Description
Classic Coq Au Vin is a traditional French dish featuring tender chicken pieces slow-cooked in a rich red wine sauce with crispy bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions, and aromatic herbs. This hearty, flavorful stew is perfect for an impressive dinner and pairs wonderfully with crusty bread or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Meat
- 1 (3-4 lb) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 6 oz bacon, diced
Vegetables
- 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup pearl onions, peeled
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Sauces
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
Pantry Staples
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: In a large Dutch oven, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until it is crisp and browned. Remove the bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pot for added flavor.
- Brown Chicken: Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown the chicken in batches in the bacon fat over medium heat until golden brown on all sides. Remove the browned chicken and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the pearl onions and sliced cremini mushrooms to the pot containing the bacon fat. Sauté for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute to release its aroma.
- Prepare Sauce Base: Stir in the tomato paste and all-purpose flour into the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes to develop flavor and thicken the sauce slightly. Then pour in the dry red wine and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot for extra depth.
- Simmer Chicken: Return the browned chicken and reserved bacon to the pot. Add fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves to infuse the dish with herbal notes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook gently for 1.5 to 2 hours until the chicken is tender and the flavors meld.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serve the Coq Au Vin hot, accompanied by crusty bread to soak up the luscious sauce.
Notes
- Peeling pearl onions can be simplified by blanching them in boiling water for 1 minute, then shocking in ice water; the skins will slip off easily.
- If dry red wine is unavailable, a good quality Burgundy or Pinot Noir works best for authentic flavor.
- For extra richness, finish the sauce with a small pat of butter stirred in at the end before serving.
- This dish improves if made a day ahead, allowing the flavors to deepen overnight in the refrigerator.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or crusty French bread to fully enjoy the sauce.
