Description
Coq Au Vin is a classic French dish featuring tender chicken thighs slow-simmered in a rich red wine sauce with mushrooms, pearl onions, and aromatic vegetables. This comforting and flavorful recipe uses bone-in chicken cooked to perfection in a skillet, making for a hearty and elegant meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 1/2 lb Bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks (6 medium)
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt (plus more to taste at the end)
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper (plus more to taste at the end)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil (or unsalted butter)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 8 oz Cremini mushrooms (sliced)
- 1/2 medium Yellow onion (diced)
- 2 medium Carrots (peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1/3 cup Pearl onions (optional)
Liquids and Seasonings
- 1 1/2 cups Chicken broth, reduced sodium
- 1 cup Burgundy wine (or other dry red wine)
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Fresh thyme
- 3 medium Bay leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken dry thoroughly using paper towels to ensure a good sear. Season both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
- Cook the Mushrooms: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced cremini mushrooms and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender and nicely browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Sear the Chicken: In the same pan, place the chicken pieces and sear each side for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set aside to keep warm.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add diced onion and chopped carrots to the pan. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften. Add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze and Build Sauce: Stir in chicken broth, Burgundy wine, and tomato paste. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This deglazing enriches the sauce with flavor.
- Simmer the Chicken: Return the chicken to the pan and add fresh thyme and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through and become tender.
- Finish with Onions and Mushrooms: Add pearl onions (if using) and the cooked mushrooms back into the pan. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes to meld all flavors together. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Use dry red wine such as Burgundy for authentic flavor, but any dry red wine like Pinot Noir can be substituted.
- If pearl onions are not available, you can omit them or use small shallots as an alternative.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces provide the best flavor for this dish.
- For a thicker sauce, remove chicken and vegetables once cooked and simmer the sauce alone until it reduces to desired consistency.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty French bread.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Coq Au Vin, French chicken recipe, chicken with red wine sauce, classic French cooking, chicken thighs recipe, cremini mushrooms, pearl onions, slow simmered chicken
