Coq Au Vin
I first ate Coq au Vin at a French restaurant in Washington, DC. It was 1965 and I was on a Junior High field trip. My jokester parents had solemnly warned me not to eat it because it was “made with blood not wine”. I ignored them of course, but it wasn’t until another ten years had passed that I began cooking it myself. Yay, Julia Child!!
Using her recipe these days of Covid 19 when my groceries are being delivered requires access to ingredients that are not readily available through InstaCart. So this rendering, while deeply indebted to Julia Child, is my own free wheeling, what’s-on-hand version.
I use the rendered bacon fat for all the sauteing, but feel free to substitute butter, olive oil, or a mixture thereof, as you prefer.
I’m cooking for two in a household that tends to avoid leftovers, but this recipe is easily multiplied.
Note: I don’t thicken the sauce because I don’t want the starch and the carbs, but suit yourself! A simple roux, or a cornstarch/water slurry will do the trick
2 oz thick slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb chicken thighs, with bones and skin
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
2 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 cup carrot, thinly sliced
1 cube beef bouillon cube
1/2 cup dry red wine ( I used Pinot Noir)
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dried Herbes de Provence
salt and white pepper to taste
1. In the wine, marinate the chicken pieces for one hour.
2. Reserving the red wine, remove the chicken thighs, and pat dry.
3. Lightly brown the bacon. Remove the bacon pieces, reserving the fat.
4. In the same pan, lightly brown both sides of the chicken. Set aside with the bacon.
5. In the same pan, saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms until all are golden.
6. Return the chicken and bacon to the pan with the vegetables.
7. Add the carrot, the spices, the crushed bouillon cube and the wine.
8. Bring to a simmer and cover.
9. Continue to cook, covered, for 30 minutes on the stove top on low, or for an hour in a 275 degree oven,
Servings: 2
Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/2 of a recipe (10.9 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Recipe Type: Main Dish
All Good Gifts 