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Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin is a classic French dish featuring tender chicken braised in red wine with lardons, mushrooms, and pearl onions. It’s rich, hearty, and perfect for a cozy dinner or an impressive meal to wow your guests. This recipe is rustic yet elegant, with a depth of flavor that only improves the next day.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Marinating Time 6 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 6
Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, or 3-4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 3 cups dry red wine e.g., Burgundy or Pinot Noir
  • 4 oz lardons or diced pancetta or bacon
  • 8 oz mushrooms quartered
  • 12 pearl onions peeled, or frozen
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 medium carrots sliced into rounds
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 1 cup chicken stock optional
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • In a large bowl or zip-top bag, marinate the chicken with 2 cups of red wine, thyme, bay leaf, and cracked black pepper.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 4-12 hours, turning occasionally.
  • Remove chicken from the marinade, pat dry, and reserve the marinade.

Cooking

  • Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  • Brown the chicken in batches until golden on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  • Add lardons to the pot and cook until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • In the same pot, sauté mushrooms, pearl onions, and garlic until browned, about 5 minutes.

Building the Sauce

  • Sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour over the vegetables and stir to coat.
  • Gradually pour in the reserved marinade and 1 more cup of wine, scraping up browned bits. Add chicken stock if desired.
  • Return chicken and lardons to the pot. Add thyme and bay leaf.
  • Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 40-50 minutes, until chicken is tender.
  • To thicken the sauce, mix 2 tbsp butter with 2 tbsp flour into a paste (beurre manié) and stir into the pot.
  • Simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes until sauce thickens.
  • Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serving

  • Serve hot over buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or with crusty French bread.
  • Pair with a glass of red wine for a truly French dining experience and enjoy!