- 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.
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Coq au Vin Recipe
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.
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
Nutrition
Serving: 1g, Calories: 633kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 183mg, Sodium: 714mg, Potassium: 1187mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 8018IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 75mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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