Main Course

Coq au Vin

A rustic French classic where chicken is slowly braised in red wine with pearl onions, mushrooms, and smoky bacon. This Burgundian dish transforms humble ingredients into an elegant, deeply flavored stew.

Md Afroz Alam

Cook Time

Servings

reviews

Medium

Difficulty

Instructions

Prepare and sear

Cut bacon into lardons and cook in a Dutch oven until crispy, remove and set aside. Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear in bacon fat until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side.

Proper browning creates fond (caramelized bits) on the bottom of the pot - this is essential for flavor.

Build the base

Remove chicken and sauté pearl onions, carrots, and mushrooms until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, cook for 2 minutes.

Don't rush the vegetable sautéing - caramelization adds depth to the final dish.

Deglaze and braise

Return bacon to pot, sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir well. Pour in wine, scraping up browned bits. Add stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Return chicken to pot, bring to boil, then reduce to simmer.

Make sure to scrape every bit of fond from the bottom - it's packed with flavor.

Cook low and slow

Cover and simmer gently for 75-90 minutes until chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally.

The chicken should be so tender it almost falls apart when touched with a spoon.

Finish the sauce

Remove chicken and vegetables. If sauce is too thin, make beurre manié by mixing equal parts butter and flour, whisk into simmering sauce until desired consistency. Return chicken, garnish with parsley.

Coq au vin tastes even better the next day - the flavors continue to develop as it sits.