French coq au vin is a classic wine-braised chicken dish with mushrooms, pearl onions, bacon, carrots, and herbs in a rich red wine sauce.
This version browns the chicken first, builds flavor with bacon and vegetables, then braises everything gently until the sauce turns glossy and savory.
Choose a dry red wine you would enjoy drinking. A modest Burgundy-style Pinot Noir works well, but any dry medium-bodied red can make a good braising base.
Serving Suggestions
Serve coq au vin with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, crusty bread, or steamed green beans. A spoonful of sauce over the side dish is part of the pleasure.
Recipe Notes
Coq au vin tastes even better after resting. Make it a day ahead, refrigerate it, then reheat gently so the chicken stays tender and the sauce keeps its body.
French Coq au Vin
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
- Tongs
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Chicken and Sauce
- 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks patted dry
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 6 oz bacon or pancetta cut into lardons
- 1 tbsp olive oil as needed
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots cut into chunks
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine such as Pinot Noir
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for serving
- 1 whole bay leaf
Mushrooms and Onions
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms halved or thickly sliced
- 8 oz pearl onions peeled, or frozen and thawed
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for serving
Instructions
Brown the chicken:
- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
- Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned and crisp, then transfer it to a plate.
- Brown the chicken in the bacon fat, working in batches so the pieces sear instead of steam.
- Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and spoon off excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot.
Build the braise:
- Add the chopped onion and carrots to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir until no dry patches remain.
- Pour in the red wine and chicken stock, stirring well to loosen the bottom of the pot.
- Add the thyme, bay leaf, bacon, and browned chicken with any juices.
- Cover and simmer gently for 55 to 65 minutes, until the chicken is very tender.
Finish and serve:
- While the chicken braises, melt the butter in a skillet and cook the mushrooms and pearl onions until browned and tender.
- Stir the mushrooms and pearl onions into the pot during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- If the sauce is thin, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce it.
- Serve hot with parsley, extra thyme, and plenty of sauce.
Notes
- Keep the braise at a gentle simmer so the chicken stays tender.
- If using frozen pearl onions, thaw and pat them dry before browning.
- The dish can be made one day ahead and reheated gently over low heat.