Julia Child’s Coq au Vin Recipe: Classic French Comfort Food Recipe
Julia Child’s Coq au Vin is a classic French comfort dish featuring tender chicken marinated and slow-cooked in a rich red wine sauce with bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions, and aromatic herbs. This recipe highlights a deep, layered flavor achieved through marinating and slow simmering in a Dutch oven, making it a perfect hearty meal for special occasions or cozy dinners.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes plus 2 to 12 hours marinating
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes plus marinating time
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Marinade
- 3 to 4 pounds chicken (whole cut-up or bone-in thighs for richer flavor)
- 1 bottle (750 ml) good-quality red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Cooking Ingredients
- 4 ounces bacon or lardons (turkey bacon for leaner option)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 8 ounces pearl onions (optional, or 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
- Marinate the Chicken: Combine the red wine, thyme, bay leaf, and minced garlic in a large zip-lock bag or container. Add the chicken pieces and marinate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight to infuse flavors.
- Cook the Bacon: In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon and reserve the rendered fat in the pot.
- Brown the Chicken: Remove chicken pieces from marinade (reserve marinade), pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in the bacon fat over medium heat until golden on all sides, approximately 10 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.
- Sauté Vegetables: Remove browned chicken and set aside. Add chopped onion, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot and sauté over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic during the last minute to avoid burning.
- Create the Sauce: Stir in tomato paste, then sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to incorporate. Gradually add the reserved marinade and chicken stock, mixing well to form the sauce.
- Return Chicken to Pot: Nestle the chicken pieces along with the crispy bacon back into the pot. Add thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes to meld flavors.
- Final Touches: Remove the lid and add pearl onions. Continue cooking for another 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. For a thicker sauce, remove chicken and reduce sauce further before serving.
Notes
- Marinating overnight enhances the depth of flavor in the chicken.
- Using bone-in thighs or a whole chicken increases the richness of the dish.
- Substitute turkey bacon for a leaner option.
- Pearl onions can be replaced with chopped yellow onions if unavailable.
- If you want a thicker sauce, remove the chicken after cooking and let the sauce reduce uncovered for a few minutes.
- Use a splatter guard when cooking bacon to minimize grease splatters.
Keywords: Coq au Vin, Julia Child, French comfort food, chicken recipe, red wine chicken, classic French, slow simmer
