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Julia Child’s Classic Coq au Vin Recipe

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★★★★★

4.1 from 65 reviews

Julia Child’s Coq au Vin is a classic French dish featuring tender chicken marinated and slow-cooked in a rich red wine sauce with bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions. This hearty and flavorful recipe combines marinating, browning, and slow simmering techniques to develop deep, complex flavors perfect for an elegant dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Marinade

  • 3 to 4 pounds of chicken (preferably a whole cut-up chicken or bone-in thighs for richer flavor)
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) of good-quality red wine (Burgundy recommended; substitute with Pinot Noir if desired)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Cooking Ingredients

  • 4 ounces bacon or lardons (can substitute with turkey bacon for leaner option)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 8 ounces pearl onions (optional, can replace with chopped yellow onion)
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered (button or cremini mushrooms)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Marinate the Chicken: Begin by marinating the chicken in a mixture of red wine, thyme, bay leaf, and minced garlic. Place the chicken and marinade in a large zip-lock bag or container, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to deeply infuse the flavors.
  2. Cook the Bacon: In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot to provide a rich base for the dish.
  3. Brown the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade for later use. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in batches in the bacon fat over medium-high heat until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  4. Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add the chopped onions, carrots, and mushrooms. Sauté over medium-high heat until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add minced garlic during the last minute to avoid burning and release its aroma.
  5. Create the Sauce: Stir in the tomato paste, then sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to combine thoroughly. Gradually pour in the reserved marinade and chicken stock, stirring constantly to blend and thicken the sauce evenly.
  6. Return Chicken to Pot: Nestle the browned chicken pieces and crispy bacon back into the pot with the sauce. Add additional thyme leaves and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to marry and the chicken to cook through.
  7. Final Touches: Remove the lid and stir in the pearl onions. Continue cooking uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce slightly thickened. Season with extra salt and pepper as needed. For a thicker sauce, remove the chicken once cooked and let the sauce reduce before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

  • Marinating overnight intensifies the dish’s flavor but a minimum of 2 hours will suffice.
  • Using bone-in chicken thighs or a whole chicken yields richer taste and better texture.
  • Cremini mushrooms provide more depth than button mushrooms if available.
  • If pearl onions are unavailable, replace with additional yellow onions or omit.
  • For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
  • For leaner bacon options, turkey bacon works well but may alter the flavor slightly.
  • A splatter guard is helpful to reduce mess when cooking bacon.
  • Reduce the sauce to your preferred thickness by simmering uncovered after chicken is removed.
  • Serve with crusty bread or buttered noodles to enjoy the rich sauce fully.

Keywords: Coq au Vin, Julia Child, French chicken recipe, red wine chicken, classic French cuisine, slow simmer chicken

Find it online: https://foodarohub.com/julia-childs-classic-coq-au-vin-recipe/