Slow Cooker Coq au Vin

5 from 1 vote

Coq au Vin is an old-world French classic of chicken and vegetable braised in the oven. We have updated the recipe as a Slow Cooker Coq au Vin with all the same awesome flavors without heating up the oven.

Prep Time30

Cook Time8

Total Time8 30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: French

Keyword: coq au vin crock pot, Slow Cooker Coq au Vin

Servings: servings

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

½ pound salt pork or sliced thick-cut bacon, diced
8 ounces frozen pearl onions or fresh and peeled (see Notes)
4 chicken drumsticks
4 bone-in chicken thighs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound cremini mushrooms whole if small, halved if large
2 medium shallots finely chopped
4 garlic cloves grated or minced
6 large carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups chicken broth
3 ounces tomato paste
2 cups red wine
1 to 2 sprigs Fresh thyme tied with rosemary
1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary tied with thyme
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter softened
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

In a heavy-bottomed skillet set on medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Add the peeled onions to the rendered fat in the skillet and brown the lightly. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and add to the slow cooker insert.
Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and, working in batches, brown to a rich, golden brown. Using tongs, remove to a plate as they brown and continue until all the chicken has been browned.
Add the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and carrots to the slow cooker. Combine the chicken broth with the tomato paste and stir until the tomato paste is lump-free, then add to the slow cooker.
Pour in the red wine and stir to blend the ingredients; then add the tied herbs and the bay leaves.
Place the browned chicken in the slow cooker, just barely submerged. Place the lid on the cooker and set the temperature to low. Cook for 7-8 hours, taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.
In a small dish, mash the butter and flour together to a smooth paste and stir into the slow cooker mixture.
Cook for an additional hour to thicken the liquid slightly.
When ready to serve, bring the slow cooker insert to the table and ladle the coq au vin into shallow bowls with 1 thigh and 1 chicken leg per serving with cooked noodles or mashed potatoes. Top each serving with a tablespoon of the reserved bacon bits and garnish with parsley.

Notes

To peel the pearl onion, tip them into a saucepan of boiling water for one to two minutes then plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking; then remove them and drain on a kitchen towel. When they are cool, snip off the top and squeeze the root end and they slide right out of their skins.
Frozen pearl onions can be used instead of the fresh onions. Thaw them completely and add them to the slow cooker when stirring in the flour/butter mixture.
This recipe will use 1/2 of a bottle of dry red wine. Buy a good bottle that you like and finish the bottle with your delicious dinner!♥️

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