Classic French Coq Au Vin Rouge

Quintessentially French, Coq Au Vin Rouge (literally “rooster in red wine”) is an iconic dish from the rustic cooking repertoire of France. Made from a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, with bacon, mushrooms and carrots, it is traditionally cooked using Burgundy red wine, resulting in its signature purplish sauce.

The origin of Coq Au Vin

It is said “Coq au Vin” recipes were originally developed by the French to cook the tough meat of older roosters – and to make it more tender and enjoyable. 

In many ways, the classic Coq Au Vin Rouge recipe can remind of Beef Bourguignon– another recipe of the Burgundy region – as the meat is braised in Burgundy wine with carrots, mushrooms and onions as staple fixings.

But you will find in fact a plethora of Coq Au Vin recipes throughout France. The basic components of the recipe remain the same: chicken on the bone, vegetable fixings and wine – with each region using their own locally-produced bottle. Some of these most famous takes include Coq au Pourpre (made with Beaujolais Nouveau), Coq Au Riesling (made in Alsace region), Coq Au Champagne (made in Champagne region). Coq Au Vin Blanc, traditionally made with a dry white wine is another popular take that brighter and fruitier in flavor, with the sauce optionally enriched with cream.

A popular French dish since the early 20^th century, Coq Au Vin was brought to fame in North America thanks to cooking teacher Julia Child, who included her version of it in her 1961 cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

The classic Coq Au Vin Rouge recipe

The classic Coq Au Vin Rouge recipe has a big reputation, which includes taking zero short cuts to achieve its authentic flavors. But, you will quickly realize how it is still a very approachable recipe. All the ingredients, techniques and instructions are straightforward and easy to complete. Choose your ingredients wisely, take it step-by-step and you’ll be all set for success.

The chicken

A Coq Au Vin is meant to use a whole bird, cut into pieces. Bone-in pieces truly impart so much flavor to this dish, so I recommend you go this route. Choose the best quality bird you can find. A locally raised and free-range bird is ideal. You can ask your butcher to cut a chicken into 8 pieces: 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings and 2 breasts. Or you can do it yourself (it is much easier than what you think!) – you can watch this video to guide you. Make sure you keep the carcass to make chicken stock. 

The red wine

To build a classic Coq Au Vin rouge ,I recommend a dry and fruity red Burgundy wine.

Good choices include: 

• Pinot Noir (light-bodied)
• Gamay (light-bodied)
• Merlot (medium-bodied)
• Cabernet Sauvignon (full-bodied) 

You can opt for a full-bodied wine for a rich and complex sauce or a light-bodied wine for a lighter sauce. You shouldn’t necessarily reach for a pricy bottle, but one that is still drinkable (forget the “cooking wines” from the grocery store!).

The Beurre manié

Beurre manié, French for « kneaded butter », consists of equal parts soft (room-temperature) butter and flour kneaded together by hand or with a fork to form a paste. The raw paste is then traditionally used to thicken soups and sauces – just like in the Coq Au Vin. While the flour acts as a thickener and provides body to the sauce, the butter imparts a shiny texture.

Adding beurre manié into the sauce is a last-minute step, to be done just before serving your dish.  This guarantees you will bring to the table a rich-looking, glistening Coq Au Vin Rouge. 

Final cooking tips: 

• Take the chicken pieces out of the fridge at least 2 hours before you cook them, to allow them to get close to room temperature. Pat the chicken dry very thoroughly, which will make for an extra-crisp skin when cooking.
• In France, “lardons” are used in this recipe. Lardons is slab bacon sliced into matchsticks. Instead, we’re using bacon here to recreate lardons sticks.  
• For this recipe, you will need a large skillet or Dutch oven (with a lid) that can go from the stove-top to the oven. 

How to serve Coq Au Vin Rouge?

Coq Au Vin Rouge truly is a delicious, hearty and comforting recipe. Yet it is a little more impressive than your average chicken stew, if you ask me. This big dish is perfectly suited for hosting, as it tastes even better the next day. You can make this recipe the day before, and re-heat it over low heat just before serving.

Coq Au Vin is best served over mashed potatoes, large tagliatelle pasta, or white rice. A crusty baguette on the side is mandatory for dipping into the sauce. 

I hope you’ll love this Classic Coq Au Vin Rouge recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More Chicken recipes you may like: 

• French Chicken and Mushroom Pie (Tourte)
• French Roast Chicken (Poulet Rôti)
• French Tarragon Chicken 
• Simple Chicken Marengo with Mushrooms 
• Chicken Chasseur (Classic French Hunter’s Chicken)
• Braised Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Onion
• Chicken Breasts in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Classic French Coq Au Vin Rouge

Print Recipe

Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 45 minutes Cooking Time: 1H10Minutes 1H10Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.8/5

( 16 voted )

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 4lbs), cut in 8 pieces.
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter (14g), salted or unsalted
4 ounces bacon (4 strips/115g), sliced into 1/2-inch thick matchsticks
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 large or 2 medium carrots (about 250g), cut into 1-inch thick rounds
¼ cup (62.5ml) Brandy or Cognac
½ bottle (375ml) hearty red wine (*see notes)
2 tbsp (30g) tomato paste
8 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf

For the mushrooms:
1 tbsp butter (14g), salted or unsalted
227g button mushrooms, whole
10-12 pearl onions or small shallots, peeled and left whole

For the beurre manié:
1 tbsp butter (14g), salted or unsalted, at room temperature
1 tbsp flour

Instructions

Step 1 - At least 2 hours before you start cooking, rinse the chicken pieces thoroughly and pat them dry all over with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Be generous and make sure to get inside all the nooks and crannies. Set aside to "warm" to near room temperature. You can prepare your vegetables (carrots, onions, etc.) in the meantime. 

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle. 

Step 2 - In a large heavy-bottom skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the bacon matchsticks over medium heat for 7-8 minutes until crispy. Set aside on a plate. Do not wash the skillet. 

Step 3 - Place the chicken pieces into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes on each side, until the skin is golden. Set aside with the bacon. Do not wash the skillet.  

Step 4 - Add the onion and garlic and to the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a large wooden spoon, until lightly caramelized. Add in the tomato paste, brandy (or cognac), wine and bay leaf, and stir to combine – make sure to scrape off the bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 10 minutes uncovered.

Step 5 -Add the chicken pieces back into the skillet, along with the chopped carrots and top with the bacon and sprigs of thyme. Bring to a slow simmer again, cover with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.

Step 6 - While the chicken cooks in the oven, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms and pearl onions for about 10 minutes, until cooked through.

Step 7 - Remove the chicken from the oven. In a small bowl, mash together 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour and stir into the skillet with a fork. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms, and simmer over medium heat for about 10 extra minutes for the sauce to thicken to your liking. Serve.