France · France
Coq au Vin (Chicken Braised in Red Wine)
Chicken slowly braised in full-bodied red wine with bacon, mushrooms and pearl onions until silky and richly flavored.
Coq au vin is the dish every French region claims differently, and the version people argue about is how the flour thickens the sauce. A roux made at the start and cooked through the wine gives a heavier sauce; one stirred in at the end is lighter. The wine must be cooked long enough that its raw edge disappears.
Ingredients
- chicken thighs, bone-in800 g
- dry red wine750 ml
- thick-cut bacon, lardons150 g
- cremini mushrooms, quartered250 g
- pearl onions, peeled200 g
- carrot, sliced2 pieces
- chicken stock250 ml
- tomato paste30 g
- garlic cloves, crushed4 pieces
- fresh thyme5 g
- bay leaf2 pieces
- all-purpose flour20 g
- butter40 g
- neutral oil30 ml
- fine salt2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
Directions
- 1
Cook bacon lardons in a heavy pot until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon.
Bacon is mahogany and crisp. - 2
Season chicken with salt and pepper, brown in the bacon fat on all sides; remove.
Chicken has deep golden skin and feels firm. - 3
Soften carrots and pearl onions in the same pot with butter and oil; sprinkle with flour and stir 1 minute.
Flour cooks into a sandy paste coating the vegetables. - 4
Pour in wine and stock, add garlic, tomato paste, thyme and bay; bring to a simmer.
Liquid is glossy and smells of red wine and herbs. - 5
Return chicken and bacon to the pot, cover and braise 40 minutes.
Chicken pulls away from the bone easily. - 6
Add mushrooms and simmer uncovered 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Sauce coats the back of a spoon and mushrooms are tender. - 7
Adjust seasoning and serve with crusty bread or buttered egg noodles.
Dish is glossy and smells richly of red wine and herbs.
Source: WorldBite Editorial · WorldBite Proprietary Editorial Content