Coq au Vin Recipe

This super tasty dish is so easy to make. I like to prepare it the night before but leave out the stock, tomato purée and wine. Refrigerate in the crock pot overnight. Then in the morning heat the stock, tomato purée and red  wine to simmering point before placing in the slow cooker. 

Ingredients

  • 8 baby onions (shallots) peeled and left whole
  • 150g smoked bacon lardons
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
  • 220g chestnut mushrooms, halved
  • 4 tbsp plain flour
  • salt & freshly milled black pepper
  • 4 whole chicken legs, cut into thigh & drumsticks (skin on)
  • 2 bay leaves & few sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 350ml full bodied red wine
  • 150ml chicken stock
  • few drops Worcestershire sauce
  • Chicken gravy granules for thickening
  1. Add around 3 tbsp vegetable to a frying pan and heat.
  2. Meanwhile season the flour with salt and pepper and dip each piece of chicken in the flour, Coat all over and shake off excess flour. Add to the hot pan and fry for several minutes on each side until a really nice golden brown. Do not overload the pan but do in batches. Place browned chicken into the slow cooker pot.
  3. Add the bacon lardons to the pan along with the garlic, onions and mushrooms. Cook over a high heat for several minutes turning frequently until nice and golden brown. Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker pot using a slotted spoon to avoid adding the oil.
  4. Tuck in the bay leaves and add the thyme sprigs. Season with salt and freshly milled black pepper. 
  5. You can either continue with the rest of the recipe to cook straight away or else cover and refrigerate overnight to cook the next day.
  6. Heat the stock and wine together. When at simmering point add the tomato purée and mix through. Add the hot liquid to the chicken. Gently turn eveything to mix all ingredients.
  7. Place the lid on and cook on low for six hours.
  8. Remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and place on a warm plate. Pour the sauce and vegetables into a saucepan. Bring close to simmering point and thicken to taste with chicken gravy granules or a little cornflour mixed to a smooth paste with cold water. Season to taste.
  9. To serve place 2 pieces of chicken onto a warm serving plate and spoon the sauce and garnish over. 

Chef's Tips

If you are not a fan of chicken skin, this can be easily peeld off once the chicken pieces have been removed from the sauce.

If however like me you enjoy crispy skin, then allow the chicken pieces to cool and then reheat on a baking tray in a HOT oven for around 20 mins. Pour the reheated sauce and garnish onto the plate and place the crispy chicken pieces on top. Sprinke with some freshly chopped parsley for extra effect!