Coq au Vin

Total Time: 3 hours | Prep: 30 minutes | Marinate: overnight | Cook: 2.5 hours | Serves: 6

Master the Ultimate French Classic: Traditional Coq au Vin! This rustic dish, born in the French countryside, transforms humble chicken and wine into a meal worthy of a Parisian bistro. While originally made with an old rooster braised in wine, this version uses chicken but maintains all the rich, complex flavors that made this dish a cornerstone of French cuisine.

Why This Recipe Works
The secret to perfect Coq au Vin lies in proper braising technique and building layers of flavor. We’ll marinate the chicken overnight, then slowly cook it with vegetables and bacon in red wine until the meat is tender and the sauce is rich and silky.

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
1 bottle red wine (preferably Burgundy)
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
10 black peppercorns

For the Stew:

8 ounces pearl onions, peeled
8 ounces bacon lardons
1 pound mushrooms, quartered
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brandy (optional)
Fresh parsley for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

Marinate
Combine chicken with wine and all marinade ingredients. Refrigerate overnight.
Prepare Base
Remove chicken from marinade, pat dry. Strain and reserve marinade. Cook lardons until crispy, remove. In same pot, brown chicken in batches until golden.
Build the Stew
Sauté pearl onions until golden, set aside. Add mushrooms, cook until browned. Remove. Add butter, flour to pot, cook 2 minutes. Add strained marinade, stock, tomato paste.
Braise
Return chicken to pot. Simmer covered for 1.5 hours or until tender. Add vegetables back for final 30 minutes.
Finish
Add brandy if using. Adjust seasoning. Reduce sauce if needed until properly thickened.

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