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This easy coq au vin braises bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, carrots, and pearl onions until fall-off-the-bone tender. No marinating and no whole bird, just one pot and a cozy, make-ahead dinner.
This easy coq au vin recipe takes about 1 3/4 hours start to finish, and most of the braising time is hands-off in the oven. Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks are seared in the same pot as crispy bacon and browned mushrooms. Then they braise in red wine and chicken stock with carrots, pearl onions, garlic, and thyme until the meat falls off the bone. The sauce turns glossy, deep, and rich enough to spoon over mashed potatoes.
There’s no overnight marinade in this dish, no Cognac, and no whole bird to break down. It’s my favorite cozy Sunday supper, and because it tastes even better the next day, I often make it ahead for a busy weeknight. There is nothing like stews and soups this time of year! It is similar to many of the coq au vin recipes you see in France but with my own twist on it. It is my favorite comfort food! If you want a vegetarian version try my Mushroom Bourguignon.
Why This Recipe Works
• Bone-in, skin-on dark meat stays juicy. Thighs and drumsticks have enough fat and collagen to handle a long braise. Breasts would dry out.
• Everything browns in one pot. Bacon fat, mushroom drippings, and chicken fond build the sauce’s flavor, and the wine lifts every browned bit off the bottom.
• The sauce thickens itself. Cooking the flour and tomato paste in butter before adding liquid means the sauce thickens as it braises, with no extra step at the end.
Recipe Ingredients
Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks: Use bone-in, skin-on pieces. Dark meat stays juicy through the long braise, costs less than a whole chicken, and there’s no bird to break down. Chicken legs also work.
- Bacon (optional): Adds smoky richness, and the drippings flavor the whole pot. Thick-cut is best. Skip it and use an extra 2 tablespoons of olive oil if you prefer.
- Mushrooms: Cremini (brown) mushrooms have the deepest flavor, but white button mushrooms work too.
- Onion and carrots: A small yellow onion, finely chopped, and carrots cut into 1-inch pieces so they stay intact during the braise.
- Tomato paste: Adds savory depth and gives the sauce its rich color.
- Butter and flour: Cooked together with the tomato paste, they thicken the sauce as it braises so you don’t need an extra step at the end.
- Red wine: Choose a dry red you’d happily drink. Pinot Noir or Burgundy is classic, but Merlot, Malbec, or Cabernet Sauvignon also work. Avoid “cooking wine,” which is salty and harsh.
- Pearl onions: Frozen pearl onions, thawed, save you the tedious job of peeling fresh ones. They turn sweet and tender in the sauce.
Ways to Modify This Recipe
- Slow cooker: Brown everything and build the sauce on the stove, then cook in a slow cooker on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
- Stovetop: Skip the oven and simmer, covered, on low for 35 to 45 minutes.
- Boneless thighs: Braise for 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the flour.
- Dairy-free: Swap the butter for olive oil.
- No wine: Use 1 1/2 cups of extra chicken stock plus 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
- More veggies: Add celery with the carrots or baby potatoes before braising for a true one-pot meal.
- No bacon or mushrooms: Leave either one out. Without bacon, cook the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
How to Make This Coq au Vin Recipe
Step 1: Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 250°F for the low-and-slow method, or 350°F if you want a faster braise.
Step 2: Season the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs and drumsticks dry with paper towels, then season them with salt and pepper. Drying the chicken helps the skin brown instead of steam.
Step 3: Cook the Bacon and Mushrooms: Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp, then transfer it to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot. Add the olive oil and mushrooms and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned and tender. Transfer them to the plate with the bacon.
Step 4: Sear the Chicken: Increase the heat to medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, skin side down, and sear for about 5 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer it to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Step 5: Build the Sauce Base: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and carrots into the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring the vegetables occasionally. Add the butter. Once it melts, add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for 1 more minute, until the paste darkens.
Step 6: Add the Wine and Simmer: Slowly pour in the red wine and chicken stock, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken pieces to the pot, skin side up, with the thyme and bay leaves. Add the pearl onions, bacon, and mushrooms. Bring everything to a simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 7: Braise in the Oven: Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes at 250°F, or 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F. The chicken should reach at least 165°F, and it’s most tender around 175°F.
Step 8: Garnish and Serve: Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with herbs like fresh parsley and fresh thyme sprigs, then serve over mashed potatoes with green beans on the side.
