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Coq au vin
Many traditional French recipes began out of necessity as a way to make cheap foods taste great. Such is the case for this classic chicken dish, which is both hearty and amazing. <anchor>Coq au vin</anchor> means "rooster in wine" and it was devised as a way to cook the tough meat of an old bird. It is a country-style dish now made with chicken that is filled with vegetables. It does require a few steps and many hours of unattended cooking time, but the techniques aren't that difficult and the end result is worth the effort. This casserole might soon become a new family favorite.
The Ultimate Classic French Coq au Vin Recipe
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# Classic French Coq au Vin

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Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.

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Updated on 12/19/22

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Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 80 mins

Tenderize: 8 hrs

Total: 9 hrs 40 mins

Servings: 4
to 6 servings

47 ratings

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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](https://www.thespruceeats.com/instant-pot-coq-au-vin-recipe-4587278), 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 poundchicken, rinsed, patted dry, cut into 6 large pieces

- 2mediumcarrots, cut into bite-size chunks

- 2mediumwhite onions, coarsely chopped

- 1stalkcelery, coarsely chopped

- 1mediumtomato, chopped

- 2clovesgarlic, crushed

- 1/2teaspoondried thyme

- 1bay leaf

- 2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

- 1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- 5cups dry red wine

- 1/4cupCognac

- 1/4cupcanola oil, or [extra-light olive oil](https://www.thespruceeats.com/extra-light-olive-oil-for-cooking-2246051)

- 5tablespoonsunsalted butter, softened, divided

- 1teaspoonsalt

- 2teaspoonssugar

- 6ounces good-quality sliced bacon, coarsely chopped

- 8ouncespearl onions

- 8ouncesmushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced

- 2tablespoonsall-purpose flour


## Steps to Make It

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

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

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

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

05. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

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

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

08. 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.

09. 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](https://www.thespruceeats.com/make-a-beurre-manie-1375421), 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.


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Nutrition Facts (per serving)1384Calories78g Fat22g Carbs103g Protein

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Nutrition FactsServings: 4
to 6Amount per servingCalories1384% Daily Value\*Total Fat 78g101%Saturated Fat 24g120%Cholesterol 409mg136%Sodium 1206mg52%Total Carbohydrate 22g8%Dietary Fiber 3g11%Total Sugars 8gProtein 103gVitamin C 13mg63%Calcium 107mg8%Iron 9mg48%Potassium 1551mg33%_\*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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