Coq au Vin (Red Wine-Braised Chicken, 90-Minute)
Velvety braised chicken pieces simmered until tender in a reduced red wine sauce, studded with crisped bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and sweet pearl onions that add texture and depth. The sauce finishes glossy and richly flavored from tomato paste, stock, and a butter-flour liaison for coating every forkful.
Swap white or rosé wine for red to lighten the flavor, use pancetta instead of bacon for a less smoky note, or replace chicken thighs with bone-in chicken breasts if preferred. For a deeper sauce, reduce an extra 10–15 minutes before returning the chicken to the pan. Use a sturdy ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven for even braising; a splatter screen helps when searing.
Serve with buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, crusty bread, or buttered rice to soak up the sauce. This makes a great weekend family meal or an elegant dinner for guests; leftovers keep well and taste even better the next day after flavors meld.
How to Make It
-
1
Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
-
2
Cut the bacon into 1–1.5 cm pieces. Heat a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp and brown, 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a plate, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
-
3
Increase heat to medium-high. Add olive oil if needed. Sear chicken, skin-side down first, in batches until deeply browned, 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer seared chicken to a plate.
-
4
Reduce heat to medium. Add carrot (peeled and cut into 1 cm thick slices) and the diced onion to the pan. Cook until softened and starting to brown, 6–8 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
-
5
Add garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
-
6
Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute to remove raw flour taste.
-
7
Pour in the red wine and scrape the pan to deglaze, bringing the liquid to a simmer. Add chicken stock, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and sugar if using. Stir to combine.
-
8
Return the chicken and reserved bacon to the pan, nestling pieces into the liquid skin-side up. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and transfer to a 170°C (340°F) oven. Braise for 40 minutes, until chicken is tender and cooked through.
-
9
While chicken braises, peel pearl onions (blanch in boiling water 1 minute, shock in ice water, slip skins off) and halve mushrooms if large. In a skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat and sauté mushrooms until golden, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
-
10
In the same skillet, melt remaining 1 tbsp butter and sauté pearl onions until caramelized, 6–8 minutes. Set onions aside with mushrooms.
-
11
When chicken is done, transfer pan to stovetop and remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Skim excess fat from the sauce if necessary. Stir in sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions, and simmer uncovered over medium heat 6–8 minutes to meld flavors and slightly reduce the sauce.
-
12
Whisk remaining butter with a small spoonful of sauce (or 1 tbsp cold butter grated) into the pan to finish the sauce and give it a glossy texture. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
-
13
Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dish and serve hot with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Still hungry? Try one of these
Grilled Beef Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Smoked Gouda
Juicy grilled beef burgers topped with sweet caramelized onions, melted smoked Gouda, and a tangy house sauce—perfect for backyard dinners.