Coq au Vin
Coq au vin is the French farmhouse dish of chicken braised slowly in red wine. This home version uses bone-in chicken thighs, which stay juicy through the long simmer, with smoky bacon, browned mushrooms and sweet pearl onions in a glossy, deep-red sauce. It all happens in one Dutch oven, and it tastes even better the next day.
By Mei Lin Tan
Published
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- 1 hr 30 mins
- Total Time
- 1 hr 50 mins
- Servings
- 6 servings
How do you make Coq au Vin?
To make coq au vin, crisp 150 g bacon, brown 6 bone-in chicken thighs, then brown mushrooms and pearl onions in the same pot. Soften onion, carrot and garlic, stir in flour and tomato paste, add a bottle of dry red wine and stock, and braise the chicken for 40 minutes. Return the mushrooms and onions and simmer until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Total time
- 1 hr 50 mins
- Calories
- 470 per serving
- Protein
- 29 g
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Method
- Braising
Ingredients
Equipment
Large Dutch oven (5-6 L) with a lid · Tongs · Slotted spoon · Instant-read thermometer
Quick Directions
Crisp the bacon
Cook the bacon in the oil until crisp, then set it aside.
Brown the chicken
Brown the seasoned thighs skin side down in batches, then set aside.
Brown the mushrooms and onions
Brown the mushrooms and pearl onions in butter and set them aside.
Build the sauce
Soften the vegetables, stir in flour and tomato paste, then add the wine, stock and herbs.
Braise the chicken
Return the chicken and bacon, cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and onions
Add the mushrooms and onions and simmer uncovered until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F).
Finish and serve
Stir in the last of the butter, garnish with parsley and serve.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect coq au vin.
Crisp the bacon
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring now and then, until crisp and the fat has rendered. Lift it out with a slotted spoon onto a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
Brown the chicken
Pat the chicken thighs very dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high. Working in two batches, lay the thighs skin side down in the bacon fat and cook for 5-6 minutes until the skin is deep golden, then turn and cook for 2 minutes more. Move them to the plate with the bacon. Pour off all but about 2 tbsp of fat from the pot.
Brown the mushrooms and onions
Add 1 tbsp of the butter to the pot with the mushrooms and pearl onions. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and both are well browned. Transfer them to a separate bowl.
Build the sauce
Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until the onion softens. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then the flour and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine a little at a time, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, then add the stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
Braise the chicken
Return the chicken, skin side up, along with the bacon and any juices from the plate. Nestle the thighs into the sauce so the skin sits mostly above the liquid. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and onions
Uncover the pot and add the browned mushrooms and pearl onions. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon and the chicken is very tender. An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of a thigh, not touching the bone, should read at least 74°C (165°F).
Finish and serve
Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves. Swirl the remaining 1 tbsp of butter into the sauce and taste for salt and pepper. Scatter with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Cook with a wine you would happily drink. Bottles sold as cooking wine are salted and make the sauce taste flat and harsh.
- Dry the chicken well and don't crowd the pot. Deeply browned skin adds a lot of flavour to the sauce.
- Keep the braise at a bare simmer. A hard boil toughens the chicken and makes the wine taste sharp.
- If the sauce is still thin at the end, lift out the chicken and boil the sauce for 5 minutes, or mash 1 tsp soft butter with 1 tsp flour and whisk it in.
- Made ahead and chilled, the fat sets on top, so it is easy to lift off before you reheat.
Variations
- Traditional overnight marinade: cover the raw chicken with the wine, carrot, onion, garlic and herbs and refrigerate overnight. Pat the chicken dry before browning, and use the strained marinade as the braising liquid.
- Coq au Riesling, the Alsace version: use dry Riesling instead of red wine and stir 125 ml heavy cream into the sauce at the end.
- Use a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces. Add the breast pieces for only the last 25 minutes of braising so they stay juicy, and cook every piece to 74°C (165°F).
- To make it gluten-free, leave out the flour and thicken the finished sauce with 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water. Check that the bacon and stock are gluten-free.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 470 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 29 g |
| Carbs | 14 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated fat | 10 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 820 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavour improves after a day.
- Freezer
- Freeze in portions for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat
- Reheat gently in a covered pot over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, adding a splash of stock if needed, until the chicken is hot all the way through to 74°C (165°F).
Coq au Vin FAQs
What wine is best for coq au vin?
A dry, medium-bodied red wine. Red Burgundy, made from Pinot Noir, is the traditional choice, but any Pinot Noir, Merlot, Gamay or Côtes du Rhône works well. Avoid very oaky or sweet reds and salted cooking wine.
Can I make coq au vin without wine?
You can braise the chicken in 1 litre of chicken stock in place of the wine and stock, with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar added for acidity. It makes a very good braised chicken, but the sauce will be lighter in colour and flavour than true coq au vin.
Does the alcohol cook off in coq au vin?
Not completely. An hour of simmering drives off most of the alcohol, but a small amount stays in the sauce. If you need to avoid alcohol entirely, use the stock version instead.
Can I use chicken breasts for coq au vin?
Bone-in thighs and drumsticks are best because they stay moist through a long braise. If you use breasts, add them for only the last 20-25 minutes and take them out as soon as they reach 74°C (165°F) so they don't dry out.
Can I make coq au vin ahead of time?
Yes, and it tastes better for it. Cook it fully, cool it, and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. Lift off the set fat, then reheat it gently in a covered pot until the chicken is hot through to 74°C (165°F).
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
