will dissolve during cooking.
- Slow cooker method is an alternative to oven cooking.
- Leaving the stew overnight enhances the flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 977 cal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 2288mg
- Fat: 54g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 59g
- Cholesterol: 278mg
