Coq au Vin

Coq au vin (literally “chicken in wine”) is a classic French stew from the Burgundy region, made with chicken slowly braised in red wine with mushrooms, onions, and pancetta until tender, with a rich, silky sauce. Traditional coq au vin recipes usually call for a whole cut-up chicken, but I use bone-in thighs because they stay especially juicy and tender during braising.

There are a few steps involved, but none of them is difficult, and each one earns its keep—from browning the chicken and mushrooms to reducing the wine and finishing the sauce with beurre manié (a paste of softened butter and flour). It’s a wonderful weekend cooking project and, like my French beef stew, even better made a day ahead. Serve it over buttered egg noodles or with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.

What You’ll Need To Make Coq au Vin

• Chicken thighs: I use bone-in, skin-on thighs rather than a whole cut-up chicken. They stay juicy and tender during braising, and the skin adds flavor and protects the meat as it cooks.
• Pancetta: Adds savory, porky flavor. It’s readily available at the deli counter or pre-cut and packaged in the refrigerated gourmet foods section.
• Onion, garlic & carrots: Form the aromatic and vegetable base of the stew, adding sweetness and depth.
• Red wine & Cognac: Pinot Noir, or Burgundy, is the traditional choice for coq au vin, but any dry, medium-bodied red will work. No need to use anything pricey; just something you’d enjoy drinking—no supermarket cooking wine! The Cognac adds another layer of flavor and helps loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Chicken broth: Adds savory depth to the braising liquid without overpowering the wine.
• Tomato paste & balsamic vinegar: Tomato paste adds richness and body to the sauce, while a splash of balsamic adds brightness.
• Thyme & bay leaf: Give the stew its classic herbal notes.
• Cremini mushrooms: Browning them separately concentrates their flavor and helps them brown rather than steam in the stew.
• Butter & flour: Mashed together to make a beurre manié, which is stirred into the sauce at the end to thicken it and give it a silky consistency.
• Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

How To Make Coq Au Vin

Brown the pancetta and chicken: Cook the pancetta until crisp, then transfer it to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot. Brown the chicken, skin-side down, until deeply golden. Don’t rush this step—the browned bits that build up on the bottom of the pot will add loads of flavor to the sauce.

Build and reduce the red wine sauce: Cook the onion until softened and lightly golden, then add the garlic. Deglaze with the Cognac, scraping up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the wine, broth, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and seasonings, then simmer uncovered to concentrate the wine and deepen the flavor of the sauce.

Braise the chicken and brown the mushrooms: Return the chicken to the pot along with the carrots and braise until tender. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms separately until nicely browned and their liquid has evaporated. Cooking them separately allows them to brown and develop flavor rather than simply simmer in the stew.

Finish the sauce: Mash the softened butter and flour together to make a smooth beurre manié. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the skin—it adds flavor and helps keep the meat moist during braising, but becomes soft as it cooks and is best discarded. Stir the beurre manié into the simmering liquid until the sauce is silky and lightly thickened.

Bring it all together: Return the chicken to the pot and simmer briefly in the finished sauce. Stir in the browned mushrooms and crisp pancetta just before serving. Serve right away, or cool and refrigerate until you’re ready to enjoy it. The stew also freezes beautifully.