Coq au Vin

ChickenEntree

Oct 22

Written By Amelia

I’ve had this recipe on my to-do list for a really long time but just never got around to making it. Well let me tell you — I was BLOWN AWAY! Yes, it’s a little time consuming, a little step-y, but it is worth it! So flavorful, so elevated, so comforting! It’s really a show-stopper and is a great French comfort food recipe project to try out, especially around the holidays. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are marinated overnight in red wine, then browned and braised with bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions, carrots, and herbs. Everything comes together in an incredibly rich, savory red wine sauce that's perfect spooned over buttery mashed potatoes. You will LOVE!

About This Coq au Vin Recipe

Coq au Vin is a traditional French dish featuring chicken slowly braised in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions, and aromatic vegetables. The name literally translates to "rooster in wine," although modern versions (like this one) typically use chicken.

My version starts with an overnight red wine marinade infused with garlic, carrots, onions, celery, thyme, and rosemary. The chicken and vegetables are browned separately to build layers of flavor before everything is braised together. A final reduction creates a rich, silky red wine sauce that's absolutely delicious over creamy mashed potatoes.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Incredibly rich flavor: Red wine, bacon, brandy, herbs, and browned vegetables create layers of deep, savory flavor.
Tender, juicy chicken: Slow braising makes the chicken wonderfully tender.
Luxurious red wine sauce: A final reduction creates a thick, velvety sauce perfect for mashed potatoes.
Perfect for entertaining: An impressive French dish that can be prepared ahead of time.
Even better the next day: The flavors continue developing as the dish rests.
Classic French comfort food: A hearty, satisfying meal that's especially good during colder months.

Ingredients You'll Need

For the Marinade

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Chicken drumsticks
Dry red wine
Yellow onion
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Bay leaves

For the Coq au Vin

Kosher salt
Black pepper
Thick-cut bacon
Pearl onions
Cremini mushrooms
Butter
Garlic
Tomato paste
Brandy or Cognac
All-purpose flour
Chicken stock
Fresh thyme
Fresh chives

How to Make Coq au Vin

Marinate the chicken overnight in red wine with carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and fresh herbs. The following day, strain and reserve the wine and vegetables, then thoroughly dry the chicken. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven, followed by the chicken, pearl onions, and mushrooms, browning each separately. Sauté the marinated vegetables, add fresh garlic and tomato paste, then deglaze with brandy. Stir in flour, reserved wine, chicken stock, and bacon before returning the chicken to the pot. Braise covered at 325°F for 45 minutes, add the mushrooms and pearl onions, and continue cooking uncovered for 15–20 minutes. Remove the chicken and reduce the sauce on the stovetop for another 15–20 minutes. Finish with cold butter and serve over creamy mashed potatoes with fresh chives.

Tips for Success

Marinate overnight: Allow 12–24 hours for the chicken to absorb the flavors of the red wine and aromatics.
Dry the chicken thoroughly: Pat the chicken completely dry before browning to achieve a beautifully caramelized exterior.
Brown everything separately: Cooking the chicken, pearl onions, and mushrooms in batches develops deeper flavor and prevents steaming.
Use a dry red wine: Pinot Noir or Burgundy-style red wine works especially well.
Don't skip the brandy: It adds another layer of richness and complexity to the sauce.
Save the bacon fat: Use the rendered fat for browning the chicken and vegetables.
Reduce the sauce: Simmering the sauce for 15–20 minutes after braising concentrates the flavors and creates a rich, velvety consistency.
Season at the end: Bacon and chicken stock already contain salt, so adjust the final seasoning after reducing the sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Coq au Vin?
Coq au Vin is a traditional French dish made by braising chicken in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions, and aromatic vegetables.

What is the best wine for Coq au Vin?
A dry red wine such as Pinot Noir or Burgundy is ideal. Choose something you enjoy drinking, and avoid sweet or heavily oaked wines.

Do I have to marinate the chicken overnight?
No, but I highly recommend it for this recipe. Marinating the chicken for 12–24 hours helps develop deeper flavor. If you're short on time, you can skip the marinade and add the wine directly when making the sauce.

Can I make Coq au Vin without brandy?
Yes. You can omit the brandy and use a little additional chicken stock, although the brandy adds wonderful depth to the finished sauce.

Can I use boneless chicken?
Yes, but bone-in, skin-on chicken is recommended for the richest flavor. Boneless chicken cooks more quickly, so you'll need to adjust the braising time to avoid overcooking it.

Why is my Coq au Vin sauce too thin?
The sauce needs time to reduce after braising. Remove the chicken and simmer the sauce uncovered until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Can I make Coq au Vin ahead of time?
Absolutely! Coq au Vin is an excellent make-ahead dish because the flavors continue developing as it rests. Refrigerate and gently reheat before serving.

How long does Coq au Vin last in the refrigerator?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat gently until thoroughly heated, adding a splash of chicken stock if the sauce becomes too thick.

Can I freeze Coq au Vin?
Yes. Allow it to cool, then freeze in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently.

