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The slow-cooked chicken is tender and juicy, while the rich wine sauce provides an earthy flavor. Onions, garlic, bacon, and mushrooms add substance and depth of flavor to this delicious dish. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes for a truly special meal!
Type of Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Prep Time: 20 minutes Additional Time for Marinade: 2 hours.
Cook Time: 1 hour
How Many Servings?
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1X
2X
3X
Adjust Servings
| 6 slices of bacon, chopped (or 4 oz pancetta) | |
| 1 medium onion, chopped | |
| 1 medium carrot, diced | |
| 1 large tomato, diced (or 1 tablespoon tomato paste) | |
| 2 garlic cloves, minced | |
| 10 oz Cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced, | |
| 1 tablespoon all purpose flour | |
| 1/4 cup brandy |
For The Chicken Marinade:
| 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces | |
| 1 teaspoon salt | |
| 1/2 teaspoon black pepper | |
| 2 cups red wine | |
| A few twigs of fresh thyme | |
| 5 bay leaves |
For the Pearl Onions and Mushrooms:
| 2 tablespoons unslated butter | |
| 1 tablespoon olive oil | |
| 10 oz pearl onions, peeled | |
| 10 oz Cremini mushrooms cleaned cut in half | |
| 1/4 cup water | |
| 1 teaspoon sugar |
Preparation
1
Marinate the Chicken
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Make a bouquet garni by wrapping fresh thyme and bay leaves in cheesecloth and tying it with kitchen twine—this adds flavor that's easy to remove later. Place the chicken and bouquet garni in a large bowl and pour in the red wine until the chicken is fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours for a deeper flavor.
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Make a bouquet garni by wrapping fresh thyme and bay leaves in cheesecloth and tying it with kitchen twine—this adds flavor that's easy to remove later. Place the chicken and bouquet garni in a large bowl and pour in the red wine until the chicken is fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours for a deeper flavor.
2
Drain and Dry the Chicken
Remove the chicken from the marinade and set aside the wine and bouquet garni—you'll need them later. Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels. This step is important for getting a good golden sear in the next step.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and set aside the wine and bouquet garni—you'll need them later. Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels. This step is important for getting a good golden sear in the next step.
3
Cook the Bacon and Sear the Chicken
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot. Add the chicken pieces skin-side down in a single layer—don't overcrowd the pot. Sear until deeply browned on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside with the bacon. This browning builds all those rich, deep flavors you want in the sauce.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot. Add the chicken pieces skin-side down in a single layer—don't overcrowd the pot. Sear until deeply browned on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside with the bacon. This browning builds all those rich, deep flavors you want in the sauce.
4
Sauté the Vegetables and Deglaze
Add the chopped onion and diced carrots to the pot. Sauté in the bacon drippings until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, minced garlic, and sliced mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender. Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir well to coat. Pour in the brandy and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol cooks off.
Add the chopped onion and diced carrots to the pot. Sauté in the bacon drippings until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, minced garlic, and sliced mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender. Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir well to coat. Pour in the brandy and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol cooks off.
5
Braise the Chicken
Pour in the reserved red wine and add back the bouquet garni. Return the bacon and chicken to the pot, nestling everything into the sauce. Gently stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Let it simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. The sauce will reduce naturally as it cooks. My Tip: The chicken is done when it's fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Pour in the reserved red wine and add back the bouquet garni. Return the bacon and chicken to the pot, nestling everything into the sauce. Gently stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Let it simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. The sauce will reduce naturally as it cooks. My Tip: The chicken is done when it's fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
6
Caramelize the Pearl Onions and Mushrooms
In a separate skillet, melt the butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the pearl onions and sprinkle with sugar. Pour in a splash of water, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the halved mushrooms and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until both the onions and mushrooms are golden brown and caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
In a separate skillet, melt the butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the pearl onions and sprinkle with sugar. Pour in a splash of water, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the halved mushrooms and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until both the onions and mushrooms are golden brown and caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
7
Finish and Serve
Add the caramelized onions and mushrooms to the pot, stirring gently to combine. Let everything simmer together for a few more minutes so the flavors can meld. Remove the bouquet garni and discard it. Serve the Coq au Vin warm, spooning plenty of that rich sauce over each piece of chicken. This is delicious with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles to soak up every bit of sauce.
Add the caramelized onions and mushrooms to the pot, stirring gently to combine. Let everything simmer together for a few more minutes so the flavors can meld. Remove the bouquet garni and discard it. Serve the Coq au Vin warm, spooning plenty of that rich sauce over each piece of chicken. This is delicious with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles to soak up every bit of sauce.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
Storing Leftovers
Let the Coq au Vin cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors actually get even better the next day as everything melds together.
Freezing
Coq au Vin freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating
Stovetop (best): Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Add a splash of wine or broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
Microwave: Heat in a microwave-safe dish in 2-minute intervals, stirring between each, until hot.
Rana’s Notes!
Let the coq au vin cool to room temperature if you have any leftovers before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze, place the cooled coq au vin in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months
If you're reheating coq au vin from the fridge, you can simply heat it up on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it's warmed through.
If you're reheating coq au vin from the freezer, it's best to thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating. This will ensure that the dish reheats evenly and doesn't become overcooked or dry.
If you're reheating coq au vin in the microwave, be sure to use a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap to prevent splatters.