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Coq Au Vin

Coq Au Vin

Author: Rika
1268kcal
5 from 20 votes
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Prep 15 minutes
Cook 1 hour 40 minutes
This Classic French Chicken in Wine Sauce is loaded with creamy vegetables and fork-tender meat.
Servings 5
Course Main Course
Cuisine French

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottomed Pot
  • A fine-mesh strainer
  • Kitchen tongs
  • Slotted spoon

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds chicken thighs/legs/both (about 10 pieces) pat them dry with paper towels
  • 4 oz lardons/pancetta/bacon (cubed or diced)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
For Marinade:
  • 3 cups burgundy (or pinot noir)
  • 5 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 extra large onion (sliced)
  • 2 carrots (chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
  • 2¼ teaspoons kosher salt
For Braising:
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ¼ cup cognac or brandy
  • 7 fresh thyme sprigs
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Garnish:
Beurre Manie (Mix Them To Thicken the Sauce):

Method

  1. In a bowl, add chicken and all of the marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or up to overnight.
  2. Remove the chicken, onions, and carrots from the marinade. Pat them dry with paper towels. Set them aside.  
  3. Strain the wine marinade, skim off the scum, and discard the spices. Simmer it in a saucepan over medium heat until it's reduced in half. Set it aside.
  4. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
  5. In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-low heat. Cook bacon until crispy. Transfer to a plate.
  6. Working in batches, brown the chicken in bacon grease over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate.
  7. Add the marinated onions and carrots (from step #2). Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often. Cook garlic for 1 minute.
  8. Add brandy and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the liquid is reduced in half. 
  9. Add the marinade sauce (from step #3), chicken, broth, half of the crispy bacon, (7) thyme sprigs, and (1) bay leaf. Bring it to a simmer then turn off the heat.
  10. Cover the pot, and put it in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes or longer until the chicken is fully cooked. 
  11. While waiting for the chicken to cook, heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pearl onions, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of sugar. Cover the pan and cook on low heat until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally. Transfer them to a plate.
  12. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add half of the crispy bacon, stir for 1 minute, then set them aside. 
  13. Remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a plate.
  14. Strain the sauce and discard the spices. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk a mixture of softened butter and flour (Beurre Manie) into the sauce. Simmer for 7 minutes, stirring often.
  15. Add cooked chicken and vegetables back into the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes.
  16. Add mushrooms, pearl onions, and crispy bacon. Bring it to a boil then turn off the heat immediately and serve.

Nutrition

Calories1268kcalCarbohydrates23gProtein66gFat86gSaturated Fat26gCholesterol392mgSodium1902mgPotassium1524mgFiber3gSugar6gVitamin A4722IUVitamin C19mgCalcium103mgIron5mg

Notes

This recipe requires multiple steps but is easy to follow and definitely worth it!
Beurre Manie is one of the best ways to thicken a sauce. Simply combine the softened butter and all-purpose flour with your fingers then whisk the paste into the sauce.
Product Used in this Recipe: 
  • Carlo Rossi Burgundy, California that I purchased from Ralph’s for around $5.99 per 1.5 L.
  • E&J VS Brandy that I purchased from Target for $9.99 per 750 ml bottle. 
  • Kirkland air-chilled chicken thighs that I purchased from Costco for only $0.99 per pound.
  • Citterio Pancetta Cubetti  from Trader’s Joe for $3.99 per 4 oz. 
  • Kirkland organic chicken stock from Costco 

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