Coq Au Vin – The Daring Gourmet

Chicken braised in wine, bacon, onions, and mushrooms, this Coq Au Vin recipe is truly a feast for the palate!  This classic French dish takes on additional flavor in our version that will have your taste buds singing!

What is Coq Au Vin?

Coq Au Vin is among the most popular of all French dishes.  It features braised chicken cooked with wine, lardons (bacon), mushrooms and onions.  Its preparation is similar to Beef Bourguignon.  Coq Au Vin achieved its popularity here in the U.S. with Julia Child’s inclusion of it in her 1961 classic, Mastering The Art of French Cooking.

The ingredients are relatively simple as is the cooking process, but the result is simply one of the most delicious chicken dishes in the world!

Where Did Coq Au Vin Originate?

Various legends exist as to the origin of Coq Au Vin, some of which trace it back to Julius Caesar’s encounter with the Gauls who populated what is now France.  Though the origin is uncertain, what is certain is that it’s at least 400 years old.  Coq Au Vin, French for “rooster with wine,” was a common peasant dish in former centuries.  Rural families in France commonly kept chickens and a rooster.  The rooster would be kept until it was too old to perform its duties, and would then be eaten.  Old roosters, however, were tough and stringy, so the common preparation was to slow-simmer it in wine in order to tenderize the meat and make it more palatable.  Coq Au Vin had thus become known as “poor man’s food.”

It wasn’t until the 20th century that this dish achieved popularity both in and outside of France, as well as among both rich and poor.  Over the centuries it rose from its roots of poverty to achieve the rank of fine cuisine (though now no longer using old rooster 😉

I’m sharing my version of this classic recipe with you, adding even more flavor to this incredible dish while maintaining its authenticity.

What to Serve with Coq Au Vin

Choose a starch and a vegetable.  Great choices include mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or steamed rice, either Basmati or wild rice.  Another good option is some rustic, crusty bread for mopping up the sauce or some buttery brioche.  I have even seen coq au vin served with crispy golden French fries that can be dipped into the gravy.  For your veggie you can prepare some roasted root vegetables, roasted cauliflower, braised greens, green beans, or my personal preference, a leafy green salad with a simple vinagrette.

For dessert you simply cannot beat the simple but irresistibly delicious Pot de Crème!

Coq Au Vin Recipe

Step 1:  Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot and sear the chicken on both sides until nicely browned and then set aside.

Step 2:  Add the bacon and cook until done and then add the shallots and cook for another 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms release their juices and are softened, another 5 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper and then transfer to a plate.

Step 3:  Heat the butter in the pot and whisk in the flour, continually whisking until it becomes a rich golden brown color.  Whisk in the wine and chicken stock.  Bring it to a boil for about 2 minutes and continue whisking to loosen the browned bits on the bottom of the pot.  Stir in the tomato paste, ground dried porcini mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaf.

Step 4:  Return the chicken to the pot and cover.  Return it to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Return the bacon/onion/mushroom mixture to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  See above for serving recommendations.

Enjoy!

For more delicious French dishes be sure to try our:

Coq Au Vin

Kimberly Killebrew

One of France’s most popular dishes, Coq Au Vin is braised chicken cooked with red wine, bacon, mushrooms, and onions. This version takes the flavor to even further heights!

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Entree, Main Course

Cuisine French

Servings 4

Calories 756 kcal

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 3 tbs olive oil
• 4 chicken thighs and 4 drumsticks , skin intact, sprinkled with salt and pepper
• 4 oz thick-sliced bacon , diced
• 4 medium shallots , halved (or one small yellow onion, quartered and then halved again)
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 8 oz white button mushrooms , quartered
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups dry red wine (such as Zinfandel)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 medium carrot , sliced
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon ground dried porcini mushrooms (this adds incredible depth of flavor, don’t skip!)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions 

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot and sear the chicken on both sides until nicely browned and then set aside.

• Add the bacon and cook until done and then add the shallots and cook for another 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms release their juices and are softened, another 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and then transfer to a plate.

• Heat the butter in the pot and whisk in the flour, continually whisking until it becomes a rich golden brown color. Whisk in the wine and chicken stock. Bring it to a boil for about 2 minutes and continue whisking to loosen the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the carrots and stir in the tomato paste, ground dried porcini mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaf.

• Return the chicken to the pot and cover. Return it to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Return the bacon/onion/mushroom mixture to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or steamed rice and with a leafy green salad. See blog post for additional recommendations.

Nutrition

Calories: 756kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 224mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 4mg

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet January 31, 2013