Description
Coq au Riesling is a rich and flavorful French-inspired chicken dish braised in Riesling wine and finished with creamy sauce, mushrooms, and bacon for a deliciously comforting meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Meat and Fats
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
Liquids and Seasonings
- 1 cup Riesling wine (dry or off dry)
- 1 cup chicken broth, low sodium
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides thoroughly with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to ensure crisp, flavorful skin.
- Cook Bacon: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the flavorful bacon fat in the pan for searing the chicken.
- Sear Chicken: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the bacon fat if needed. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 6 to 7 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip the chicken and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the finely chopped onion to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook Mushrooms: Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until they turn lightly browned and tender.
- Deglaze and Add Liquids: Pour in 1 cup Riesling wine and 1 cup chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to add flavor. Stir in 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, mixing well.
- Simmer Chicken: Return the chicken thighs and cooked bacon to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Finish Sauce: Remove the chicken temporarily and keep warm. Combine 1½ cups heavy cream with a couple ladles of the hot sauce in a separate bowl. Slowly stir this mixture back into the pan over low heat, whisking continuously to prevent curdling and to create a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Adjust & Serve: Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes to meld flavors. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Use a dry or off-dry Riesling wine to avoid overpowering sweetness in the sauce.
- Patting the chicken dry before searing helps create a beautifully browned skin and enhances sauce flavor.
- When incorporating cream, temper it by mixing with some of the hot sauce first to avoid curdling.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with a splash of chicken broth.
- Leftovers reheat well over low heat and taste even better the next day as the flavors deepen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
