Recipes
Coq au Vin
Tender chicken meets crispy bacon, earthy mushrooms, and sweet pearl onions in this classic French stew.
- Serves
4–6
- Time
1 hour 30 minutes, plus marinating
This timeless chicken braise, dotted with pearl onions, lardons, and button mushrooms, is the first French dish many cooks outside of France make, and no wonder: It’s as simple to prepare as it is elegant to serve. The red wine acts as both a marinade and a braising liquid in this classic Burgundian dish, so choose a full-bodied wine with good acidity.
Featured in “101 Classic Recipes” in the October 2012 issue.
Ingredients
- 12 thyme sprigs
- 5 parsley sprigs
- 3 bay leaves
- One 3–4-lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 4 cups red wine
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 10 oz. pearl onions, peeled
- 12 oz. white button mushrooms, quartered
- 10 oz. bacon, cut into ½-in. pieces
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Finely chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
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Instructions
Step 1
In a square of cheesecloth, use twine to tie the thyme, parsley, and bay leaves into a tight bundle for a bouquet garni, then add to a large bowl. Add the chicken, wine, and yellow onion, then cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or up to 12.
Step 2
Place a strainer over a medium bowl and strain the chicken mixture. Reserve the wine in the bowl. Dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels and set aside. Reserve the yellow onion and bouquet garni.
Step 3
To a large heavy pot over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the pearl onions and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and tender, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add the mushrooms to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture and brown lightly, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the pearl onions and set aside.
Step 4
Add the bacon to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside to drain.
Step 5
Add the butter to the pot. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Step 6
Add the reserved yellow onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in the stock and reserved wine.
Step 7
Return the chicken and any juices to the pot along with the reserved bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Step 8
Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved pearl onions and mushrooms. Divide among serving bowls, garnish with the parsley and reserved bacon, and serve.
- In a square of cheesecloth, use twine to tie the thyme, parsley, and bay leaves into a tight bundle for a bouquet garni, then add to a large bowl. Add the chicken, wine, and yellow onion, then cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or up to 12.
- Place a strainer over a medium bowl and strain the chicken mixture. Reserve the wine in the bowl. Dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels and set aside. Reserve the yellow onion and bouquet garni.
- To a large heavy pot over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the pearl onions and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and tender, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add the mushrooms to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture and brown lightly, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the pearl onions and set aside.
- Add the bacon to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside to drain.
- Add the butter to the pot. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the reserved yellow onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in the stock and reserved wine.
- Return the chicken and any juices to the pot along with the reserved bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved pearl onions and mushrooms. Divide among serving bowls, garnish with the parsley and reserved bacon, and serve.
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