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Coq au vin is French comfort food in its most straightforward form: chicken braised in red wine until tender, with mushrooms, pork, and pearl onions building a deep, savory sauce.
This recipe keeps the soul of the dish but skips the extra steps, using a one-pot cook, and a few shortcuts to make it weeknight-friendly.
If you enjoy braised chicken dishes like this one, chicken cacciatore is another one-pot recipe built around slow cooking and a deeply flavored sauce.
Here’s Why This Coq Au Vin Recipe Works
Short marinade, big flavor: A 30-minute wine bath builds depth fast. No overnight soak required.
Layered browning builds flavor: Crisp the pork, sear the mushrooms, then brown the chicken. Each step adds its own hit of umami.
The roux makes the sauce: Butter and flour thicken the braising liquid into a rich, glossy sauce that hugs every bite.
Frozen onions, zero shame: They save serious time and turn just as sweet once simmered in red wine.
One pot, steady heat: Cooking everything in a Dutch oven allows for even browning on the stovetop and a gentle, consistent oven braise.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken: Bone-in, skin-on thighs and legs are ideal here. They stay moist during the long braise and add richness to the sauce that boneless cuts can’t match.
Red Wine: Choose a dry red with moderate body and good acidity. Pinot Noir or Merlot both work well, adding depth without overpowering the chicken.
Salt Pork (or Bacon): Salt pork provides clean, porky richness without smoke. Bacon can be used instead, but opt for an unsmoked or lightly smoked variety to keep the flavor balanced.
Pearl Onions: Frozen pearl onions are a practical shortcut and soften beautifully in the wine sauce. Fresh onions work just as well if you don’t mind the extra prep.
Mushrooms: Button mushrooms hold their shape and absorb flavor without becoming spongy. Avoid slicing them too thin so they brown properly and stay meaty.
Carrots: Cut into large chunks so they remain tender but intact after the oven braise, adding sweetness and texture to the finished dish.
Flour and Butter: These form a simple roux that thickens the sauce naturally. Cooking the roux briefly removes any raw flour taste while keeping the sauce smooth.
Recipe Tips
Dry the chicken thoroughly: Moisture prevents proper browning. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before seasoning.
Brown in batches: Avoid overcrowding the pot, which causes the chicken to steam instead of sear. Work in batches to develop color and flavor.
Choose a drinkable wine: The wine forms the backbone of the sauce, so use one you would enjoy drinking. A dry red such as Pinot Noir or Côtes du Rhône works well.
Do not skip the flour step: Cooking the butter and flour briefly creates a roux that thickens the braising liquid into a smooth, cohesive sauce.
Cut the carrots evenly: Larger pieces hold their shape during the long oven braise, staying tender without becoming soft or mushy.
Season in layers: Lightly season the chicken and vegetables at each stage to build balanced flavor throughout the dish, not just at the end.
Arrange the chicken skin-side up: Keeping the skin above the liquid helps the meat stay juicy while preventing the skin from becoming overly soft.
Rest before serving: Allow the coq au vin to sit for 10–15 minutes after baking so the sauce settles and flavors fully develop.
Remove bay before serving: Bay leaves add depth during cooking but should be removed to avoid bitterness on the plate.
Prefer a hands-off approach? This slow cooker coq au vin uses the same flavors with an even more relaxed cooking method.
One Pot Coq Au Vin
This coq au vin proves you don’t need a weekend, a French grandmother, or twelve extra steps to get a great result. It’s a French stew at heart. Build the flavor, let the oven handle the rest, and you’ll get tender chicken and a sauce worth dragging bread through. Classic, unfussy, and very hard to mess up.
If you enjoy this style of cooking, this Braised Chicken with Star Anise is another one-pot recipe built around the same slow, flavor-forward approach.
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Coq Au Vin
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken thighs and legs
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 cups water
- 10 ounces frozen pearl onions, or fresh
- ½ pound salt pork, roughly chopped
- ½ pound button mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 large carrots, cut in 1-inch lengths
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Add the chicken and wine to a closable plastic bag and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Add the 2 cups of water to a medium sized pan and when it begins to boil add the pearl onions and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove them from the heat, drain them and plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking process. When cool enough to handle, make a small slit at the top of each onion and pinch and squeeze at the bottom and they will slide right out of the peel. Reserve for later.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, set over moderate heat, add the pork strips or bacon, stirring frequently. When they are nicely browned and crisp, remove them to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the mushrooms to the pot and brown them in the pork fat. Remove and set aside with the onions and pork.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade (do not discard the marinade) and place it on a plate lined with paper towels. Pat the chicken with additional paper towels to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Add the oil to the remaining pork fat in the pot and, over medium-high heat, brown the chicken pieces a few pieces at a time. Remove each batch and place on a plate while browning the next batch.
- When all the chicken has browned, add the butter to the pot and when it has melted stir in the flour and cook for one or two minutes. Add the chicken stock and the reserved marinade and stir well with a whisk.
- Add the carrots, bay leaves, thyme and garlic to the pot. Add the browned chicken, arranging so that it is partially out of the sauce and skin side up. Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from the heat and put a lid on the pot. Transfer the pot to the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Add the reserved pork bits, onions and mushrooms. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Transfer from the oven to the table, remove the bay leaves and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This looks delicious! Definitely a classic I need to try!
Thanks, Sabrina….it is delicious. 🙂
I haven’t made — or had! — this dish in ages. Used to be a regular for me, although that was years ago. You really have me in the mood to make this again! Perfect for the cooler weather that’s coming. Thanks!
Thanks, John….:)
This looks so good – one of our favorite meals in the winter and fall – now I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Thanks, Donalyn, hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 🙂