Coq au Vin
Wine, bacon, and butter — say less, eat more.
For years I was convinced I didn’t like coq au vin, but it turns out I just didn’t like bad coq au vin. I finally gave French chicken stew another chance when I saw it featured at a favourite restaurant and it was simply fantastic. Rustic, comforting, and deeply flavourful. Better yet, once I dug into the recipe, I also realized it’s far easier to make than the fancy name might have you think.
Full disclosure, I won’t say I’ve perfected my recipe just yet, but this version is absolutely delicious and worth sharing while I continue to play around.
A couple of items to note: I prefer skinless chicken thighs over the skin-on, leg/thigh cuts traditionally used, and I substituted shallots for pearl onions because those little gems aren’t readily available all year round for me. I stuck to a Pinot Noir for the wine selection, but a Gamay or Cote de Rhone is also considered a good choice by notable chefs. Just remember, if you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it.
Lastly, the whole meal comes together in about 45min, and my suggestion is to serve the stew on top of creamy mashed potatoes or with a fresh loaf of crusty bread. Conveniently, you’ve already selected a great wine to pair with your dinner, so enjoy.—CFG
Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs
1 2/3 cups Pinot Noir
1 1/3 cups chicken stock
3 slices thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped into small pieces
1 tsp sea salt (divided)
1 tsp black pepper (divided)
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½ - 1” chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
8 oz mushrooms, thickly sliced
6–8 shallots, peeled and halved
Beurre manié: 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp flour, mixed together
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp cold butter (optional finishing step)
Directions:
Prepare the 8 chicken thighs by patting them dry and seasoning on both sides with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Set aside.
Next, chop 3 slices of thick-cut bacon or pancetta into small pieces and cook in a brasier pan over medium heat until crisp.
Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
Transfer the seasoned chicken into the brasier and use the bacon fat to brown it over medium-high heat until deep golden brown. (Don’t flip it too soon, about 6-8min per side depending on the size of the thighs). Remove from heat and set aside.
Add 1 thinly sliced medium onion and 3 medium carrots cut and peeled and cut into ½ - 1” chunks to the brasier and cook on medium heat until slightly softened, about 4-5min.
Next, add in 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 1/2 tbsp of tomato paste, and 2 tsp of fresh thyme. Cook for 1-2min until the mixture is fragrant and slightly darkened.
To deglaze and reduce the mixture, pour in 1 2/3 cups Pinot Noir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Bring the mixture to a soft boil and continue cooking to reduce the liquid for ~5min.
Begin the braise by adding 1 1/3 cups of chicken stock and then return the chicken to the pan. Simmer partially covered for ~30min, turning the chicken over occasionally.
While the chicken simmers, thickly slice 8oz of mushrooms. Next, peel 6-8 shallots and slice in half. Set aside.
In a separate pan (preferably cast iron) melt a little butter on medium-high heat, then add the mushrooms and move around the pan until they’re fully coated in the melted butter. Add in the shallot halves and continue cooking undisturbed until browned and most moisture has evaporated, ~8-10min. Remove from heat.
Add the mushrooms, shallots, and half of the cooked bacon back to the brasier and continue cooking partially covered (you should be incorporating the mushrooms and shallots when you have about 15min left in the braise). Be careful not to break apart the shallots.
While the mixture simmers, create a beurre manié by mixing together 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of flour in a small bowl. Set aside.
Remove the lid from the braiser and simmer uncovered for ~10min.
Add in the beurre manié and remaining cooked bacon, gently stir and simmer a few minutes more to thicken the sauce.
To finish, add 2tsp of red wine vinegar to the dish, and (optionally) 1tbsp of cold butter to add shine.
Taste and adjust with remaining salt and pepper as desired.
Plate on a bed of mashed potatoes and spoon generous amounts of wine sauce and vegetables on top.
Serve and enjoy!
