Coq Au Vin

★★★☆☆
Prep: 45 mins Cook: 1 hr 10 mins Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil15 ml olive oil
  • 120g pancetta or bacon lardons, cubed120g pancetta or bacon lardons, cubed
  • 8-10 pieces chicken thighs and legs8-10 pieces chicken thighs and legs
  • 1 onion1 onion
  • 2 carrots2 carrots
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 80ml brandy or whisky80ml brandy or whisky
  • 375ml red wine375ml red wine
  • 250ml chicken stock250ml chicken stock
  • 8-10 sprigs thyme8-10 sprigs thyme
  • 1 tbsp butter15 ml butter
  • 1½ tbsp flour (or corn starch for gluten-free)20 ml flour (or corn starch for gluten-free)
  • 250g mushrooms250g mushrooms
  • Salt and pepper to tasteSalt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 120°C/250°F. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Fry pancetta or bacon lardons for 8-10 minutes until browned and remove to a plate.
  2. 2. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and brown in batches to avoid overcrowding. Remove to same plate as bacon. You're just browning both sides, not cooking through.
  3. 3. Slice onions and carrots in medium chunks and add to pot with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Add brandy and scrape up browned bits. Return bacon and chicken with juices, pour in wine, stock, and thyme. Bring to boil, cover, and place in oven for 55 minutes.
  4. 4. When chicken is no longer pink, mix melted butter with flour and stir into sauce. Slice mushrooms thickly and add to pot. Taste and adjust seasoning. Return to oven uncovered for 10-15 minutes to thicken sauce.
Use bone-in chicken thighs and legs rather than breasts, which become stringy with long cooking. The low oven temperature allows for gentle braising. Deglazing with brandy adds depth - whiskey, bourbon, or red wine can substitute. Sauce color varies from brown to purple depending on wine choice. The beurre manié (butter-flour mixture) helps thicken if needed after natural reduction.
Wine Pairing: Medium Red — Burgundian Pinot Noir — mirrors the cooking wine while complementing the earthy mushrooms and rich braised flavors without overwhelming the delicate chicken
Source: Julia Frey of Vikalinka
braised, red wine, One Pot, chicken, mushrooms, pancetta, winter, comfort food