Coq au Vin

About this dish

Coq au Vin is a cornerstone of French farmhouse cooking, with roots stretching back to Gallic antiquity. According to culinary legend, Julius Caesar's adversaries once presented him a rooster braised in wine as a gesture of rustic defiance. Auguste Escoffier refined and codified the dish in the early twentieth century, cementing its place in the classical French repertoire.

• Not vegetarian because of Chicken thighs, Chicken stock, Lardons (bacon cubes)
• Contains gluten because of Plain flour
• Contains dairy because of Unsalted butter

• 800gChicken thighs
• 500mlDry red wine
• 200mlChicken stock
• 150gLardons (bacon cubes)
• 200gPearl onions
• 250gCremini mushrooms
• 3clovesGarlic cloves
• 1tbspTomato paste
• 2tbspPlain flour
• 4sprigsFresh thyme sprigs
• 2leavesBay leaves
• 30gUnsalted butter
• 2tbspExtra-virgin olive oil
• 1tspFine sea salt
• ½tspWhole black peppercorns

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

   Tip: Drying the skin is the key to a proper golden sear — moisture is the enemy of browning.

2. 2

   Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed casserole over high heat. Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down for 6–8 minutes until deep golden, then flip and cook 2 minutes more. Remove and set aside.

   8 min

   Tip: Do not crowd the pan — sear in batches if needed. The pan is ready when a drop of water dances and evaporates instantly.

3. 3

   Add lardons to the same pan and fry over medium heat for 5 minutes until golden. Add pearl onions and cook 3 minutes more. Transfer both to a plate.

   8 min

   Tip: The lardons release fat that will flavour everything else — do not discard it.

4. 4

   Add mushrooms and garlic to the pan. Sauté 4 minutes until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over and stir to coat.

   5 min

   Tip: Cooking the flour out removes the raw taste — stir constantly for the full minute.

5. 5

   Pour in the red wine and chicken stock, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Return the chicken, lardons, and pearl onions to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

   5 min

   Tip: Those browned bits (the fond) are pure flavour — scrape every last one.

6. 6

   Cover the pot and braise over low heat for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is completely tender and the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Discard the thyme and bay leaves. Finish with a knob of cold butter stirred in off the heat.

   45 min

   Tip: The cold butter (beurre monté) gives the sauce its glossy, velvety finish. Add it only once the heat is off.