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Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin, sounds fancy right? In reality, this classic French dish is a simple, one-pot wonder full of layered, rich flavors that is perfect for your next family meal or dinner party.

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Coq Au Vin with carrots, mushrooms and chicken in a pot with a spoon

The Best Coq au Vin at Home

When you hear “coq au vin” what comes to mind? Labor intensive? Too fancy to be practical? Maybe just a bit intimidating? Well none of that is true! In reality, this classic French dish is a simple recipe made in one pot, and is as good for a weeknight dinner as it is for a celebratory dinner party. If we haven’t convinced you yet, please read on!

chicken, carrots, mushrooms, wine, garlic, stock and herbs for homemade coq au vin

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What is Coq au Vin?

Translated from French, coq au vin means “rooster in wine.” Despite its straightforward name, coq au vin is a dish full of nuanced, deep, savory flavors (not unlike its counterpart boeuf bourguignon). Served over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or a good parsnip puree, it’s the kind of dish that makes anyone you serve feel special. Coq au vin takes humble chicken thighs and drumsticks and elevates them with a braise in wine (red or white) infused with bacon, garlic, herbs, and vegetables. The result is a dish full of fall-apart chicken and the most succulent sauce. Because we aren’t trying to be the next Julia Child, we’ve taken the liberty of simplifying the recipe and skipping a few (non-essential) steps to transform classic coq au vin into a weeknight dish that anyone can cook with ease.

chicken leg and thigh pieces browned in a braising dish
garlic, tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme in a braising dish
hand pouring wine into a braising dish filled with browned chicken
browned chicken thighs simmering in stock and wine in a braising dish

What Should I Cook My Chicken Coq au Vin In?

In true French fashion, coq au vin is best cooked in a Dutch oven or cast iron braising dish. If you don’t have either of those, we highly recommend adding one to your collection. It will become your most beloved pot, guaranteed. The heavy lid of a Dutch oven creates the perfect environment for keeping in steam while your coq au vin braises away in the oven, resulting in supremely tender meat and veggies.

chicken coq au vin in a pot with carrots, shallots, mushrooms
Coq Au Vin with carrots, mushrooms and chicken in a pot

Which Wine is Best for Coq au Vin?

Coq au vin is traditionally made with red wine. White wine (and even champagne!) is a fun variation on the classic, but we love the bold flavor that a good red has to offer and so we've decided to stick with tradition on this one. Red wine from the French wine growing region of Burgundy is most common, and we like using Pinot Noir or another lighter bodied red wine for this coq au vin recipe.

Recently we have discovered (and enjoyed thoroughly) the wines of the Rioja region of Spain. The wines of Rioja are the only ones in the world that are not released until they are ready to drink. The cool growing conditions in Rioja produce fruity wines with moderate alcohol and low acidity, making them the perfect wine for pairing and cooking virtually any dish, especially this coq au vin.

We’ll be frank, a big old Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot boxed wine is going to be just as tasty after everything is cooked together in the red wine sauce, so don’t sweat it!

wine being poured into a glass next to mashed potatoes and a pan of chicken coq au vin

How Do You Make Coq au Vin?

While coq au vin is a relatively simple dish, these key steps will set you up for success:

  1. Start with a Dutch oven. You will be using this pot for the entire dish.

  2. First, brown your bacon (or lardon or pancetta), then remove it from the pan leaving all that nice grease and fond (the bits that stick to the bottom of the pot as the meat cooks).

  3. Next, brown your chicken in a single layer in the bacon grease. Get those skins nice and crispy, and then remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.

  4. Cook the garlic and herbs and add the chicken and bacon back into the pot, nestle the carrots around the chicken and cover with wine and chicken stock. (Go ahead and pour a glass of wine for yourself while you’re at it.)

  5. Cover, place the pot in the oven, and cook for 30 minutes.

  6. Finally, remove from the oven, uncover, and add all the mushrooms, and shallots (or pearl onions), along with the melted butter and flour mixture for thickening. Cook this on the stove over medium heat for 5-8 minutes and then garnish with a little sprinkle of parsley and you're good to go!

Coq Au Vin with carrots, mushrooms and chicken in a pot with a spoon

Nous T'aimons Chicken Coq au Vin.

See, we told you it was easy. We love this recipe for coq au vin, because it is:

  • Easy.
  • Comforting.
  • Great for company.
  • Perfect for winter.
  • Insanely delicious.
  • Makes us feel fancy, without stressing us out with too many complicated steps.
wine being poured into a glass next to mashed potatoes and a pan of chicken coq au vin

What do I Serve With Coq au Vin?

