Coq au Vin Recipe – French Special
The Coq au Vin is a classic French chicken stew that transforms humble ingredients into a luxurious main course. With bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks simmered in red wine, pancetta, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, and herbs like thyme and bay leaves, it’s rich in depth and flavor. Whether you marinate overnight for extra tenderness or cook it slowly to let the sauce thicken, this dish delivers warm, comforting richness — perfect for dinner parties, cozy evenings or when you crave something hearty and soulful.
- Prep Time20 min
- Cook Time3 hr
- Total Time3 hr 20 min
Coq au Vin Recipe Ingredients:
- Chicken: 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks
- Marinade (optional): 1 bottle (750 ml) red wine (such as Burgundy or Pinot Noir)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
For Cooking:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup red wine (additional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup pearl onions (optional)
- 1 cup frozen or fresh peas (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish: Fresh parsley, chopped
Making Process:
Marinate (Optional): Marinate chicken in red wine, chicken broth, onion, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme for 2 hours or overnight.
Prepare Chicken: Remove from marinade, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.
Brown Chicken: Cook pancetta or bacon until crispy. Brown chicken pieces in the same pot, then remove.
Cook Vegetables: Sauté onion, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms. Add tomato paste and cook briefly.
Make Sauce: Add flour to vegetables, then gradually stir in chicken broth and red wine. Add thyme, bay leaves, and pancetta or bacon.
Simmer: Return chicken to the pot, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours until tender. Add pearl onions and peas in the last 20 minutes if desired.
Finish & Serve: Adjust seasoning, garnish with parsley, and serve with crusty bread, potatoes, or noodles.
Recipe Notes:
Wine Quality & Flavor: Use a good red wine like Burgundy or Pinot Noir—cheap wine dulls the sauce, while quality wine brings brightness and depth.
Marination Optional: Marinating the chicken in wine, aromatics and herbs for 2 hours or overnight improves flavor and tenderness, but it can be skipped if time is tight.
Browning Meat & Pancetta: Be sure to brown the chicken skin-side first and crisp up the pancetta to render fat—this builds flavor and texture in the finished stew.
Thickening the Sauce: If the sauce seems too thin after simmering, stir in a flour-water slurry or simmer uncovered to reduce and enrich the texture.
Vegetable Timing: Add mushrooms and carrots early for deep flavor; drop in pearl onions or peas in the final 20 minutes to preserve texture and color.
Serving Suggestions & Accompaniments: Serve Coq au Vin with crusty French bread, buttery mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles to soak up that rich wine sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.
