Classic Coq au Vin

While I don’t keep a formal “Kitchen Bucket List,” sometimes I’m surprised there are still things left on this informal mental list. I mean, I cook every single day. How are there still dishes I haven’t tried? I guess that’s the beauty of cooking –  there is always something new to learn and create.

What is Coq au Vin?

Coq au vin is one of those things that I’ve been meaning to make forever. It sounds fancy, but it’s just a French phrase basically meaning “chicken with wine.” Whenever I see it on a restaurant menu, I immediately order it. It’s soul-warming comfort food at it’s finest.

Chicken braised in red wine until it becomes melt-in-your mouth-tender, with pancetta (or bacon), mushrooms, onions and other aromatic veggies.

So what’s held me back this long from making it? The fact that almost every coq au vin recipe calls for two bottles of wine. For some reason, that just sounds daunting / extreme / expensive / excessive for one meal. 

But, let’s do this. Get one of those big double-sized bottles ofhearty burgundy wine. Make coq au vin with half of the wine. Invite some friends over. Serve them a beautiful meal. Toast to your kitchen bucket list success with the rest of the wine. Repeat as necessary throughout the winter, when comfort food is needed daily.

Why you will love this Traditional Coq au Vin Recipe

• This recipes allows you to bring the authentic taste of France right to your home kitchen!
• Drawing from my culinary school experience, I’ve broken down the recipe into easy steps that any home cook can achieve.
• You can make adjustments based on the wine and vegetables you have on hand, and it’ll still turn out great!

Chicken Coq au Vin Ingredients

• pancetta – this salt-cured pork belly adds rich, salty flavor to the dish.
• whole chicken – the star of the dish! The tender meat will absorb all the wine flavor during cooking, making it super succulent.
• mushrooms – add an earthy flavor and hearty texture.
• carrots – add a touch of sweetness.
• yellow onion – adds an aromatic base flavor to the dish.
• garlic – infuses the dish with the pungent flavor that only garlic can add.
• tomato paste – adds umami to the sauce.
• wine – red wine is the key ingredient that gives coq au vin its signature flavor. More on selecting an exact variety below.
• thyme – provides herbal notes to complement the wine and chicken.
• bay leaf – adds complexity to the sauce during the cooking process.
• chicken broth – along with the wine, forms the backbone of the sauce.
• flour – thickens the sauce to a velvety consistency, helping it cling to the chicken.
• butter – combines with the flour to create a beurre manié – a French term for what is just a paste of mashed-together butter and flour that will thicken the sauce.
• pearl onions – add sweetness and a slight crunch.
• salt and pepper – enhances the flavor of the chicken and vegetables.
• parsley – a garnish that adds a fresh, vibrant touch.

Best Wine for Coq au Vin

The wine is the star of coq au vin, no question about it. A full-bodied wine such as Burgundy or Pinot Noir are the best choices here because they have deep, fruity notes, and a nice balance of acidity and richness.

Côtes du Rhône and Beaujolais wines work well, too.

Remember that since the flavor of the wine will shine through in the dish, you should use a wine you would enjoy drinking.

How to make Coq au Vin

1. PANCETTA. Cook the pancetta in a large Dutch oven until browned, then transfer it to a bowl.
2. BROWN CHICKEN. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and in batches, brown it in the pancetta drippings until deep golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. AROMATICS. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until browned, then transfer to the bowl with the pancetta. Add the carrots and yellow onion to the pot and lightly brown, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste.
4. WINE. Add some of the wine to the pan and scrape any crusty bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme, bay leaf, broth, chicken and the rest of the wine and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through.
5. FINISH. Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Strain the cooking liquid through a strainer and put the liquid back in the pot. Mash together the flour and butter and whisk it into the cooking liquid. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened. Add the pearl onions, pancetta, mushrooms and chicken to the pot and simmer until everything is cooked through. Garnish with parsley.

Best Coq au Vin Recipe Home Chef Tips

• Avoid overcrowding the pan when searing the chicken. Do it in as many batches as needed to get a nice, golden brown crust on it.
• Taste the sauce at the end and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
• Coq au vin actually tastes even better the day AFTER it’s made as the flavors continue to develop. If possible, prepare it a day in advance, refrigerate, and reheat it slowly on the stovetop before serving.

What to serve with Coq au Vin

Coq au vin is traditionally served with starchy sides to soak up the rich wine sauce. Great options include:

• Crusty French bread or our Homemade Garlic Bread Recipe
• Mashed Potatoes with Heavy Cream
• Buttered egg noodles

How to store Chicken Coq au Vin

If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Classic Recipe for Coq au Vin

Author: Lori Yates

Yield: 4 servings

Prep: 45 minutes minutes

Cook: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Total: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Chicken braised in red wine until it becomes melt-in-your mouth-tender, with pancetta (or bacon), mushrooms, onions and other aromatic veggies.

5 from 1 rating

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Ingredients

• ▢ 4 ounces pancetta cut into ¼-inch cubes
• ▢ 1 whole frying chicken about 4 to 4-1/2 pounds, cut into 10 pieces and patted dry
• ▢ Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ 12 ounces button mushrooms quartered
• ▢ 3 large carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 375 mL Burgundy wine 1/2 bottle
• ▢ 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• ▢ 1 bag frozen pearl onions 14 ounces
• ▢ Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In large Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until browned. Transfer to bowl with slotted spoon.
• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In batches, add chicken, skin side down, to pan and cook 5 minutes or until deep golden brown. Transfer to plate.
• Add mushrooms to pan; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Transfer to bowl with pancetta. Add carrots and chopped yellow onion to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until onion is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add 1 cup of wine to pan; cook 1 minute, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon. Add thyme, bay leaf, broth, chicken and remaining wine; heat to boiling. Cover pot with lid and transfer to oven. Cook 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
• Remove from oven; transfer chicken to plate. Strain cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard solids. Put cooking liquid back in pan and place on stove over medium-high heat. In small bowl, mash together flour and butter. Heat cooking liquid to boiling; whisk in flour mixture. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes or until thickened, skimming and stirring occasionally. Add pearl onions, pancetta and mushrooms and chicken to pot, simmer 5 minutes or until everything is heated through. Serve garnished with parsley.

Calories: 568kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 118mg, Sodium: 594mg, Potassium: 988mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 9584IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 3mg

This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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