Supposedly, Coq au Vin has a history dating back to Julius Caesar’s invasion of what is now France. A dish with that kind of history just has to be amazing, and it is! Coq au Vin marinades and braises chicken until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender, in a rich wine sauce. With plenty of hearty and savory mushrooms, sweet pearl onions, and delightful herbs and spices, this dish is filled with complex flavors that come together to make something marvelous! It may take a little patience to make it, but once you try you’ll know it’s worth it… and you’ll be planning for the next time you can whip it up!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- 4 chicken drumsticks, bone-in and skin-on
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup brandy, optional
- 3 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 8 ounces mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 8 ounces pearl onions, peeled
- 2 tablespoons flour + 2 tablespoons butter (traditional beurre manie)
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –In a medium-sized bowl, add the chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, red wine, chicken stock, and brandy. Set aside.
Step 2 –In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 8 minutes.
Step 3 –Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
Step 4 –Remove the chicken from the wine marinade, reserve the marinade, and pat the chicken dry.
Step 5 –In batches, place the chicken skin-side down in the skillet, searing until golden, about 5 minutes per side.
Step 6 –Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Step 7 –Pour the bacon and chicken fat into a heatproof dish, reserving 2 tablespoons in the skillet. Set the heatproof dish aside.
Step 8 –Add the sliced onion and carrots to the skillet and cook until the onion becomes golden brown, about 7-8 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 10 –Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. To the cleared side of the pan, add the tomato paste and cook until fragrant and it begins to darken.
Step 11 –Pour the reserved wine marinade into the pan and stir, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the skillet.
Step 12 –Nestle the chicken into the skillet.
Step 13 –Sprinkle the thyme over the chicken.
Step 14 –Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.
Step 15 –Let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 16 –In a separate large skillet, add the reserved chicken and bacon fat over medium-high heat.
Step 17 –Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
Step 18 –Add the pearl onions to the skillet with the chicken and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 19 –Transfer the chicken from the skillet.
Step 20 –Add the beurre manie into the skillet you used to cook the chicken, stirring it into the sauce and allowing it to thicken.
Step 21 –Season with salt and pepper.
Step 22 –Return the chicken to the skillet and top with the cooked bacon and mushrooms.
Step 23 –Serve hot!
