COQ AU VIN

A French classic! This chicken stew with red wine is incredibly delicious and is perfect for those chilly Fall nights.

Time: 1.5 hours (plus overnight marinade) | Difficulty: 2/5 | Servings: 4

1. Marinate

Place the chicken it in a bowl or dish with the wine, onion, bay leaf, and thyme. Marinate for 6 hours or preferably overnight.  

2. Chop and Simmer

Remove the chicken, onions, and bay leaf and set aside. Add wine to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half. Then set aside. While the wine is simmering, chop your vegetables.

3. Cook Chicken

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare to brown your chicken. Pat chicken dry (this will help with the browning). Then season chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Then heat olive oil in an oven-safe braising pan or Dutch oven. Add chicken thighs and legs in batches to the pot. Cook each piece for 4 - 6 minutes, until the skin is nicely browned. Set aside on a tray. 

4. Fry

In the same pan, fry your bacon lardons. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes until golden brown. Then remove and add to the same tray as the chicken.

5. Sauté Mushrooms and Carrots

Next, sauté your vegetables in batches. Starting with your mushrooms, cook for 4 - 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove and add to try with chicken. Note, you can add a little more oil to the pot at any point if you need it. Repeat this same step with your carrots. 

6. Sauté Onions Garlic

Finally, sauté your onions for 4 – 5 minutes. Once your onions are browned, leave them in the pot and add butter. Once melted, add your minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Then add your tomato paste, mixing in for about 2 minutes, and your flour, mixing in for another 2 minutes. 

7. Add Stock and Wine

Slowly mix in your beef stock, until the flour lumps are dissolved. Then add your reduced wine.

8. Mix All Together

Once beef stock and reduced wine are mixed in, add your chicken, bacon, mushrooms, carrots, and bay leaf. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a simmer, then cover and place in oven for 45 minutes.

9. Finish

Once done, remove from the oven. Serve over mashed potatoes, top with chopped parsley, and enjoy with a glass of burgundy. Cheers!