Coq au Vin is a classic French dish prepared with chicken braised in a red wine sauce with mushrooms, garlic, carrots, pearl onions, bacon, and herbs. It translates to “rooster in wine” and is a hearty rustic comfort food dish consisting of tender juicy chicken meat slowly cooked in a rich broth.
Enjoying coq au vin is no longer a luxury; it’s a pleasure everyone can now afford and is easy to make at home. In France, in the past, raising chickens on a small farm drove up the price of the meat, which was served for festive Sunday meals, and the slaughter of the rooster itself was a sure sign of a king’s feast.
The rooster was more expensive because, being known for its fighting nature, it was rarely kept in the company of anyone other than a large flock of hens. Originally the rooster was destined for marinating and simmering on the stove, and was discarded once its reproductive capacity was over (which was then the sole reason for its presence).
The debate around the origin of coq au vin still rages in the history of French gastronomy. Some, citing books as evidence, claim that this recipe was absent until very recent times. The argument is that the rooster meat was originally only used for meat broths, and even then, only occasionally. Others consider this iconic dish a staple of ancient gastronomy, dating back to the time of Julius Caesar, when the Gauls supposedly presented him with coq au vin.
The rooster itself is not just the star of this dish in French cuisine. It is much more than that for the country: it is an emblem. Cleverly playing on the almost identical etymology of the Latin words *gallus* (rooster) and *Gallus* (Gaul), the French have always made this animal a symbol of their culture and nationality. This rooster is also found on the jerseys of players on the French national teams, across all sports.
Ingredient Needed for French Coq au Vin
Chicken – Coq au vin traditionally uses the whole bird cut into sections. Bone-in chicken thighs are an economical cut that remains tender during braising. Chicken breasts or legs can be substituted for thighs. You can use skinless or with skin, depending on your personal preferences.
Bacon or Lardons/Smoked Pork Belly – A classic addition to coq au vin, in French poitrine de porc fumée aka bacon gives the dish an additional depth of smoky flavor. If you do not want to use traditional pork bacon, you can replace it with turkey bacon.
Pearl Onions – Pearl onions add an additional depth of flavor and are traditionally featured in coq au vin. Diced onion can be substituted for pearl onions if preferred. For easier preparation, use frozen pearl onions that are peeled and ready to use.
Mushrooms – White button or cremini mushrooms can be used in this dish. Pick over mushrooms to remove any dirt or debris.
Garlic – 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic add flavor without being too overpowering. Finely mince or press through a garlic press so the garlic melts into the sauce. If using dried garlic, substitute ½ teaspoon.
Wine – Use a dry red wine (Burgundy style) such as pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, or merlot for a rich depth of flavor. Most of the alcohol will cook off, however you could replace it with a non-alcoholic red wine if needed.
Chicken Broth – Chicken broth adds even more flavor to the sauce, water or vegetable broth can be substituted if preferred.
Carrots – Thinly slice the carrots to ensure they become tender. For larger carrots, cut in half lengthwise before slicing to ensure even cooking.
Herbs – You can use a French bouquet garni or a mix of parsley, thyme, and bay help to round out the rich and hearty dish with a fresh and slightly earthy flavor. If using dried herbs, substitute ½ teaspoon parsley, and ¼ teaspoon dried thyme.
Butter/Flour– The sauce is thickened with a paste of softened butter and flour called a beurre manié. From the French for, “kneaded butter”, it is an easy way to thicken sauces or soups, the butter coats the flour particles preventing clumping and thickening the sauce.
If you do not want to use flour, a cornstarch slurry can be used to thicken the sauce instead. Thoroughly mix together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of cold water, add to the hot broth, bring to a low boil, stirring regularly until thickened.
Traditional version vs our simplified modern variation
The traditional coq au vin recipe uses a whole rooster, cut into pieces, and marinates those pieces with the onions, carrots, wine and herbs for at least 12 hours. Rooster meat can be very tough and marinating helps tenderize it. It also requires longer braising time to get the meat tender.
Most modern day cooks use a whole chicken, cut into assorted pieces for this classic French stew. For my recipe, I am making a simple modern version using chicken thighs without marinating the chicken.
As mentioned above in the Ingredients Needed section, chicken thighs are perfect for braising, plus using the same cut (vs a variety of pieces) makes it easier for all the pieces to cook evenly. If you want to try the traditional version you are welcome to do so, especially if you can find a place to buy a rooster. The classic French recipe also sometimes uses Cognac or Armagnac to flambee the seared chicken pieces (right before adding the wine/broth).
What to serve with Coq au Vin
Coq au Vin is best served with side dishes that will help soak up the delicious sauce or broth. You can serve it with buttery egg noodles, creamy mashed potatoes, rice, or even baguette slices. A side salad is a great option to balance out the richness of the sauce. You can try my green bean salad or this simple endive salad. Of course, you can also serve it with a nice glass of red wine!
How to store and reheat any leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave until heated through or in a pan on the stovetop over low medium heat the chicken is heated through completely.
- 5 large chicken thighs – skin removed or left on depending on your preference 5 thighs = 3 lbs or 1.36 kg
- ½ pound bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1/2 lb = 225 grams = about 6 strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup of mushrooms thinly sliced
- ½ cup pearl onions
- 3 garlic cloves pressed through a garlic press
- 1 ½ cups red wine pinot noir, 355 ml
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup carrots peeled, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
In a large pot or pan, cut bacon into ½ inch pieces, brown bacon until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Remove bacon from the pan, place on a paper towel lined plate, set aside. Pour excess grease from the pan.
In the same pan heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on each side until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pan, set aside, chicken will not be fully cooked.
Reduce heat to medium, add sliced mushrooms, cooking until lightly browned, stirring regularly, 6-8 minutes. Add the pearl onions, cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the garlic and onions, cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
Slowly add the wine and broth, scraping up any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pan.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate to the pan, add the carrots, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 35 minutes, turning chicken halfway through cooking if not completely submerged in the cooking liquid.
While the chicken cooks, make a beurre manié, by mixing the flour and softened butter together into a paste and no streaks of flour remain, set aside.
After the chicken is done thicken the sauce. Remove the chicken from the pan, add the prepared butter and flour paste, stirring until incorporated and mixture has thickened.
Add half of the bacon to the pan, stirring to incorporate, return chicken to the pan. Garnish with additional minced parsley and remaining bacon.
Serve warm with buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
Photos of the step by step preparation process for French Coq au Vin or chicken braised in red wine sauce:
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