We love this recipe for coq au vin. It’s way easier to make than it sounds, and makes us feel like we’ve mastered a pillar of classic French cooking without too many complicated steps. Coq au vin is a comforting meal (especially in the depths of winter) that is great for company. Coq au vin really is a one-pot meal. It has protein and vegetables all together in one pot. You don’t need to serve it with anything else, but it really would be a shame to not have something to soak up all that sauce. We recommend making a big batch of these Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Herby Rhodes Rolls to do just that. Alternatively, you could eat this wine-braised goodness with egg noodles, cauliflower mash, or parsnip puree. This dish is the perfect winter meal; hearty, cozy, full of depth, and blissfully uncomplicated. Even though the French are known for their beautiful confections, home cooks tend to keep dessert simple. Make a Skillet Caramel Apple Crisp or a couldn’t-be-easier-to-make Baileys Chocolate Bundt Cake (trust us, it’s impressive and delicious).

Tools You’ll Need

C’est Magnifique le Coq au Vin!

Once you’ve made this easy coq au vin recipe, we have tons of other great one pot meals just waiting for you to make:

2 bottles of Rioja wines next to mashed potatoes and chicken coq au vin

How'd it all Turn Out?

Did you make this coq au vin? Julia Child would be so proud! Post a picture and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper so we can see how it turned out!

Coq au Vin

  • Serves: 4
  • Prep Time:  20 min
  • Cook Time:  1 hr
  • Calories: 840

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks, about 8 total
  • Kosher salt, plus more for serving
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 shallots, quartered
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 3-inch pieces
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • ½ 750ml bottle red wine (like Rioja)
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position.

  2. In a braiser or Dutch oven, add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crispy. Using tongs, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.

  3. Season chicken all over with salt. Working in batches, add the chicken to the pot and cook over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

  4. To the same pot, add the garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaf, tomato paste, and cooked bacon. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  5. Return chicken to the pot, skin-sides up. Nestle the carrots around the chicken and pour in the chicken stock and wine. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.

  6. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with flour and stir in ¼ cup braising liquid. Pour mixture into the sauce and gently stir to combine. Add the mushrooms to the pot, cover and cook over medium heat for about another 10 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165°F on an instant read thermometer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories840
  • Protein51 g
  • Carbohydrates24 g
  • Total Fat52 g
  • Dietary Fiber3 g
  • Cholesterol270 mg
  • sodium1023 mg
  • Total Sugars7 g

Coq au Vin

Questions & Reviews

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  • Nichole

    can i pair it with white rice and roasted broccoli?

    We prefer it with mashed potatoes rather than rice but you can definitely try it!

  • catharine

    if cooking for six--do I double this recipe?

    Yes, you can double it. Hope you enjoy!

  • sarna

    can you do this with chicken breast and if so any tips?

    If it is still skin-on, bone-in Chicken breasts that will be fine. If you're trying to make it with skinless, boneless, you can still brown it if you'd like. It might not take quite as long to cook since it's boneless. Check it with a meat thermometer after 20 min in the oven. Hope you enjoy!

  • Jean

    Do you think the Coq Au Vin would taste as good if I made it a day or two before our event?

    Definitely would be best served fresh but will still be ok.

  • Margaret

    Can I cook coq au vin in advance

    It's best cooked just before serving but you can always reheat if needed.

  • Maria

    I paired this recipe with the garlic mashed potatoes listed above and I’ve never been more impressed. I used boneless, skinless chicken thigh and the meat was buttery. We are obsessed!

    Aw, thank you Maria! We are so happy you loved both recipes!

  • Jeannette

    This was a very easy dish to prepare.Love the flavor's.I use the Merlot and ,also portabella mushrooms. I will definetly make this again.

    Thanks Jeannette, happy you loved it and even happier you'll be making it again!

  • ANNA

    GREAT WEEKEND RECIPE!!!1

    Thanks Anna!

  • Emily

    Great recipe. Turned out really well. I would make it again.
    I made substitutions as usual. I used a sweet onion instead of shallots. Chanterelle mushrooms instead of cremini mushrooms. I used boneless chicken thighs. I added spinach at the end. I just served it without noodles or potatoes. I also used thick cut bacon.

    Thanks Emily, so happy you loved it!

  • Sheri

    This turned out very good! I have a 5 quart Dutch oven and it worked out well. I used a Pinot noir but a cheap brand, next time, I'll try a decent Cab. Unfo Served over mashed potatoes. Definitely make again

    SO glad you enjoyed it Sheri!