January 31, 2022

French Chicken Stew (Coq au Vin)

Name: French Chicken Stew (Coq au Vin)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 6 pieces chicken thighs (skin on, bone in); 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or 2 chicken bouillon cubes + 1 1/2 cups water); 1 1/2 cups dry red wine; 1/4 cup brandy; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 3 slices steak bacon (or thick sliced bacon); 1 1/2 cups sweet onion (diced); 3 medium carrots (peeled and sliced 1" pieces); 2 stalks celery (sliced 1" pieces); 5 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 stems fresh thyme; 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 8 oz mushrooms (sliced); 1 medium sweet onion (sliced); 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening); 2 tablespoons butter (for thickening); fresh thyme and parsley to garnish (optional)

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This past fall I finally tried my hand at making French Chicken Stew, otherwise known by some as Coq au Vin. Coq au Vin was first made popular by Julia Child in her cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

(Post modified on 2/13/23.)

Simply put, Coq au Vin means Rooster (or Chicken) in Wine, which is exactly what you do with it. Cook or bake the chicken in wine, along with bacon, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and herbs until it’s tender, then serve with a mound of mashed potatoes along with the sauce. Ooh la la. It’s so good.

This recipe is quite divine and is similar to Beef Bourguignon, which is also cooked in wine. Both recipes are layered in richness, both heavenly delicious, and both rather simple. If you haven’t tried either, I encourage you to do so this winter, as this is the perfect season to make these stews.

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Ingredients for French Chicken Stew (Coq au Vin)

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

chicken thighs
dry red wine (like Beaujolais or Burgandy)
chicken stock (or chicken bouillon cubes + water)
brandy
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
thick sliced bacon (steak bacon)
sweet onion
carrots
celery
garlic
tomato paste
fresh thyme sprigs
butter
button mushrooms
more sweet onion
all-purpose flour and butter, for thickening
fresh thyme and parsley to garnish, optional

Instructions for Making This Recipe

Preheat oven to 350°F. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.

Prepare the Ingredients

Place chicken thighs in a large bowl with the dry red wine, chicken stock, and brandy. Allow this to marinate for 12-15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

Using a sharp knife and cutting board, slice 2-3 pieces of thick sliced bacon. I used steak bacon and cut it into 1/2″ pieces.

Quarter and thinly slice the sweet onion. Peel and slice carrots into 1″ pieces. Slice celery into the same sized pieces. Mince the garlic.

Brown the Bacon and Chicken

Add the sliced bacon pieces to a large Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat until crispy, 6-8 minutes. When browned, remove the bacon and place on a plate for later.

To make this stew, I used an oval Dutch oven, which can easily go from stovetop to oven without any worries.

Remove the chicken thighs from the wine marinade and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the chicken in the Dutch oven, to cook in the bacon grease. Sear 6-7 minutes on both sides, until nicely golden brown.

Do not discard the wine marinade, as you’ll be using it soon in this recipe!

Place the browned chicken thighs on the plate with the bacon.

Prepare the Stew

Add the sliced onion, carrots, and celery to the bacon grease and sauté until the onion is tender, 8-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Create a hole in the center of the Dutch oven and add to it the tomato paste. Allow the paste to simmer until it becomes fragrant and darkens, stirring constantly.

Pour in the reserved wine marinade, and mix it in with the paste and vegetables. Using a wooden spoon or spurtle to scrape the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits of chicken (or fond), which will give this dish even more flavor as it bakes.

Place the browned chicken and bacon into the stew, along with any juices on the plate. Add the fresh thyme to the top and bring the dish to a low boil. Cover with a lid and transfer the Dutch oven to the preheated oven. Allow to bake for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.

Finishing the Stew

To finish the stew, add extra virgin olive oil to a small skillet, along with a tablespoon of butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and onions to the oil and sauté for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat until browned and tender.

Next, it’s time to make the thickening agent. Julia Child and the French call this Beurre Manie, which if you listen to the pronunciation, it just sounds lovely. Who would have guessed that it is really only flour and butter. Hmm.

So, prepare the beurre manie by mashing together the all-purpose flour and softened butter in a small bowl until combined.

Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place it on the stovetop. Add the thickener to the stew and stir it into the sauce.

Add the sauteed mushrooms and sliced onions to the stew, carefully stirring them into the sauce with the chicken pieces.

Return to the Dutch oven (without the lid) to the oven and allow to cook for another 12-15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and if desired, more fresh thyme and parsley.

To serve, place 1-2 pieces of chicken on a plate along with mashed potatoes, and spoon vegetables and sauce over both. If desired, garnish with fresh thyme and parsley.

This dish will serve 4-6 people.

See more Main Dishes Here. Browse French Recipes Here. View Chicken Recipes Here.