Coq au Vin Recipe

March 18, 2014  | Chicken Recipes | Meat Recipes | chicken | coq | france | red wine | stew 
Prep Time Cook Time Serves
8h20m 1h15m Serves 4 - 6
This is one of France’s most well-known and classic dishes. Originating in the Burgundy region, it is no surprise that the recipe calls for a whole bottle of red wine – a French Burgundy, of course. I find that marinating the chicken in the red wine overnight makes a difference and worth the advance preparation. This is perfect as the weather turns cooler and you are looking for a hearty and flavorful meal to warm you up. For a real “stick to your ribs” dish, serve it with mashed potatoes that can soak up all the yummy red wine sauce.

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken & marinade:
  • 1 whole chicken plus two breasts
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 celery stick, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 bottle red wine, French Burgundy or something similar
For the coq au vin:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup lardons or 7 bacon strips cut into ½-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh parsley, plus more chopped for garnish
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups white button mushrooms, sliced into ¼-inch pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the whole chicken into 8 pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts) and place in a large glass bowl. Add the 2 other chicken breasts and all the other marinade ingredients. Toss everything together and ensure that all pieces of chicken are immersed in the wine. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Strain the marinade separating the liquid from the vegetables and set both aside. Do not discard the liquid! In a large oven-proof pot (like a Le Creuset pot) add the olive oil. Fry the bacon pieces over medium heat in the olive oil until golden. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Working in batches, add the chicken to the bacon grease, searing on all sides until golden brown. Remove and set chicken pieces aside on a plate (it will not be cooked all the way through at this point). Add the solids from the marinade to the pot and fry for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the vegetables do not burn.

Add the flour to the pot and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook for about 3 minutes and then add the reserved marinade liquid, whisking as you go. You will see the liquid start to thicken from the flour. Add the bay leaf, thyme, parsley, and chicken broth, stirring to ensure everything is well combined. Add the seared chicken pieces.

Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Allow to bake for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can leave the covered pot to cook over the stove, but you will need to occasionally mix the pot to ensure the chicken on the bottom does not overcook.

After 30 minutes, place the pot back on the stove and remove the chicken pieces. Carefully strain the liquid into another pot, and discard the solids. The liquid should be the consistency of a nice, thickened sauce. If it is not thickened to your liking, bring it to a boil over medium high heat and boil, uncovered, until it has reduced to your desired consistency.  Add the chicken and the bacon to the sauce and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a separate large frying pan, sauté the mushrooms over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden but still firm. Add to the pot of chicken. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. You can serve this immediately or allow to cool and then keep in the fridge and reheat when you are ready to serve. This will keep refrigerated for up to two days. Sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley before serving.

COOK'S TIPS

When you have a pot of something that needs to cook for more than 10 minutes, I always like to put it in the oven. This ensures that the contents of the pot cook evenly as the heat is all around the pot and not just on the bottom as you would get from a stove.

Related Recipes