Classic French Coq au Vin

Coq au vin

 

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Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 80 mins
Tenderize: 8 hrs
Total: 9 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Coq au vin is one of those French recipes known around the world, yet most people think that the recipe is for chicken. Coq au vin, or rooster in wine, was created as a delicious way to tenderize a tough, old bird in poor households. Today, chicken is widely used and still creates a fabulous dish, but if you can get your hands on an old bird, do try the authentic recipe. 

Coq au vin is an excellent, hearty meal that needs little else except good wine to be complete. 

Ingredients

  • 5 pound chicken, rinsed, patted dry, cut into 6 large pieces

  • 2 medium carrots, cut into bite-size chunks

  • 2 medium white onions, coarsely chopped

  • 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

  • 1 medium tomato, chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 5 cups dry red wine

  • 1/4 cup Cognac

  • 1/4 cup canola oil, or extra-light olive oil

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoons sugar

  • 6 ounces good-quality sliced bacon, coarsely chopped

  • 8 ounces pearl onions

  • 8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Steps to Make It

  1. Place the chicken in a large, deep, non-reactive casserole dish.

  2. Layer the carrots, onion, celery, tomato, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and pepper evenly over the chicken pieces.

  3. In a small bowl, mix together the red wine, Cognac, and oil.

  4. Drizzle the wine mixture over the vegetables and chicken, and then marinate the mixture overnight, for 8 to 12 hours.

  5. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

  6. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

  7. Remove each piece of the chicken from the marinade, reserving the liquid, and brown them on each side.

  8. Set aside the chicken, scoop the vegetables out of the marinade, and cook them in the skillet for 5 minutes, until they begin to get tender.

  9. Arrange the chicken in a deep, glass casserole dish, layer the vegetables over the chicken, and pour the reserved liquid over the casserole.

  10. Sprinkle the salt and sugar over the mixture, cover, and bake it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

  11. While the chicken is baking, fry the bacon in the skillet until it is crispy and set it aside to drain.

  12. Pour off all but approximately 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease and sauté the onions and the mushrooms over low-medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until they turn tender.

  13. When the chicken has cooked for 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and add the bacon, mushrooms, and onions. Cover and return the casserole to the oven for 20 minutes.

  14. Mix together the 2 tablespoons remaining softened butter and all-purpose flour until they form a smooth paste.

  15. Add the butter-flour mixture, or beurre manie, to the chicken and vegetables for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

  16. Remove the casserole from the oven and stir the beurre manie ​throughout the dish. Allow it to sit and thicken for a few minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1384 Calories
78g Fat
22g Carbs
103g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 1384
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 78g 101%
Saturated Fat 24g 120%
Cholesterol 409mg 136%
Sodium 1206mg 52%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 103g
Vitamin C 13mg 63%
Calcium 107mg 8%
Iron 9mg 48%
Potassium 1551mg 33%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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