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The main dish, Regional

Coq au vin with steamed potatoes

Coq au vin with steamed potatoes is a red wine braised chicken dish for 6 people, with 50 minutes of active work spread over the day before and the day of. It's cooked the day before so the sauce thickens and the meat soaks up the wine, leaving only reheating for the day itself. It's medium difficulty, about €5.20 per person, and the key is that resting time that changes everything about the taste.

A coq au vin like they make it on the farm, simmered the day before so the sauce turns dark, glossy, and full of character.

Coq au vin with steamed potatoes
For
6 people
Work
50 min
Total time
3 h 30
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€5.20
Calories per person
720 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Coq au vin means that dark, glossy sauce coating meat that falls apart on its own, flavored with red wine, smoky bacon, and mushrooms browned in butter. A rooster's flesh, firmer than a regular chicken's, holds up beautifully through the long cooking without shredding apart, and that's what gives this dish the deep flavor you find at big family tables.

It's a dish for family dinners or gatherings with friends in fall or winter, the kind you serve with a loaf of crusty bread for soaking up the sauce and a glass of the same red wine used in cooking. It pairs with a simple starter, leaving all the attention for this dish that already got its care the night before.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 3 steps, 1 h 30
  2. The same day 1 step
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 30 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

The day before, you brown the rooster, flambé it, then let it simmer for two hours before refrigerating the pot overnight. In the morning, you brown the bacon, onions, and mushrooms separately and stir them into the pot. Just before guests arrive, you reheat gently while steaming the potatoes, then serve with parsley right as everyone sits down.

The ingredients

6 people

Butcher

  • Rooster or large free range chicken, cut up 2.2 kg
  • Smoked bacon lardons 200 g

Pantry

  • Full bodied red wine 75 cl
  • Cognacoften in the pantry 4 cl
  • Flouroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • White mushrooms 400 g
  • Pearl onions 300 g
  • Carrots 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Bouquet garni 1
  • Waxy potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Parsley 1 bunch

Dairy

  • Butter 40 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Brown the rooster pieces on all sides in a Dutch oven, then flambé with the cognac.

    Keep a lid within reach to smother the flames if they get too high.

  2. Add the diced carrots and garlic, dust with flour, pour in the wine, add the bouquet garni, and let simmer covered. 1 h 30

    Boil the wine for five minutes first to cook off some of the acidity before simmering.

  3. Let cool, then keep the pot in the fridge until the next day.

    Skim the fat off the top once it's set, it comes off in seconds with a spoon.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Brown the bacon, pearl onions, then mushrooms in butter in a skillet, and add them to the pot.

    Browning the garnishes separately gives them a grilled flavor the pot alone never would.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Reheat the rooster over low heat, and start the peeled potatoes steaming or boiling in salted water. 30 min

    Never let it boil hard, the meat tightens up and dries out as it reheats.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Serve the rooster piping hot, sprinkled with parsley, alongside the potatoes.

    A spoonful of sauce over each potato, and you'll see your guests go back for seconds.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a full bodied red wine you'd actually enjoy drinking, its quality shows directly in the finished sauce.
  • Cut the carrots into small, even cubes so they nearly melt into the sauce after two hours of simmering.
  • If the sauce still looks thin after cooking, remove the meat and reduce it uncovered for a few minutes before putting the pieces back in.

The variations

  • Swap the rooster for bone in chicken thighs if you can't find one, the cooking time stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with a mix of mushrooms and root vegetables, and use vegetable broth instead of the usual poultry stock.
  • For kids, serve part of the sauce separately and blend it lightly to remove the whole pearl onions they tend to avoid.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • Simple green salad afterward
  • Same red wine used in cooking

Storage

Coq au vin keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and it freezes very well for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Always reheat it gently over low heat, covered, so the meat doesn't dry out.

Questions about this recipe

Can I make this coq au vin with regular chicken?

Yes, a large free range chicken works well, but its meat is more tender and needs slightly less simmering time. Watch the cooking so it doesn't fall apart too much.

Do I have to flambé the cognac?

Flambéing isn't required, you can simply let the cognac evaporate for a few minutes over high heat without lighting it. The flavor will be slightly milder but very close.

How do I know if the sauce is thick enough?

The sauce should coat the back of a spoon without running off immediately. If it's still too thin, reduce it uncovered for a few minutes at the end of cooking.

Can I swap the pearl onions for something else?

You can use yellow onions cut into quarters if you can't find pearl onions, the flavor stays close even though the look changes a bit. Avoid red onions, they're too sharp for this dish.

Can a coq au vin with steamed potatoes be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 50 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 3 steps, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a coq au vin with steamed potatoes?

Allow 3 h 30 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 50 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a coq au vin with steamed potatoes?

About 720 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a coq au vin with steamed potatoes cost?

About €5.20 per person, that's €31.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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