simple coq au vin

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Coq au vin is a retro classic but delicious one! A whole chicken roasted in the oven with vegetables, herbs and a bottle of red wine.

Coq au vin is one of those dishes I’ve cooked for years, it’s a retro classic. However don’t let that put you off as it’s truly delicious. Soft chicken and vegetables with a bouquet garni and poached in red wine, comfort food heaven.

We love a supperclub with our close friends, its a great way of having a girls night in, without it costing us all a fortune. We share food, wine and lots of laughter, it’s our modern day take on the dinner parties of the 1970’s. When talking about true retro dinner party dishes, Michelle mentioned that she’d never eaten coq au vin. We decided it was time to rectify that and re-introduce this old favourite. Just in time for the onset of Autumn where our thoughts do turn more to cold nights and the warmth of a one-pot stew. Retro or not, this dish is packed full of flavour, who’s going to say no to soft chicken cooked in butter, bacon and lots of wine – not us that’s for sure.

Additional recipe suggestions:

If you like this dish then try our Pan-fried Chicken with Bacon & Beans or our Italian Chicken with Ham & Parmesan.

Looking for inspiration for feeding the family mid week, then take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Family Dinners. Full of useful hints, tips and recipes.

Simple Coq au Vin

Coq au vin is a retro classic but delicious none-the-less. A whole chicken roasted in the oven with vegetables, herbs and a bottle of red wine.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Easy, Simple

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 4 portions

Calories: 742kcal

Author: Lesley Garden

Ingredients

• 30 g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 rashers smoked streaky bacon - cut into lardons
• 2 carrots - sliced
• 8-10 shallots - peeled and left whole
• 200 g button miushrooms - left whole
• 1 medium sized free-range chicken - jointed - or ask your butcher to do this for you
• 1 pint red wine
• 1 chicken stock pot
• 2 cloves garlic - crushed
• 1 bouquet garni - celery stick, 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs thyme, small bunch parsley
• 1 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• In a large heavy based saucepan (use one with a tight fitting lid), melt the butter and olive oil over a medium heat. Add the chopped bacon to the pan and saute gently until golden. Remove the bacon from the pan and add the shallots, sliced carrot and mushrooms, stir gently and allow the vegetables to gently colour, take care not to burn. Once golden remove the vegetables from the pan.
• Take the chicken portions, season well on both sides, place them into the saucepan and saute on both sides. You want to get a good golden colour on the skin, set aside on a plate once this is done. Cook the chicken in batches, do not overload the saucepan otherwise the chicken will steam and you won't get the colour or the crispy skin that you need to flavour the dish.
• Pour the wine into the pan to de-glaze it, scraping the bottom of the pan to ensure you get all the flavour working through the gravy. Melt the chicken stock pot through the wine. Add back in the bacon and cooked vegetables, the garlic and the bouquet garni should placed in the pot and stirred through before placing the chicken portions on top. Reduce the heat to a simmer, place the lid on the pan and leave it on the hob to cook for approximately 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove the meat and vegetables from the saucepan and discard the bouquet garni. Turn the heat up and reduce the volume of the wine by a quarter. Take some of the wine liquor from the pan and mix it with a tablespoon of flour before adding back into the pan and whisking to thicken the gravy. Adjust the seasoning at this point then add back in the meat and vegetables.
• Serve the chicken with the cooked vegetables and some simple boiled potatoes.

Notes

This dish is a great make ahead dish that can be made in the morning and heated up for dinner later in the day or indeed left overnight in the fridge and used the next which makes it a great dinner party dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 742kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 1020mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5832IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 6mg

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