Coq au Vin is a classic French stew that literally translates to "Rooster and Wine". While rooster can be hard to get ahold of on this side of the Atlantic, a good free-range chicken makes for a suitable substitute. It's not complicated to make, but the key to a great Coq au Vin lies in the details.
Cooking inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes a stroll through a verdant farmers market on a warm spring day sets the gears of creativity in motion. Other times, it's a six pound bag of Costco chicken, a half-full bottle of Côtes du Rhône, and some odds-and-ends lurking in the dark recesses of my fridge. A rummage through the deli drawer revealed a loosely wrapped package containing the remains of slab of pancetta, and the vegetable drawer coughed up some button mushrooms that had seen better days. It didn't take an English -> French dictionary to figure out I had the makings for Coq au Vin.
Yes, technically the Coq in Coq au Vin means "rooster", but the last time I checked, my local grocer wasn't in the business of selling tough old cocks. If you want to be a purist though, by all means, go bag yourself a rooster. The tough connective tissue breaks down while cooking, and the well-exercised meat is definitely more flavorful than a chicken that's spent it's whole life cooped up.
The other half of the name, au Vin, literally means "in wine" and I honestly can't think of a better marriage of ingredients, especially with a little bacon, onions and mushrooms thrown into the mix!
Despite vast regional difference in ingredients I more or less stuck to a "classic" coq au vin, but I introduced some different techniques and my own sequence to try and maximize the flavour and minimize the work. I used the bacon as the fat to fry the chicken and mirepoix in, all of which create a very thick layer of delicious brown fond at the bottom of the pan. The cognac deglazes the pan and adds it's own smokey flavour and then the chicken braises in a 50/50 mixture of wine and stock. When the chicken is done, mushrooms and sweet cipollini onions are added along with a roux (made with the bacon/chicken fat) to finish the sauce.
This yields fall-off-the-bone tender chicken, with perfectly cooked mushrooms and onions smothered in a rich sauce with depth that you just wouldn't expect in a chicken dish. I love having coq au vin over a bed of creamy mashed yukon gold potatoes, but it's just as good served as a stew with a crusty baguette.
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 140 grams pancetta or lardons (cut into batons)
- 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1 rib celery (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon Cognac (Bourbon will do in a pinch)
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 225 grams button mushrooms (trimmed and halved)
- 225 grams cipollini onions (or pearl , trimmed and peeled)
- flat-leaf parsley (chopped for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large chef's pan or dutch oven, fry the 140 grams pancetta lardons over medium heat until most of the fat has rendered out (but not until it's crisp). Transfer the lardons to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
- Generously salt and pepper the 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and place in the hot pan, skin side down. Leave undisturbed for 6-7 minutes or until skin is golden brown, then flip the chicken over, allowing it to brown lightly on the second side. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the lardons.
- You should now have a nice thick coating of brown "fond". This is what gives the dish much of it's depth. Remove 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan and set it aside in a small bowl. Add the chopped 1 large onion, 1 rib celery and 4 cloves garlic and sauté until soft, scrapping the fond off the bottom of the pan so it doesn't burn.
- Hit the pan with a splash of 1 tablespoon Cognac to deglaze the pan. Allow most of the liquid to evaporate, then add the 2 cups dry red wine, 2 cups low sodium chicken stock, 1 bay leaf, 6 sprigs fresh thyme, and 3 tablespoons tomato paste. Return the lardons and chicken to the pan and turn several times to make sure each piece is well coated and submerged in the liquid. Cover with the lid slightly askew (so steam can escape) and simmer over medium low heat until the chicken is tender 35-45 minutes.
- Add the 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour to the fat you've reserved and stir until there are no lumps. When the chicken is tender, transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Add the 225 grams button mushrooms and 225 grams cipollini onions to the pan and turn up the heat to medium, simmering uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the onions are cooked and the sauce has reduced a bit. Add a few tablespoons of sauce to the fat/flour mixture and stir to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce in the pan one spoonful at a time, mixing well after each addition to make sure there are no lumps. I don't like my sauce too thick, so I stopped about ⅔ of the way through, but if you like a very thick sauce, you can add all the roux. Salt and pepper to taste, then return the chicken to to pot to reheat and coat with the sauce.
- Garnish with the flat-leaf parsley, and then serve the coq au vin over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or as a stew with a crusty baguette. I also like to sprinkle a little finishing salt like Fleur de Sel on top.
Heather says
Is there any way to accomplish this dish sans bacon?
Culinspiration says
Wow, looks great. I love your technique. This is one of my favorite dishes, and I have a similar recipe on my blog. Next time I make this, I have to remember to get some brandy.
Culinspiration says
Wow, looks great. I love your technique. This is one of my favorite dishes, and I have a similar recipe on my blog. Next time I make this, I have to remember to get some brandy.
Kevin (Closet Cooking) says
That looks do rich and good!
Kevin (Closet Cooking) says
That looks do rich and good!
Stacey Snacks says
Marcphoto,
Always great pics, and this coq au vin looks like the perfect winter comfort meal.
