Julia Child's Coq au Vin
This coq au vin recipe strays a little from the original but I don't think that's to its detriment. This updated version of the simple French chicken stew uses a robust brown chicken stock, mushrooms, onions, bacon, and red wine.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup lardons or thickly sliced bacon, cut into 1/4- by 1 1/2-inch (6- by 36-mm) strips (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed
- 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into pieces (or all the same piece), thoroughly dried with paper towel
- 1/4 cup Cognac, or Armagnac
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 20 pearl onions, peeled
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups red wine, preferably Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône
- 2 cups homemade chicken stock, preferably brown chicken stock (see headnote above), more if needed
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed, rinsed, and quartered
- fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Sear the 1/2 cup lardons or thickly sliced bacon in the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
- Add the 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds chicken, being careful not to crowd the pieces. You may need to work in batches. Sear the chicken, turning occasionally, until nicely browned on all sides. (If working in batches, return all the chicken to the pot.)
- Carefully pour the 1/4 cup Cognac into the pot and wait until it becomes bubbling hot. If desired—and if you're brave—ignite the sauce with a match. Let it flame for a minute, gently tilting the pot by its handle and swirling the sauce to burn off the alcohol. To extinguish the flames, simply cover the pan with its lid.
- Add the 1 bay leaf and 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme to the pan, nestle the 20 pearl onions around the chicken, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the pot and simmer gently, turning the pieces once for about 10 minutes.
- Uncover the pot, sprinkle the 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour over everything, and turn the chicken and onions so the flour is absorbed by the sauce. Cover and cook, turning once or twice, for 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Remove the pot from the heat and gradually stir in the 2 cups red wine and enough of the homemade chicken stock to almost cover the chicken. Add the lardons, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon tomato paste, cover, and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Test the chicken for doneness. (There should be no trace of pink, and the juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife.) Transfer the pieces to the plate when they're done.
- If the onions aren't quite tender, continue cooking them in the sauce, then return the chicken to the pot, add the 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
- The sauce should be just thick enough to coat the chicken and vegetables lightly. (If the sauce is too thin, bring it to a boil and reduce it to the desired consistency. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with spoonfuls of stock.) Taste and correct the seasoning accordingly.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh thyme sprigs.
Notes
- Trimming the chicken—If your chicken pieces have excess skin or fat that hangs off of them, trim it away before cooking.
- Storage and reheating—You can prepare this coq au vin recipe up to 3 days before serving it. Store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator, then gently reheat it in a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat until everything is warmed through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 756kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 420mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g