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Learn how to make a French Chicken Coq Au Vin Recipe for a rich, savory braised chicken dish with a hearty red wine sauce. A slight twist on the classic dish, this recipe for coq au vin comes together with extra veggies in just one pot.
Ready to eat in about an hour, this coq au vin chicken is fuss-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and guaranteed to be an instant favorite!
What Is Coq Au Vin?
Coq Au Vin is a classic French recipe that originates in the Burgundy region of France. A French chicken stew, it features bone-in chicken thighs braised in red wine with mushrooms and pancetta. Seasoned with herbs, it offers lots of depth of flavor and rich, herbaceous tastes no one can resist.
This chicken coq au vin recipe encompasses all the original ingredients of the dish. However, we add a few extra vegetables to make it even more nutritious and filling.
Decadent and delicious, each bite will make you feel like you’re dining in a fancy restaurant, making it perfect for special occasions and date nights. However, combined in one pot with minimal prep and a quick cook time for a total time of about an hour, this dish is great for busy weeknights, too!
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list and nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, sodium, etc.!
- Pancetta: Traditional coq au vin recipes use pancetta, but we find that prosciutto or thick-cut bacon works just as well.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken thighs are our go-to, but you can also substitute chicken drumsticks if preferred. Dark meat works best. So, we don’t recommend using white meat like chicken breasts. They tend to become a little too dry!
- Veggies: Yellow onion, shallot, carrots, leeks, celery, white mushrooms, and garlic cloves replicate the flavor of the original dish while adding even more flavor, bulk, and nutrients.
- Red Wine: A must in any good coq au vin recipe! We’ve tested this recipe with Chianti Classico, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, and even Merlot, but any red wine you like best will taste great.
- Chicken Broth: This helps thin out the sauce without diluting the flavor. I almost always have homemade chicken broth on hand, but you can substitute store-bought chicken broth or chicken stock. I recommend using low-sodium varieties!
- Tomato Paste: Adds depth to the sauce.
- Herbs and Spices: Use a bay leaf, fresh thyme sprigs (or dried thyme), salt, and black pepper.
Where I Buy My Protein
- 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef
- Free-Range Organic Chicken
- Humanely Raised Pork
- Wild-Caught Seafood
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How to Make This Chicken Coq Au Vin Recipe
- Brown: Heat a Dutch oven over medium or medium-high heat. Then, add the bacon, and cook until it browns. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess grease, but don’t remove the grease from the Dutch oven. This adds flavor to the entire dish without the need for extra butter or oil!
- Sear the chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken in the bacon grease, flipping until both sides are browned. Then, transfer the chicken to the plate with the bacon.
- Sauté: Add the onion, shallots, carrots, and celery, and cook until tender. Then, add the leek and mushrooms, and continue to cook until softened before adding the garlic. Cook just until fragrant.
- Boil: Pour in the red wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Then, place the chicken on top, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve: Discard the bay leaf and thyme springs. Then, season to taste, and stir in the cooked bacon and parsley.
Helpful Tools
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, chicken coq au vin is served over mashed potatoes. I love to pair it with Instant Pot mashed potatoes or my dairy free mashed potatoes! However, it’s also great with cooked egg noodles or crusty bread to soak up all the sauce.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months! Thaw frozen chicken coq au vin in the fridge overnight.
Then, reheat in a skillet or pot on the stove over medium heat. Add a splash of broth as needed to loosen the sauce back up.
FAQs
Similar to a chicken or beef stew, coq au vin is savory with rich, complex flavors and herbaceous notes.
Translated literally, coq au vin means, “rooster in wine.” However, it is also often translated as, “chicken in wine,” which is a perfect description of the dish!
For the best taste, we recommend using a full-bodied wine like Burgundy or Pinot Noir. The deep, fruity notes balance the richness of the meat nicely for a well-balanced dish.
More Chicken Recipes To Try
Easy Chicken Coq Au Vin
Ingredients
- 4 oz pancetta or 4 oz thick cut bacon diced*
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 shallot chopped
- 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped*
- 1 leek
- 16 oz white mushrooms sliced
- 6 garlic cloves minced or 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups red wine I’ve used a chianti classico and pinot noir, but maybe any type of burgundy*
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 tbsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley*
Instructions
- Heat dutch oven on medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb grease. Do not remove the grease from the dutch oven!4 oz pancetta or 4 oz thick cut bacon
- Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the chicken in the dutch oven with bacon grease, cooking for 4-5 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon.2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Add the onion, shallots, carrots, and celery, cook until tender, about 5 minutes.1 yellow onion, 1 shallot, 3 large carrots, 2 celery stalks
- Add leek and mushrooms, cook for an additional 5 minutes.1 leek, 16 oz white mushrooms
- Add garlic, cook for 1 minute until fragnant.6 garlic cloves
- Add red wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, sprigs of thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir then place chicken on top of mixture. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.2 cups red wine, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 bay leaf, 10 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 tbsp dried thyme, Salt and pepper
- Once cooked, discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cooked bacon and parsley.1/4 cup chopped parsley*
- Serve alone or over mashed potatoes.
Notes
- May use 1 lb drumsticks in addition to thighs! Follow the same steps for chicken thighs (wondering if you could do 3-4 lbs meat, doing 2 lbs chicken thighs, 1-2 lbs drumsticks).
- Pancetta or prosciutto would also work well in place of bacon
- The wine dominates the flavor of the dish, I used a Bordeaux, though a Pinot Noir is a popular choice
