Coq au Vin Recipe

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Coq au Vin is a classic French stew consisting of tender chicken braised in a red wine sauce with bacon, mushrooms and pearl onions. It's rustic, comforting and includes a gluten-free option!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Marinating time0

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Servings: servings

Calories: 436kcal

Author: Marcie

Equipment

Le Creuset 5 1/2 Quart Dutch Oven

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs skin trimmed; season with salt and pepper. sub half with chicken drumsticks if desired
2 cups dry red wine such as pinot noir; drinkable quality
1 cup chicken stock
4 slices thick cut bacon cut into large pieces
1 medium onion chopped
16 ounces mushrooms halved or quartered, depending on size
6 cloves garlic minced
2 medium carrots cut into 1" pieces
1/4 cup all purpose flour see recipe notes for gluten-free option
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce sub with soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
1 bay leaf
1 large sprig thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
1 cup pearl onions peeled if fresh, thawed completely if frozen
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Place the seasoned chicken thighs in a large bowl. Add the wine and chicken stock, making sure that the chicken is submerged in the liquid. Marinate while you prep the vegetables or up to overnight. This step is optional but recommended!
8 chicken thighs, 2 cups dry red wine, 1 cup chicken stock
In a large Dutch oven or pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove it from the pan using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate. Do not discard the bacon grease as you will use it to brown the chicken.
4 slices thick cut bacon
Remove the chicken from the wine marinade and pat completely dry with paper towels (do not discard the wine!). Heat the pan with the bacon grease to medium high and once sizzling, add the chicken skin side down (you may need to do this in 2 batches as you don't want to crowd the pan). Flip the chicken when the skin is golden brown and it releases easily from the pan, and cook 2 more minutes on the other side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. This step renders the fat from the skin and creates a fond, or flavorful brown bits at the bottom of the pan.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. If at any time the fond on the bottom of the pan looks like it's starting to burn, add a tablespoon or so of water and scrape the bits off the bottom and resume cooking. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes until the liquid has evaporated, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the garlic and carrots and cook 1 minute more.
1 medium onion, 16 ounces mushrooms, 6 cloves garlic, 2 medium carrots
Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute or so until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add the wine and chicken broth to the pot and scrape the bottom of the pan well. Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the bacon and fresh pearl onions (if using frozen, add them during the last 15 minutes of cooking time). Nestle the chicken in the pot and spoon the liquid over the top. Add the bay leaf and thyme and cover. Simmer for 45-50 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thighs registers 175 degrees.
1/4 cup all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 bay leaf, 1 large sprig thyme, 1 cup pearl onions
If the liquid is a bit thin, continue cooking for a few minutes longer with the lid off to reduce the sauce to the desired consistency. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig and adjust the seasoning as needed. Enjoy!
salt and pepper, to taste

Notes

Pro tip: Use a good, drinkable quality of red wine such as Pinot Noir for the braising liquid as it is the foundation of the sauce.
If using frozen pearl onions, either add them to the pot during the last 15 minutes of cooking time, or microwave them until tender and add them at the end.
Let the stew stand at room temperature for a bit before serving if desired as this will allow excess fat to rise to the top. You can either skim it off with a spoon or blot it with paper towels.
Store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, or cool it completely and freeze for up to 3 months.
Gluten-free option. Omit the flour and use coconut aminos in place of Worcestershire sauce. When the chicken is done, remove it from the pan. Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and stir until combined. With the heat on medium low, stir the cornstarch slurry in a steady stream. Stirring constantly, cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

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