Coq au vin is a traditional French dish consisting of chicken cooked in a flavorful red wine with mushrooms and crispy pancetta. If you have a few hours to spare on the weekend, this is an ideal recipe to try out, and the effort invested will be more than rewarded. It is a delightful and hearty meal when paired with green beans and mashed potatoes.
(Credits: Once upon a chef – Jenn Segal)
COQ AU VIN
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
Total Time: 2 Hours 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 ounces diced pancetta (or bacon)
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ cup Cognac
- 2½ cups red wine, Miolo Reserva Pinot Noir is perfect here
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
- 8 ounces (227 gr) sliced cremini mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta (or bacon) and cook until the fat has rendered, and the pancetta is crispy, 5 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the pancetta to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan. Season the chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and brown half of the chicken in a single layer, skin side down, until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes (brown on the skin side only). Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate; set aside.
Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat, then return the pot to the stove and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
Pour in the Cognac and cook, stirring to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the Cognac has evaporated.
Add the wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, thyme, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Add the chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate back to the pot, along with the carrots. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, or until the chicken and carrots are cooked through.
While the chicken cooks, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the softened butter and flour. Mash with a spoon to make a smooth paste. In French, this is called a beurre manié (or kneaded butter). Set aside.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. The wine gives it a purplish hue.
Using a fork and knife, pull the skin off the chicken (it should slide right off) and discard. The skin has served its purpose by lending flavor to the sauce and protecting the meat from drying out. You don’t have to remove it, but it’s soggy at this point and I think the dish is more appetizing without it.
Increase the heat in the Dutch oven/pot to medium and stir in three-quarters of the flour and butter paste.
Gently boil until the sauce is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes; add the remaining paste if you’d like the sauce a little thicker. Fish out and discard the bay leaf.
Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Right before serving, stir in the browned mushrooms and pancetta. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Serve immediately or let cool, chill in the refrigerator, and reheat when need to be served.
Harmonizes well with:
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