“A chicken in every pot,” said King Henri IV of France, in what would become a famous political promise of general welfare, from peasants on up. Out of Henri’s famous promise grew a dish that is recognized around the world round as quintessentially French: coq-au-vin. It is a simple dish to prepare, inexpensive, and utterly delicious.
With roots in the French countryside, braised stews like coq au vin have long been a farmer’s favorite because they make an elaborate, wholesome meal out of whatever ingredients you can afford or throw together. Any root vegetables can be added, any cut of meat can be used, even tough cuts—the very fact that the dish is “coq” au vin and not “poulet” (chicken) au vin indicates its peasant origins, for rooster meat is much tougher than chicken, requiring long slow braising to make it edible, whereas chicken can be cooked a short amount of time and be delicious.
With the weather colder, coq au vin makes a perfect hearty dish for the whole family to enjoy or an ideal winter dinner party recipe. This one pot dish’s length of cooking time also allows you to stick it in the oven and forget about it while you attend to other tasks (always a plus for a mom!)
Coq Au Vin, serves 4-6 people
- 6 oz bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 lbs chicken thighs and chicken legs
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 lb mushrooms, shitake, buttons, or Swiss brown (whichever you prefer)
- 3/4 lb pearl onion
- 1 Tbsp butter, unsalted
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups red wine (Mark West Pinot Noir makes an excellent flavor for this recipe and it’s nice to sip while cooking)
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 lb carrots, peeled and cut if you like
- 3-5 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 Rosemary sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Discard all but 2 Tbs. of the fat from the pot.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set the pot over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, brown the chicken, turning once, around 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
Discard all but 2 Tbs. of the fat from the pot. Return the pot to medium-high heat, add the pearl onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are beginning to brown, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, stirring, for 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the garlic and flour whisking together. Continue to whisk in the wine and the broth, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Add the bacon, chicken, mushroom mixture, carrots and bouquet garni (thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf tied together with kitchen twine.) Cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the chicken is tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer the chicken to a plate. Skim the fat off the sauce, set the pot over medium-high heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened, around 15 minutes. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pot. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately. Pairs wonderfully over mashed potatoes. Serves 4 to 6.
*Adapted from this Williams-Sonoma recipe