Coq Au Vin Recipe

A coq au vin is a classic French stew in which chicken is braised slowly in red wine and a little brandy to yield a supremely rich sauce filled with tender meat, crisp bits of bacon, mushrooms and burnished pearl onions. Traditional recipes call for a whole cut-up chicken, but using all dark meat gives you a particularly succulent dish without the risk of overcooked white meat. However, if you would rather substitute a whole cut-up bird, just add the breasts in the last 30 minutes of simmering. If you want to skip the croutons for garnish you can, but they do add a lovely, buttery crunch alongside the soft, simmered meat and vegetables. This recipe is part of The New Essentials of French Cooking, a guide to definitive dishes every modern cook should master.

Coq Au Vin

Cook Ina Garten’s top-rated recipe for classic French Coq Au Vin from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network with Burgundy wine, cremini mushrooms and pancetta.

Prep: 0 20min0

Total: 0 1h30min0

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced
• 1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
• 1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy
• 1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 10 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.
3. Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.
4. Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.
5. Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

Julia Child’s Coq au Vin

This coq au vin recipe strays a little from the original but I don’t think that’s to its detriment. This updated version of the simple French chicken stew uses a robust brown chicken stock, mushrooms, onions, bacon, and red wine.

Prep: 30min

Total: 90min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 portion

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 portion, calories 1081 kcal, Carbohydrate 30 g, Protein 49 g, Fat 71 g, Saturated Fat 22 g, Trans Fat 0.2 g, Cholesterol 195 mg, Sodium 426 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 11 g, unSaturated Fat 45 g

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lardons (or very thickly sliced bacon) (cut into 1/4- by 1 1/2-inch (6- by 36-mm) strips (optional))
• 2 or more tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds chicken (cut into parts (or all one kind of part), thoroughly dried)
• 1/4 cup Cognac or Armagnac
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 20 pearl onions (peeled)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups red wine (preferably Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, or pinot noir)
• About 2 cups homemade chicken stock, or beef stock
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves (mashed or minced)
• About 1 tablespoon store-bought or homemade tomato paste
• 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms (trimmed, rinsed, and quartered)
• Fresh thyme sprigs (for garnish (optional))

Instruction:

1. To make the coq au vin in your slow cooker, see the Slow Cooker Variation below. To make the coq au vin on your stovetop, pour enough oil in a large pot to reach a depth of 1/8 inch if you’re not using lardons or bacon. If you are using lardons or bacon, toss them in a heavy-bottomed casserole or pot along with 2 tablespoons oil over medium or medium-high until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the lardons or bacon to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
2. Heat the drippings or oil remaining in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, being careful not to crowd the pieces. (You may need to work in batches). Cook the chicken, turning frequently, until nicely browned on all sides. (If working in batches, return all the chicken to the pot.)
3. Carefully pour the Cognac or Armagnac into the pot and wait until it becomes bubbling hot. If desired—and if you’re brave—ignite the sauce with a match. Let it flame for a minute, gently tilting the pot by its handle and swirling the sauce to burn off the alcohol. To extinguish the flames, simply cover the pan with its lid.
4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme to the pan and then nestle the onions around the chicken. Cover the pot and let the chicken simmer gently, turning the pieces once, for about 10 minutes.
5. Uncover the pot, sprinkle the flour over everything, and turn the chicken and onions so the flour is absorbed by the sauce. Cover and cook, turning once or twice, for 3 to 4 minutes more.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock to almost cover the chicken. Add the lardons or bacon, garlic, and tomato paste to the pot, cover, and gently simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Test the chicken for doneness (there should be no trace of pink and the juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife). Grab some tongs and transfer the chicken pieces to the plate when they’re done. Continue to cook the rest of the chicken a few minutes longer.
8. If the onions are not quite tender, continue cooking them in the sauce, then return the chicken to the pot, add the mushrooms, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes.
9. The sauce should be just thick enough to lightly coat the chicken and vegetables. (If the sauce seems too thin, bring it to a boil and cook until the sauce is reduced to the desired consistency. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with spoonfuls of stock.) Taste the sauce and correct the seasoning accordingly.
10. Serve immediately, garnished with thyme sprigs, if desired, or let it cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight. To reheat, skim any fat that has congealed on the surface of the stew and place the pot of coq au vin over medium-low heat. Garnish with thyme sprigs before serving, if desired.

Coq au Vin

Coq au vin is a hearty French stew of chicken braised in red wine with mushrooms and crisp pancetta.

Prep: 30min

Total: 2h10min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 2 chicken thighs

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 2 chicken thighs, calories 1,470, Fat 99 g, Carbohydrate 32 g, Protein 75 g, Saturated Fat 30 g, unSaturated Fat , Sugar 11 g, Fiber 3 g, Sodium 2,139 mg, Cholesterol 432 mg

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 ounces diced pancetta (or bacon)
• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), trimmed of excess skin (see note)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup Cognac
• 2½ cups red wine, preferably Burgundy or Pinot Noir
• 2½ cups chicken broth
• 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks on the bias
• 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instruction:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large (5-qt) Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
2. Season the chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and brown half of the chicken in a single layer, skin side down, until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes (brown on the skin side only). Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate; set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat.
3. Return the pot to the stove and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and just starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the Cognac and cook, stirring to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the Cognac has evaporated. Add the wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, thyme, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
4. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate back to the pot, along with the carrots. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, or until the chicken and carrots are cooked through.
5. While the chicken cooks, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
6. Also while the chicken cooks: In a small bowl, mash the softened butter and flour to make a smooth paste. Set aside.
7. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
8. Increase the heat in the Dutch oven/pot to medium and stir in three-quarters of the flour and butter paste. Gently boil until the sauce is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes; add the remaining paste if you’d like the sauce a little thicker. Fish out and discard the bay leaf.
9. Using a fork and knife, pull the skin off of the chicken and discard.
10. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Right before serving, stir in the browned mushrooms and pancetta. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, then serve.
11. Make-Ahead Instructions: Let cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop before serving. (For best results, store the sautéed mushrooms and crispy pancetta in separate containers in the refrigerator and add before serving.)
12. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the stew in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.
13. Note: Sometimes chicken thighs have excess skin and/or fat. Before cooking, using kitchen shears, trim any skin that extends farther than the edges of the chicken thigh, and snip off any excess fat.

Coq au Vin (French chicken stew in red wine sauce)

FAQ

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