What to Serve with Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin is especially delicious served over creamy mashed potatoes, which soak up the rich red wine sauce beautifully. Other great options include buttered egg noodles, roasted potatoes, crusty French bread, or a simple green salad. For a complete French-inspired dinner, serve with roasted green beans or asparagus.

More Recipes You'll Love

Coq Au Vin

Yield: 8

Author: Amelia is NOT a Chef

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 2 H & 30 MInactive time: 12 HourTotal time: 15 H & 15 M

This rich, classic French Coq au Vin features chicken marinated overnight in red wine, then browned and slowly braised with bacon, pearl onions, mushrooms, carrots, and aromatic herbs. Finished with a deeply flavorful, velvety red wine sauce, it's the ultimate French comfort food, especially served over creamy mashed potatoes.

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Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade

6 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
6 chicken drumsticks
1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
1 large yellow onion, medium diced
4 medium carrots, cut into ¼-inch coins or half-moons
2 celery ribs, diced
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
4–5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small sprig fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves

Coq au Vin

Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 oz thick-cut bacon, chopped
10–12 oz yellow or white pearl onions, peeled
10 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼-inch thick
2 tbsp salted butter, plus more as needed
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup brandy or Cognac
7 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp cold butter, for finishing
Fresh chives, chopped, for serving

Instructions

Place the chicken thighs and drumsticks in a large container with the red wine, diced yellow onion, carrots, celery, halved head of garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Toss everything together, cover, and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. The chicken does not need to be completely submerged; turn the pieces during marinating if possible.
The next day, strain everything through a colander set over a large bowl, reserving all of the red wine. Separate the chicken from the vegetables. Discard the halved garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Reserve the carrots, onion, and celery.
Pat the chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels and let it sit uncovered while preparing the remaining ingredients. Season generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
Add the chopped bacon to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook for 8–10 minutes, until browned and crisp and the fat has rendered. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off excess bacon fat, leaving about 2–3 tablespoons in the pot. Reserve some of the excess fat for cooking if needed.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the chicken in the bacon fat. Cook the thighs skin-side down for 5–7 minutes, until deeply golden brown, then flip and cook another 2–3 minutes. Brown the drumsticks on several sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Add the whole peeled pearl onions to the Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown in spots. Add a little reserved bacon fat or butter if needed. Remove and set aside.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the Dutch oven, spreading them out as much as possible. Cook for 5–7 minutes, allowing them to sit undisturbed initially to develop color. Continue cooking until the mushrooms have released their moisture, the liquid has evaporated, and they're nicely browned. Remove and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add about 2 tablespoons butter if the pot is dry. Add the drained marinated carrots, onion, and celery. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelize.
Stir in the fresh minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly.
Pour in the brandy and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, allowing the brandy to reduce.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir thoroughly. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Gradually pour in the reserved red wine marinade, stirring as you add it to prevent lumps. Add the chicken stock and fresh thyme. Return the cooked bacon to the pot and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Taste and season lightly with salt if needed.
Return the chicken to the Dutch oven, arranging the thighs skin-side up where possible. Cover and transfer to a preheated 325°F oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and add the browned mushrooms and pearl onions, distributing them throughout the sauce around the chicken.
Return the Dutch oven to the oven, uncovered, for another 15–20 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and cooked through.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and remove the thyme stems. Place the Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat and simmer the sauce uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noticeably reduced, rich, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cold butter until melted and incorporated. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed.
Return the chicken to the sauce or arrange it over creamy mashed potatoes. Spoon plenty of the rich red wine sauce, bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions, and vegetables over the chicken. Finish with freshly chopped chives.

Notes

Wine: Use a dry red wine such as Pinot Noir, Burgundy, or Côtes du Rhône. Avoid overly sweet or heavily oaked wines.

Marinating: Marinating the chicken for 12–24 hours develops deeper flavor. The chicken doesn't need to be fully submerged, but turn the pieces occasionally to ensure even exposure to the wine.

Drying the chicken: Thoroughly pat the chicken dry after marinating. This is essential for achieving a deeply browned exterior rather than steaming the chicken.

Browning: Don't overcrowd the Dutch oven. Brown the chicken in batches and cook the mushrooms and pearl onions separately to develop the best caramelization.

Pearl onions: To peel fresh pearl onions, trim the root tips, blanch in boiling water for about 1 minute, then transfer to ice water. Pinch the onions out of their skins and pat dry before browning.

Bacon fat: Depending on the bacon, you may have quite a bit of rendered fat. Leave about 2–3 tablespoons in the Dutch oven after cooking the bacon and reserve some to use as needed.

Sauce reduction: The final 15–20 minute reduction is important for concentrating the flavors and achieving a rich, velvety sauce. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon while still flowing easily. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of chicken stock.

Seasoning: Be conservative with salt until the end. The bacon and chicken stock contribute salt, and the final reduction intensifies the seasoning.

Serving suggestions: Serve over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or alongside crusty French bread.

Make ahead: Coq au Vin develops even more flavor as it rests. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of chicken stock if needed to loosen the sauce. Reheat until the chicken is thoroughly hot.