Classic Coq au Vin

The quintessential French braise of chicken, mushrooms and pearl onions in red wine.

Total: 120 min
Hands-on: 65 min
Serves: 4
Level: Advanced
Cuisine: French
Meal: Dinner

dinner
braised
wine

This is a classic, deeply savory dish that rewards a little upfront effort. The chicken is seared, then braised with bacon, mushrooms and pearl onions in a red wine sauce.

Shopping list

Chicken 1.5 kg whole bird cut into pieces
Bacon 200 g
Red wine 500 ml
Chicken stock 250 ml
Pearl onions 200 g
Mushrooms 300 g
Butter 50 g
Flour 30 g
Shallots 80 g
Garlic 4 cloves
Thyme 4 sprigs
Bay leaves 2

Ingredients

1 whole Chicken one 1.5 kg bird, cut into 8 pieces
200 g Bacon or pancetta cut into small lardons
500 ml Dry red wine pinot noir or burgundy
250 ml Chicken stock homemade or high quality, hot
200 g Pearl onions peeled
300 g Button mushrooms halved or quartered
50 g Butter softened
30 g Plain flour for dusting
80 g Shallots minced, 4 shallots
4 cloves Garlic crushed
4 sprigs Thyme sprigs, leaves removed, 4 sprigs
2 leaves Bay leaves
15 g All purpose flour extra for thickening, optional
Salt to taste
Black pepper freshly ground, to taste

Method

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then season them generously on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5 min
Heat a heavy soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 30 g of butter, then add the bacon and cook until it is crisp and most of the fat has rendered.

3 min
Working in two batches, brown the chicken pieces in the same pot until deeply golden on every side, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

8 min
In the same fat, add the pearl onions and cook, stirring, until they are soft and beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

5 min
Lower the heat to medium and add the shallots, garlic and thyme. Cook until the shallots are translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3 min
Return the chicken and onions to the pot, add the bay leaves, pour in the red wine and 250 ml of hot stock. Bring to a boil.

2 min
Cover the pot and transfer to a preheated 150 °C oven. Braise for 30 minutes until the wine has evaporated into the sauce.
Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium heat, brown the mushrooms in the remaining 20 g of butter until golden. Remove.

1 min
Return the mushrooms, pearl onions and bay leaves to the pot with the chicken. Simmer gently on the stovetop for another 10-15 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.

2 min
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper. For a thicker sauce, stir in a small spoonful of butter or the optional extra flour slurry.

2 min

Timing

T-2 h: Braise the chicken pieces and lardons.
T-30 min: Sweat mushrooms and pearl onions.
T-15 min: Combine everything and simmer.
T-0 min: Serve hot.

Chef's tips

Do not skip the browning step, it is where the flavor comes from. Work in batches so the pot does not cool down.
Use a dry, full-bodied red wine that you would be happy to drink. Do not use cooking wine.
The saffron color and slight sweetness of the pearl onions is important. If you cannot get pearl onions, use small white onions halved instead.
The sauce should be reduced by a third during braising. If it is still thin, simmer uncovered for extra time.
The dish improves after 24 hours in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop.

Swap it

Duck or pork: Use duck legs or pork shoulder cut into chunks in place of chicken for a richer, gamey result.
Beef bourguignon: Substitute chuck beef cut into cubes for the chicken, which will cook beautifully in the same sauce.
Mushroom: Swap the button mushrooms for foraged mushrooms like chanterelle or porcini for a foresty depth of flavor.
Wine: If you do not have burgundy, use a malbec or cabernet for more tannin structure. Avoid cheap, acidic wines.