Ingredients
Coq au Vin Ingredients
8-10 pieces chicken, or 1 whole 4-pound chicken cut into parts
3 cups red wine
3-4 thyme springs
2 bay leaves
¼ pound lardons or thickly sliced bacon, sliced into ¼ inch wide slices
½ pound mushrooms, washed and sliced
20 pearl onions, peeled or 1 cup frozen
1-cup chicken stock
3 cloves garlic crushed
Salt & pepper
3T butter room temperature
3T all-purpose flour
3pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
5T unsalted butter
Mashed Potatoes Ingredients
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
5T unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
1. Place the chicken in a bowl or zip lock bag. Add the wine, thyme, and bay leaves. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for least 2 hours, but overnight is better.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350º F.
3. In a Dutch oven or deep pan with a lid, over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until crisp for about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the mushroom slices to the pan. Sauté until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Remove the chicken from the wine. Reserve the wine and herbs. Pat the chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Workings in batches, add the chicken pieces, skin side down, to the pan. Make sure to not overcrowd the pan. Sauté chicken until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Turn the chicken and repeat on the other side. Remove from pan. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Pour off any extra fat.
7. Add the wine and stock to the pot. Deglaze the pan by scraping up all the little brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil.
8. Then add the garlic, bacon, mushrooms, onions, and chicken pieces back to the pan. Cover pan with a lid and place in a 350º F oven for 40-45 minutes until chicken is cooked. If using chicken breasts, add them to the pot after cooking the dark meat for 20 minutes in the oven.
9. In a small bowl, mix the butter and flour. Using a spoon or your finger, mix until it forms a paste. Set aside.
10. Remove the chicken to a platter. Set aside. Remove the thyme and bay leaves. Discard the herbs.
11. Pour the sauce thought a strainer into a fat separator. Set the vegetables/bacon aside.
12. Let the sauce sit about 5 minutes to allow the fat to rise to the top. Pour the defatted sauce back into the pan. Remember pan is hot!!!
13. Place the pan on the stove on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Then, slowly whisk the flour paste into the sauce a little at a time. Cook until slightly thickened, about 4-6 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.
14. Return the chicken and vegetables/bacon to the pan to warm. Serve over mashed potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes Recipe
1. Place potatoes in a pot filled with water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Place potatoes back into pot and mash. Add butter and ½ of the cooking liquid. If too thick, add the reserved liquid. Season with salt and pepper.
TIPS & TRICKS
• Traditionally, this dish is prepared with a whole rooster/chicken. You can use a whole chicken cut into pieces. I like to use bone in, skin on thigh meat. It makes for easy serving. Cooking chicken with the bone in and skin on helps protect the meat from drying out and adds loads of flavor. Your guest can simply remove the skin before eating if they wish.
• Marinating the chicken in wine overnight makes the chicken more flavorful.
• This dish is best made the day ahead, as the flavors improve with time.
• I like to use Yukon gold potatoes with this dish because they are so buttery and dense, and they hold up very well to the chicken and sauce.