Tips for Making Coq au Vin
- Dry the chicken well: Pat it dry with paper towels and sear it in two batches. Crowded, damp chicken steams instead of browning, and that golden crust is where the flavor starts.
- Pick a wine you’d drink: Pinot Noir or Burgundy is classic, but Merlot, Malbec, Shiraz, or Cabernet Sauvignon also work. White wine works in a pinch, but red gives the deepest color and flavor. I personally love using red wine for that rich red wine sauce that coq au vin is known for.
- Thicken if needed: The flour thickens the sauce as it braises. For a thicker sauce, simmer it uncovered on the stove for 5 to 10 minutes, or whisk in 1 tablespoon each of soft butter and flour mashed together.
- Make it your own: Skip the bacon or mushrooms if your family isn’t into them. You can also add celery with the carrots or a can of diced tomatoes with the stock for a brighter sauce.
What to Serve with Coq au Vin
Serve coq au vin over something that soaks up the red wine sauce: mashed potatoes, egg noodles, creamy polenta, or rice. Add a loaf of crusty bread for dunking and a simple green vegetable like green beans or a crisp salad to balance the richness.
More Cozy Braises to Try
When I’m craving a slow-simmered dinner, I rotate this coq au vin with my Braised Lamb Shanks, Slow Cooker Italian Short Ribs, Balsamic Short Ribs, and Moroccan Chicken Thighs. Every one is fall-apart tender and even better as leftovers.
Storage Tips
Coq au vin keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. It’s one of those dishes that gets better as it sits, because the chicken soaks up more of the red wine sauce overnight.
- Make ahead: Cook it completely up to 2 days ahead, let it cool, and refrigerate it right in the Dutch oven. Any fat that rises to the top will firm up, so you can easily lift it off before reheating.
- Freeze: Cool it completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers with enough sauce to cover the chicken. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat on the stove: Warm it covered over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring gently, until the chicken is heated through. Add a splash of chicken stock if the sauce has gotten too thick.
Recipe FAQ
I prefer to let this cook in a dutch oven low and slow in the oven but you can also simmer on the stove with the lid on at medium-low heat. You also can cook this at 350 degrees so it is done sooner {probably takes about 25-30 minutes}.
Traditional Coq au Vin uses bone in chicken but you can always change it up and use whatever cut of chicken you like. Chicken breasts work ok but they won’t get as tender. I have tried boneless chicken thighs before and they worked nicely because they tend to still get tender.
The best types of wines to use in this recipe is a dry red wine like a Pinot Noir or a Burgundy.
Since both are classic French braises people sometimes wonder about the similarities and differences between coq au vin and beef bourguignon. Both dishes involve wine but one uses chicken and one uses beef.
Yes. Replace the 1 1/2 cups of red wine with 1 1/2 cups of extra chicken stock plus 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar for acidity. The sauce will be lighter in color and less complex, but you’ll still get tender braised chicken in a savory, herby sauce the whole family can eat.
More Chicken Recipes
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Coq au Vin Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
- 4 drumsticks, skin on
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 pieces of bacon, chopped (optional)
- 8 ounces brown mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons, unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups red wine, pinot noir or burgundy work well
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 5 sprigs thyme {or sub in 1 teaspoon dried thyme}
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F for the low-and-slow method, or 350°F for a faster braise.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Add the olive oil and mushrooms. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned and tender, then transfer to the plate with the bacon.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Sear half the chicken, skin side down, for about 5 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for 1 minute until the paste darkens.
- Slowly pour in the wine and stock, scraping up the browned bits. Return the chicken, skin side up, with the thyme and bay leaves. Add the pearl onions, bacon, and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes at 250°F, or 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F, until the chicken reaches at least 165°F (175°F for the most tender dark meat).
- Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. Garnish with fresh parsley and thyme, and serve with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Notes
- Oven temperature: At 250°F, braise for 40 to 50 minutes. At 350°F, start checking at 25 minutes. Chicken is safe at 165°F, and dark meat is most tender at about 175°F.
- Searing: Pat the chicken very dry and sear it in two batches so the pieces aren’t touching.
- Wine: Use a dry red you’d enjoy drinking, like Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Avoid cooking wine.
- No wine: Replace it with 1 1/2 cups of extra chicken stock plus 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
- No bacon: Skip it and cook the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of olive oil instead.
- Thicker sauce: Simmer uncovered on the stove for 5 to 10 minutes after braising, or whisk in 1 tablespoon each of soft butter and flour mashed together.
- Storing: Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat covered on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a splash of stock if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
