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Coq au Vin · Classic

Coq au Vin with Chicken Thighs

Bone-in chicken thighs braised in red wine with bacon, mushrooms and carrots until the sauce turns glossy and deep. A cozy French Sunday dinner that tastes even better the next day.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr 20 min
Total
1 hr 40 min
Serves
6
Level
Medium

Ingredients

  • 3 lb skin-on chicken thighs, bone-in, about 8
  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 medium carrots, cut into thick coins
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 ½ cups dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp butter, to finish the sauce (optional)
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Cook to 165°F inside (check with a thermometer).

Steps

  1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it all over with the salt and pepper.
  2. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring now and then, until crisp. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and leave the fat in the pot.
  3. Raise the heat to medium-high. Brown the chicken skin side down in two batches until the skin is deep golden, turn briefly, then move it to a plate.
  4. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the mushrooms, carrots and onion and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms brown.
  5. Stir in the garlic, flour and tomato paste and cook until no dry flour shows.
  6. Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom, then add the broth, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a simmer.
  7. Nestle the chicken in skin side up with any juices from the plate and the bacon. Cover and simmer gently until the chicken is tender and reads at least 165°F (74°C) near the bone.
  8. Lift the chicken onto a platter. Boil the sauce uncovered until it is glossy and coats a spoon.
  9. Turn off the heat, pick out the thyme stems and bay leaf and swirl in the butter. Spoon the sauce and vegetables over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Tip: Use a red wine you would happily drink; it becomes most of the sauce.

Tip: Serve it over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, or with crusty bread for the sauce.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat until 165°F.

Make ahead: Make it a day ahead and refrigerate it in the pot; lift off the fat, then reheat gently on the stove.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 470 calories · protein 49 g · carbohydrates 11 g · fiber 1 g · sugars 4 g · fat 17 g (saturated 5 g) · sodium 970 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 15 of 15 ingredients.