Classic French Coq au Vin (Printable)

Tender chicken braised in red wine with mushrooms, onions, and smoky bacon for rich, aromatic flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein & Main

01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 3.3 lbs), cut into 8 pieces
02 - 5.3 oz smoked bacon or pancetta, diced

→ Vegetables

03 - 7 oz pearl onions, peeled
04 - 9 oz cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
05 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 2.5 cups dry red wine (such as Burgundy or Pinot Noir)
08 - 1 cup chicken stock

→ Pantry & Herbs

09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season thoroughly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, brown the chicken pieces in batches until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
04 - Add sliced carrots, pearl onions, and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté until vegetables are lightly golden, approximately 5 minutes.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and all-purpose flour, cooking for 1 minute to blend flavors and slightly thicken.
06 - Return browned chicken and cooked bacon to the pot. Pour in red wine and chicken stock, add bay leaves and fresh thyme. Scrape bottom of pot to release browned bits.
07 - Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 90 minutes or until chicken is tender.
08 - While chicken braises, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté mushrooms until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
09 - Uncover the Dutch oven during the last 15 minutes of cooking to reduce sauce slightly. Stir sautéed mushrooms into the pot and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
10 - Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs before serving. Serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The kitchen fills with an aroma so rich and complex that your dinner guests will think you've been cooking since dawn.
  • Tough, less expensive chicken cuts become silky and tender through the braise, making this both elegant and economical.
  • Once it's in the pot, you're mostly free to do other things—it's a one-pot dinner that feels effortless by comparison to how impressive it turns out.
02 -
  • Don't skip the browning steps—people sometimes want to rush through them, but those golden, crusty edges are where 80 percent of the final flavor comes from.
  • If your wine seems too acidic once everything is combined, a tiny pinch of sugar or a moment of additional reducing can balance it—the sauce should taste rich, not sharp.
03 -
  • Brown your mushrooms and bacon properly by giving them space and patience—rushing these steps is where most home cooks lose the dish's potential.
  • Taste and adjust as you go, especially after reducing the sauce, since wines vary and some may need a touch of sweetness or salt to feel balanced.
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