French Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine Sauce)

Wed, 23 September 2026

French Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine Sauce)

(Serves 4-5 people)

Ingredients:

Red Wine Chicken Marinade:

• 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 12 Shallots trimmed and peeled
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 750 ml dry red wine

Browning Chicken:

• 3 - 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3/4 tsp Sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Coq au Vin Stew:

• 400g Baby button mushroom closed and tight
• 150g Smoked Bacon, cut into lardons
• 4 tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced (with knife)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 7 tbsp flour, plain
• 3 cups beef stock (Hot)
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper

Garnish and serving:

• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• Mashed potato

Equipment

• Heavy bottomed oven proof pot & lid
• Tongs
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Heat resistant spatula
• Wooden Spoon
• Service Bowl
• Service Spoon
• Bowls
• Pan for Reduction
• Large Baking Dish
• Bowl for Marinating
• Glass Jug for Stock
• Non-Stick Pan
• Whisk
• Sieve and Bowl
• Tray x 2
• Paper Towel
• Spoon to skim
• Service Crockery

Method:

Marinate chicken: Place the “Red Wine Chicken Marinade” ingredients in a large glass or ceramic bowl or dish. Marinate overnight in the fridge (maximum 12 hours)

Strain wine marinade into a bowl. Reserve herbs and wine. Separate the chicken and onion.

Spread chicken out on a try lined with paper towels, then pat dry with paper towels.

Pour red wine marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer vigorously, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface, until reduced by half. Set aside.

Brown chicken and vegetables:

Preheat oven to 180°C

Sprinkle chicken with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based, oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin side down and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until nicely browned (it will be darker than usual because of the red wine). Flip thighs and cook the other side for another minute to give it a little colour. Remove to a tray. Do the same with the drumsticks.

Remove any loose black burnt bits from the pot or use a separate pan. Add a bit of extra oil if needed, then cook bacon for 3 minutes. Add to tray with chicken.

Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden. Remove into a separate bowl.

Add a bit of extra oil if needed, then cook shallots for 5 minutes or until there are nice & golden in patches.

Add butter into pot. Once melted, add garlic and cook for a further 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes to form a roux.

While stirring with a whisk, slowly pour in hot beef stock – this helps the flour dissolve lump-free into the stock. Then add the reduced wine and mix until flour mixture is dissolved and lump-free.

Add everything back in. The seared chicken, bacon, mushroom, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper into the pot, then stir.

Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven for 45 minutes. Chicken will be very tender - but not "falling apart".

Remove from oven, taste sauce and add salt if needed.

If time permits, leave the stew overnight before serving because as with all stews, it gets better with time! Reheat gently on a low stove in a covered pot or on the oven, ensuring that chicken is fully heated through. Add water if needed to loosen sauce.

Serve over mashed potato, sprinkled with fresh parsley!