Description
Coq au Vin is a classic French dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich red wine sauce with bacon, mushrooms, onions, and fresh herbs. This hearty, flavorful meal is perfect for cozy dinners and showcases traditional braising techniques to develop deep, complex flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Bacon
- 6 slices (6 oz) bacon
- 8 chicken thighs (3 1/2 to 4 lbs)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 8 oz. cremini or white mushrooms, sliced thick
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (4 tsp)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks
Liquids and Other Ingredients
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Côtes du Rhône
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: Heat a large pot or braiser over medium heat and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add bacon slices and cook until just crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain and refrigerate. Leave bacon fat in the pot.
- Sear Chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and black pepper. Return pot to medium heat and add 4 chicken thighs skin side down. Sear until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes, then turn and brown another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining 4 thighs. Set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms to the pot and sauté for 3 minutes. Add diced onion and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook while stirring for 30 seconds.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in chicken broth, chopped thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low, letting it simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Simmer Chicken and Carrots: Return seared chicken thighs to the pot along with the chopped carrots. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes, gently stirring once halfway through cooking.
- Make Sauce Thickener: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly to form a roux. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid from the chicken pot into the roux while whisking. The mixture should thicken quickly.
- Combine Sauce and Finish: Pour the thickened sauce mixture back into the chicken pot along with the reserved cooked bacon. Stir thoroughly to combine and heat through.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve the Coq au Vin hot, ideally with a side of crusty bread or mashed potatoes to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- Nutrition estimates include chicken skin; removing the skin before cooking or eating will reduce calorie content.
- Use a dry red wine like Pinot Noir or Côtes du Rhône for authentic flavor; avoid cooking wines.
- Low sodium chicken broth allows better control over saltiness.
- Braising time ensures tender chicken and melded flavors, avoid rushing this step.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors develop further.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
