Easy Coq Au Vin
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Truly the most amazing braised chicken (so tender, literally falling off the bone!) served in a heavenly red wine sauce!
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reasons to make coq au vin
- Weeknight-friendly version
- Also great for date-night or a fancy night in
- Cozy, winter meal
- Fall-off-the-bone chicken braised to perfection
- Everything (chicken, mushrooms and carrots) is infused with the heavenly red wine sauce
- Crispy bacon pieces, an added bonus
- Pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes and crusty bread for sopping
- Leftovers taste even better
what is coq au vin
Coq au vin, originating in Dijon in the Burgundy region, is a classic French stew made with chicken, mushrooms and vegetables, braised in a red wine sauce. Coq au vin is often served over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes and crusty bread.
tips and tricks for success
- Patience. Making coq au vin is a labor of love. Do not try to rush the process and increase the heat for faster results. Low and slow is the name of the game here.
- Use a heavy pot. A heavy bottom pot, such as a Dutch oven, is ideal here for slow cooking and even heat distribution. A tight fitting lid also traps all the lovely moisture inside, yielding the juiciest chicken.
- Use your favorite parts of the chicken. This recipe uses chicken thighs but a combination of white and dark meat will also work very well here.
- Sear the meat. Searing the chicken over medium high heat will add all the extra, deeper flavors here, sealing all the juices inside.
- Choose a wine you will drink. A dry red wine (cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir or merlot) is great here – it does not have to be anything fancy or overpriced. Just something you don’t mind sipping on since you will have an open bottle.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your soup. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Fresh herbs are best. Although you can certainly substitute dried herbs, fresh herbs are ideal here, delivering the best kind of flavor.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
- Leftovers are even better. Similar to lasagna, coq au vin tastes even better with time, giving the flavors a chance to meld and intensify even more.
- Reheat over low heat. Skim and discard any fat off the surface, reheating over low heat on the stovetop until warmed through.
what to serve with coq au vin
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Easy Coq Au Vin: Frequently Asked Questions
Mushrooms can be omitted if needed. Eggplant, zucchini, or tofu can also be substituted, if desired, as it can absorb all the good flavors and mimic the texture of mushrooms.
A red burgundy (a pinot noir) is a popular choice of wine for coq au vin. Beaujolais, cabernet sauvignon and merlot are also great options.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Leftovers can be reheated on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 20-30 minutes.
Yes! We have a recipe for that here.
Easy Coq Au Vin
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved
- 3 shallots, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into thirds
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving excess fat in the Dutch oven.
- Season chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Working in batches, add chicken to the Dutch oven, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; set aside. Drain excess fat, reserving 2 tablespoons in the Dutch oven.
- Add mushrooms and shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and browned, about 5-7 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour and tomato paste until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in chicken stock, thyme and carrots. Return chicken to the Dutch oven.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, turning the chicken once or twice, until chicken has completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 40-45 minutes.
- Stir in bacon and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
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This turned out sooo delicious and it came together so quickly. Thank you for an amazing recipe.
Can this be made a little in advance? Recipe says “Serve immediately.”
After I had cancer treatment and 4 years of chemotherapy,I lost my love of food,and I was a foodie.I have been making some of your recipes and gaining back my taste for good food,and my confidence in cooking.Thank you for the beautiful gift!
Cooked this earlier, for a family of 7. Just doubled up all the ingredients. Used a large Le Creuset pot, and a McGuigens Shiraz. 7 clear plates. Says all you need to know really.
Really want to try this but I don’t have a braiser. Could I make this in an instant pot?
A wonderful winter dinner! Savory and flavorful. Served with roasted Brussel sprouts as a side dish. Will cook again, it’s a keeper!
Hello would love to try your recipe however need nutrition rating! Especially sodium content!
Why do you expect the author to do this when you can do it yourself? There are dozens of websites you can use to calculate a recipe’s nutritional info. I really like cronometer.com.
This looks absolutely amazing – I love the flavors and the chicken has the most deliciously crispy skin!
I know it would take away from the flavor, but if children would be eating this dish, could I use all chicken broth for a alcohol free dish? If it is adults sharing this recipe, could you recommend a red wine? I am clueless when it comes to wines. Thank you.
Hi Candice! For an alcohol-free dish, a splash of red wine vinegar with beef stock should do the trick. As for a recommended red wine, an inexpensive red Burgundy wine would be perfect here. 🙂
The alcohol cooks out.
The idea that alcohol cook out of food and evaporates in cooking is nothing but a myth. Or, at least, it does not evaporate as quickly as we may have been led to believe.*
Alcohol will not completely cook out of food. Water and alcohol bind with each other, which means that as long as there is still a trace amount of water left in the food, there will be a trace amount of alcohol as well.**
All of the alcohol does not burn off. But depending on the method of cooking, the amount that does burn off varies. Depending on the method of preparation, anywhere from 5 percent to 85 percent of the alcohol used remains in the dish.***
*www.finedininglovers.com
**oureverydaylife.com
***www.ksl.com/?sid=18335340
How often do you take your kids to McDonald’s or KFC or feed them something in a box. A touch of alcohol is the least of your worries.
Agree!!
There are alcohol free wines that would work in this dish.
Pictures show carrots, recipe makes no mention of them. ?
Hi Frank! The recipe includes 3 carrots (halved lengthwise and cut into thirds) and is added in step 7. Hope that helps!
So glad to see a *new* recipe; I love yours! Can the flour be subbed with cornstarch to be a gluten free meal?