Coq au Vin sounds like a gourmet dish, but it’s actually an easy-to-make meal. This chicken cooked in red wine is perfect for date nights at home, or any time you need a nice (yet simple) dinner. If you think this recipe sounds delish, then wait until you taste it!
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Chicken Coq au Vin
This coq au vin recipe is an easy one-pot meal. It’s a time-saving way to make a traditional dish that can be easily served on any occasion!
Serve this rich, decadent dish with starches and grains such as mashed or roasted potatoes, white rice, egg noodles, farro, or French bread. And don’t forget your favorite glass of red wine!
Why You’ll Love this Easy Coq au Vin Recipe:
- Simple ingredients: This delicious recipe calls for chicken, bacon, wine, carrots, onions, butter, and tomato paste. That’s it!
- No-mess meal: Cooking the coq au vin in a Dutch oven means very little mess to clean up after dinner.
- Great for guests: You’re sure to wow your guests with this classic chicken coq au vin recipe!
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How to Make Coq au Vin
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Using a dutch oven, cook the bacon until crispy. Set aside.
- Next, add the chicken thighs to your Dutch oven. Cook according to the instructions below (in the recipe card). Reserve 3 tablespoons of fat, throwing out the rest.
- In the reserved oil, add in your vegetables and cook as instructed. Then add the tomato paste and flour, stirring to coat the vegetables.
- While continuing to stir, pour in the red wine and chicken broth. Add the thyme and bay leaf.
- Next, add the chicken and half of the bacon. Simmer. Cover and cook accordingly.
- Garnish with fresh thyme and serve. Enjoy!
Coq au vin is French for “rooster in wine.” This dish is a savory, rich stew made from rooster (or, more commonly, chicken thighs and/or drumsticks), wine, bacon, garlic, herbs, and veggies.
I strongly advise against it! Traditional coq au vin made with rooster has a texture and flavor much more similar to dark meat chicken, so using dark meat (such as thighs or drumsticks) will give you the most authentic flavor. If you choose to use chicken breasts, look for bone-in breasts!
The best pot for coq au vin is a cast-iron Dutch oven. It helps retain heat better, and the lid keeps in steam, leading to more tender meat.
Traditional coq au vin is made with a red Burgundy wine, such as a Pinot Noir or Gamay. You can also make coq au vin blanc with a drier white wine such as Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc.
Yes, you can! You will still need to cook the bacon in a separate pan, and I recommend searing the chicken and cooking the onion before adding them to the crockpot. Add the seared chicken, onion, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf to the crock of your crockpot, cover, and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Once cooked, transfer to a Dutch oven and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. You can whisk in the flour and butter to help thicken at this point, then stir in the bacon and serve.
Set your instant pot to sauté and cook the bacon. Remove and drain any grease, then sear the chicken for 3-5 minutes. Remove the chicken, then sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Turn the instant pot off and add the carrots, mushrooms, garlic, wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, and chicken. Cover and cook on high pressure for about 15 minutes, then let naturally release. If the sauce needs to thicken, you can add the flour and butter to help thicken, or simply turn your instant pot to sauté and cook until thickened. Stir in the bacon and serve.
Recipe Variations
- You can add white button mushrooms for extra flavor.
- Try adding pearl onions in place of the yellow onions.
- If preferred, add some chicken drumsticks along with the thighs.
- You can also make coq au vin with a dry wine such as Sauvignon or Pinot Gris.
Make Ahead Instructions
Coq au vin can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend storing the mushrooms and bacon separately, then stirring them in before serving. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover coq au vin in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze coq au vin whole or in individual portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Substitutions
- You can use pancetta in place of the bacon.
- A combination of chicken thighs and drumsticks is delicious as well!
- You can use white button or cremini mushrooms in this recipe.
- You can use peeled pearl onions in place of the yellow onion.
- For coq au vin blanc, use white wine in place of the red.
- Feel free to use low-sodium beef broth in place of the chicken broth for a richer flavor.
Tips for the Best Coq au Vin
- Use dark meat chicken (such as thighs and/or drumsticks) for the most tender coq au vin. White meat (such as breasts) tends to dry out.
- If using chicken breasts, opt for bone-in.
- Before cooking, trim any excess skin or fat from the chicken.
- Don’t skip searing the chicken; this browning adds a ton of rich flavor to the stew.
- Cook until the sauce is just slightly thinner than you would like it. The roux will continue to thicken the sauce after you take it off the heat, and the leftovers will thicken even more once refrigerated.
More One Pot Chicken Recipes We Love
It’s fun trying new recipes. If you’re unfamiliar with coq au vin, this is the recipe for you. It’s super easy and tastes amazing! You’re sure to wow your family and guests with this delicious one-pot dinner.
More Delicious Stew Recipes to Try:
- Stovetop Beef Stew
- Guinness Beef Stew
- White Wine Chicken Stew
- Crock Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
- Beef Stroganoff Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Coq au Vin Recipe
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Ingredients
- 6 slices uncooked bacon chopped
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 yellow onion roughly chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 carrot chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups red wine such as Pinot Noir
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves plus more for garnish
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ⅜ stick
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until rendered and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.6 slices uncooked bacon
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and, working in batches if needed, sear them skin side down until deeply golden, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden, about 3-5 more minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of fat from the pot and discard the rest.
- To the pot with the reserved oil, add in the onion and carrots. Cook until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.1 yellow onion, 1 carrot, 2 cloves garlic, 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
- Add in the tomato paste and flour, stirring to coat the vegetables. While stirring, slowly pour in the wine and chicken broth. Stir in the thyme and bay leaf.1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 cups red wine, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 bay leaf
- Return the chicken and half of the bacon to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and very tender, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid, stir in the butter, and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Garnish with additional fresh thyme and serve.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- You can use pancetta in place of the bacon.
- A combination of chicken thighs and drumsticks is delicious as well!
- You can use white button or cremini mushrooms in this recipe.
- You can use peeled pearl onions in place of the yellow onion.
- For coq au vin blanc, use white wine in place of the red.
- Feel free to use low-sodium beef broth in place of the chicken broth for a richer flavor.
- Use dark meat chicken (such as thighs and/or drumsticks) for the most tender coq au vin. White meat (such as breasts) tends to dry out.
- If using chicken breasts, opt for bone-in.
- Before cooking, trim any excess skin or fat from the chicken.
- Don’t skip searing the chicken; this browning adds a ton of rich flavor to the stew.
- Cook until the sauce is just slightly thinner than you would like it. The roux will continue to thicken the sauce after you take it off the heat, and the leftovers will thicken even more once refrigerated.
Nutrition Information
Very rich and delicious. Will make again!