Imagine tender chicken, simmered in a velvety red wine sauce, infused with aromatic herbs.
This isn't just Coq au Vin; it's a taste of French culinary magic you can create at home, unlocking a surprisingly simple path to a deeply satisfying dish.
Ingredients
For Coq au Vin, you're gonna need some key ingredients — let's dive right in! First, you'll want about 4 chicken thighs – bone-in, skin-on – they're around 7 oz each, and 4 drumsticks, too. Don't skimp on the good stuff like 16 pearl onions or pickling onions, if you're feeling fancy.
Grab a fresh bay leaf, plus 3 thyme sprigs – or a teaspoon of dried thyme, if you're in a pinch. Now, for the star player, you'll need 3 cups – that's 750ml – of Pinot Noir. Feel free to use another dry red wine, if Pinot's not your thing.
You want 14 oz of white mushrooms – halved, or quartered if they're huge! Some bacon, about 5oz, cut into batons. You need 4 tbsp of unsalted butter, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 7 tbsp all-purpose flour, and 3 cups beef stock. Unlike store-bought options, using homemade chicken stock can add a depth of flavor to the coq au vin that enhances the overall dish. You need some salt and pepper!
Instructions
Alright, let's get cooking, shall we? First, put your chicken marinade ingredients in a bowl and chill overnight for 12-24 hours—do not skip this step. Next, strain the wine, save the herbs, and dry your chicken with paper towels. Looking for a simple and delicious meal that's ready in under an hour? Try oven-baked chicken; similar to balsamic chicken, you can prepare it in the oven!
Now, reduce the wine in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it's halved. Preheat your oven to 350°F while you're at it. Season the chicken with ¾ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in an oven-proof pot, brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side—go for a nice color. Fry bacon for 3 minutes, then sauté mushrooms for 5. Get the onions golden too!
Add butter, garlic, tomato paste, and flour to the pot—cook each for allotted times! Stir in beef stock and reduced wine. Toss back in the chicken, bacon, and mushrooms. Oven time: 45 minutes! Taste and adjust salt. Leaving overnight gets even better, I promise!
Recipe Notes
Now, when it comes to crafting the perfect Coq au Vin, there are a few insider secrets I want to share with you. Bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces are your best bet for tenderness.
If you can't find pearl onions, pickling onions are your next best thing, but feel free to make them smaller. Or, just use regular onions, chopped into wedges! Pinot Noir is the classic wine choice, but a cheap bottle works wonders.
Don't stress about expensive wine; the long cooking time evens it out! Regarding mushrooms, white are traditional, but Swiss browns are fine too. Use a block of bacon for nice, chunky batons. Bacon slices work in a pinch – but you will end up with more bits – trust me! Beef stock is my preferred choice – don't skip it!
Short Recipe Version
Coq Au Vin (Short Version)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs Chicken pieces
- 4 oz Bacon, diced
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 2 Carrots, chopped
- 2 Celery stalks, chopped
- 8 oz Mushrooms, quartered
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Flour
- 1 bottle (750ml) Red wine (Burgundy preferred)
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, bay leaf)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
Instructions:
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown bacon. Remove and set aside.
- Brown chicken in bacon fat. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook until fragrant.
- Stir in flour; cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze with red wine, scraping up browned bits.
- Add chicken broth, tomato paste, and bouquet garni.
- Return chicken and bacon to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 2-2.5 hours, or until chicken is tender.
- Remove bouquet garni before serving.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
- Calories: 450-550
- Protein: 40-50g
- Fat: 25-35g
- Carbohydrates: 10-15g