Stacey Snacks says
Marcphoto,
Always great pics, and this coq au vin looks like the perfect winter comfort meal.
manggy says
That is a TOUGH dish to pretty up but you did a wonderful job! Now all that's left for me is to actually finally try this dish, haha! 🙂
manggy says
That is a TOUGH dish to pretty up but you did a wonderful job! Now all that's left for me is to actually finally try this dish, haha! 🙂
The Duo Dishes says
The color of that coq au vin is amazing. You can tell it's full of flavor. This may sound crazy, but we've had someone's very non-traditional coq au vin with bok choy, white wine and green grapes. In fact, we don't even know if it should've been called coq au vin at all, but we just went with the flow.
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm a little worried about the Google searches that will be coming in off that one;-)
Peter says
Marc, excellent coq au vin...I make a similar one, use white wine is all..but I would drink red would this!
The Duo Dishes says
The color of that coq au vin is amazing. You can tell it's full of flavor. This may sound crazy, but we've had someone's very non-traditional coq au vin with bok choy, white wine and green grapes. In fact, we don't even know if it should've been called coq au vin at all, but we just went with the flow.
Syrie says
Marc this looks wonderful and looks much better than my recipe which takes 7 hours to make!
diva says
holy smokes does this look good or what?! the sauce is dreamy. it must taste just heavenly...i'm kinda dying to eat this now.x
Peter says
Marc, excellent coq au vin...I make a similar one, use white wine is all..but I would drink red would this!
Hayley says
Your pictures are something else. I'll have to make this for my Dad, he would absolutely love this!
Syrie says
Marc this looks wonderful and looks much better than my recipe which takes 7 hours to make!
diva says
holy smokes does this look good or what?! the sauce is dreamy. it must taste just heavenly...i'm kinda dying to eat this now.x
pigpigscorner says
WOw looks fantastic! The gravy looks so thick and yummy!
Hayley says
Your pictures are something else. I'll have to make this for my Dad, he would absolutely love this!
pigpigscorner says
WOw looks fantastic! The gravy looks so thick and yummy!
Meeta says
I've been thinking of making coq au vin this weekend. i love how thick the gravy looks! d'lish!
Nina says
This looks so delicious and I like the addition of the Armanac. As you say, complex but interesting flavors.
Laura @ Hungry and Frozen says
"Whole Foods wasn’t carrying tough old cocks"
*snort* Scuse me while I retrieve my mind from the gutter. This looks and sounds amazingly delicious. Almost makes me wish it was winter here in NZ so I could make it!!
Zenchef says
Love it! Perfect for this freezing weather.
Meeta says
I've been thinking of making coq au vin this weekend. i love how thick the gravy looks! d'lish!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
LOL @ no tough old cocks! That looks sublime, pure food porn. Say no more.
Nina says
This looks so delicious and I like the addition of the Armanac. As you say, complex but interesting flavors.
Laura @ Hungry and Frozen says
"Whole Foods wasn’t carrying tough old cocks"
*snort* Scuse me while I retrieve my mind from the gutter. This looks and sounds amazingly delicious. Almost makes me wish it was winter here in NZ so I could make it!!
Zenchef says
Love it! Perfect for this freezing weather.
Karen says
Looks just delicious. I made this a few months ago and now I'm wanting it again!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
LOL @ no tough old cocks! That looks sublime, pure food porn. Say no more.
Colloquial Cook says
My recipe is a tad more gorish - it uses the blood of the freshly slaughtered bird. I guess that's not a very American thing to do 🙂
Giff says
I love Coq au vin -- gorgeous picture you took!
Peter G says
I love stews and casseroles but sometimes I can't get them to be hearty enough. This looks amazing and thanks again for sharing your philosophies and techniques Marc!
Karen says
Looks just delicious. I made this a few months ago and now I'm wanting it again!
Colloquial Cook says
My recipe is a tad more gorish - it uses the blood of the freshly slaughtered bird. I guess that's not a very American thing to do 🙂
Rosa says
It looks really scrumptious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Joan Nova says
I looked at the photo and said "wow that looks so rich" and then I looked at the ingredients and understood why. I hope you left some wine to drink with it.
lisaiscooking says
I've never made coq au vin, but I want to. Your sauce looks fantastic, and I love the big chunks of mushrooms!
Elra says
I haven't try to make it for that reason. But, I heard that you can get the roaster from the Chinese market. I am going to look for it.
Cheers,
Elra
Natasha aka 5 Star Foodie says
I love this coq au vin with cognac and red wine! delicious!
Giff says
I love Coq au vin -- gorgeous picture you took!
Peter G says
I love stews and casseroles but sometimes I can't get them to be hearty enough. This looks amazing and thanks again for sharing your philosophies and techniques Marc!
Rosa says
It looks really scrumptious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Joan Nova says
I looked at the photo and said "wow that looks so rich" and then I looked at the ingredients and understood why. I hope you left some wine to drink with it.
lisaiscooking says
I've never made coq au vin, but I want to. Your sauce looks fantastic, and I love the big chunks of mushrooms!
Elra says
I haven't try to make it for that reason. But, I heard that you can get the roaster from the Chinese market. I am going to look for it.
Cheers,
Elra
Natasha aka 5 Star Foodie says
I love this coq au vin with cognac and red wine! delicious!