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    Home » Recipes » French Recipes

    Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin Recipe

    Published: Oct 1, 2018 · Modified: Sep 23, 2021 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Step by step instructions for Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin recipe with stewed chicken in a rich buttery red wine sauce with sauteed mushrooms and pearl onions.

    Step by step instructions for Julia Child's Coq Au Vin, with stewed chicken in a rich buttery red wine sauce with sauteed mushrooms and pearl onions.

    Update: This recipe has since been updated for ease from Julia’s original recipe. A few changes have been to saute bacon instead of boiling and to combine the mushrooms and onions, instead of cooking separately. The results are still fantastic.

    Introducing the third week of the Julia Child celebration and this week is featuring Julia’s classic chicken with red wine and mushrooms, or commonly known as, coq au vin as well as chicken bourguignon.

    And I have to be brutally honest with you, when I first read the recipe, I was reluctant to make this traditional coq au vin recipe. This is a heavy dish encasing red wine, meat and butter. These last few days have been bright and sunny and truthfully the last thing I wanted to make was a warm stewed dish over a hot stove.

    Step by step instructions for Julia Child's Coq Au Vin, with stewed chicken in a rich buttery red wine sauce with sauteed mushrooms and pearl onions.

    But seriously…how could I resist? Succulent fall of the bone chicken. A glorious wine sauce created from the slow cooked flavors of pork, Chianti and chicken. This coq au vin Julia Child dish hit every good spot in my body and I salivate thinking about it now.

    I also want to mention that there was a slight difference in the cooking technique between 2 of Julia’s books, which I found interesting. In “The Way to Cook”, Julia works off her Mastering recipe in a way and offers plum tomatoes to the chicken ragout. However, in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, a small amount of tomato paste is added to ensure a thick coated sauce, which is exactly what I was looking for.

    Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin recipe is worth the wait!

    Now, coq au vin is not a quick one and shouldn’t have to be. Make sure you take the time to understand all the steps before you handle them. All the elements are intended for special reason and trust me when I say you will pry yourself from slabbing your tongue across the bottom of the bowl when its done.

    So take the time and let this glorious coq au vin recipe slow braise and stew together. It’s worth the wait.

    How to make Coq Au Vin Recipe

    Method:

    1) Begin the coq au vin recipe by heating a dutch oven on medium-high heat and sauteing the bacon in hot butter slowly until lightly browned. Then remove bacon and set aside.

    Begin the coq au vin recipe by heating a dutch oven on medium-high heat and sauteing the bacon in hot butter slowly until lightly browned.

    2) Dry chicken and season with salt and pepper. Sear chicken,skin side down in the reserved bacon fat until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, then brown on other side for another 2 minutes. Once done, remove and set aside.

    Begin making Julia Child's coq au vin by searing chicken in bacon fat before adding other aromatics.

    3) In the same pot, add chopped garlic and herbs and stir through. Then add tomato paste and stir everything together.

    Make the coq au vin sauce by sauteeing garlic, herbs and stir in tomato paste.

    4) Add chicken back into the pot along with the bacon and pour in wine and chicken stock. The liquid should just cover the chicken but not be submerged. Place lid on pot, leaving a small opening and bring to a boil, then down to a simmer and cook for about 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce has slightly reduced.

    Traditional coq au vin simmering with chicken, bacon and red wine.

    5) While the coq au vin is cooking, prepare the onions and mushroom. In a wide skillet, add butter and oil over medium heat along with the pearl onions, mushrooms and herbs. Pour in red wine and saute for about 10 minutes, until mushrooms begin to soften and wine reduces.

    Coq au vin recipe has sautted mushrooms and pearl onions, with fresh herbs, butter and red wine.

    6) Now to make the thickening agent, the “beurre manie”. In a small bowl, blend together the flour and butter to form a paste.  Add  some of the liquid to the paste and whisk together, then add back into the coq au vin.

    A thickening agent called "beurre manie" is used to thick the red wine sauce in coq au vin julia child.

    7) Add the onions, mushrooms  and bay leaf to the casserole and baste with the sauce. Before serving, bring to a slow simmer so everything is heated through. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

    Add the sauteed mushrooms and onions to the simmering voq au vin and cook everthing together so flavors blend.

    Bon Appetit!

    Step by step instructions for Julia Child's Coq Au Vin, with stewed chicken in a rich buttery red wine sauce with sauteed mushrooms and pearl onions.

    Looking for other French inspired recipes? I have a whole category of French recipes, including Julia Child’s cheese souffle and my other favorite red wine recipe, Boeuf Bourguignon. 

    Step by step instructions for Julia Child's Coq Au Vin, with stewed chicken in a rich buttery red wine sauce with sauteed mushrooms and pearl onions.

    Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin

    Samantha Ferraro

    LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    Step by step instructions for Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin, with stewed chicken in a rich buttery red wine sauce with sauteed mushrooms and pearl onions.
    4.59 from 24 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine French
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 639 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 4 ounces bacon
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 2-3 pounds bone in, skin on chicken thighs
    • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
    • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
    • 3 cups red wine
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
    • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
    • Sprigs of fresh parsley for garnish

    Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1/2 cup red wine
    • 1 cup frozen and defrosted pearl onions
    • 8 ounces button or cremini mushrooms cut in quarters
    • Herb bouquet of parsley, thyme and bay leaf

    Instructions
     

    • Begin the coq au vin recipe by heating a dutch oven on medium-high heat and sauteing the bacon in hot butter slowly until lightly browned. Then remove bacon and set aside.
    • Dry chicken and season with salt and pepper. Sear chicken skin side down in the reserved bacon fat until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, then brown on other side for another 2 minutes. Once done, remove and set aside.
    • In the same pot, add chopped garlic and herbs and stir through. Then add tomato paste and stir everything together.
    • Add the chicken and bacon back to the pot and pour in red wine and broth. There should be enough liquid to just cover the chicken. Place lid on pot, leaving a small opening and bring to a boil, then down to a simmer and cook for about 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce has slightly reduced.
    • While the coq au vin is cooking, prepare the onions and mushroom. In a wide skillet, add butter and oil over medium heat along with the pearl onions, mushrooms and herbs. Pour in red wine and sautee for about 10 minutes, until mushrooms begin to soften and wine reduces.
    • Now to make the thickening agent, the “beurre manie”. In a small bowl, blend together the flour and butter to form a paste. Add some of the liquid to the paste and whisk together, then add back into the coq au vin.
    • Add the onions,  mushrooms and bay leaf to the casserole and baste with the sauce. Before serving, bring to a slow simmer so everything is heated through.

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

    Nutrition

    Calories: 639kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 26gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 646mgPotassium: 759mgSugar: 3gVitamin A: 435IUVitamin C: 1.1mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 2.2mg
    Keyword coq au vin julia child, chicken bourguignon, coq au vin recipe, traditional coq ay vin recipe, julia child’s coq au vin recipe
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Samantha says

      May 27, 2012 at 3:17 pm

      Lauren, you must! Its not hard, just a lot of different steps..but honestly..soo soo worth it!

      Reply
    2. Jess says

      August 9, 2012 at 6:55 am

      5 stars
      How much mushrooms do you use?

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        August 9, 2012 at 7:05 am

        About 1-1/2 pounds. I used 1 Styrofoam container that the mushrooms came in.

        Reply
    3. John says

      August 17, 2012 at 11:28 am

      5 stars
      I made this to celebrate Julia Child’s 100th birthday, thank you for such clear instructions. It turned out great.

      Reply
    4. Daniel says

      March 28, 2014 at 10:29 pm

      5 stars
      For a truly glorious Coq au Vin use a mature rooster, say one around a year old. Instead of simmering it in the wine for 30 minutes, simmer it for 3 hours. You will get a hearty, beef-like Coq au Vin that is out of this world.

      http://everychickdeservesamother.com/2014/03/26/coq-au-vin/

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        April 1, 2014 at 7:41 am

        Great tip…thank you so much Daniel!

        Reply
    5. Katie says

      October 1, 2018 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      This just sounds beyond delicious!!!

      Reply
    6. KalynsKitchen says

      October 1, 2018 at 6:55 pm

      5 stars
      That looks so good! I think Julia was such an inspiring person!

      Reply
    7. gerry speirs says

      October 1, 2018 at 8:19 pm

      5 stars
      The perfect comfort dish!!

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        October 2, 2018 at 10:24 am

        Agreed! Thanks Gerry!

        Reply
    8. Jennifer Blake says

      October 2, 2018 at 8:42 am

      5 stars
      Love coq au vin but have never made it myself – can’t wait!

      Reply
    9. Kristy Bernardo says

      October 2, 2018 at 10:19 am

      5 stars
      You can never be steered wrong with a Julia Child recipe. Your photos are gorgeous, too!

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        October 2, 2018 at 10:24 am

        Thank you Kristy!!

        Reply
    10. Lindsay Cotter says

      October 2, 2018 at 8:28 pm

      5 stars
      This looks outstanding! Definitely needs to happen for dinner soon!

      Reply
    11. Tara says

      November 30, 2020 at 3:52 pm

      5 stars
      This reminds me of long ago when we celebrated Julia’s 100th birthday!! This Coq Au Vin looks like perfection!!

      Reply
    12. Siobhan McDonagh says

      September 22, 2021 at 9:47 pm

      5 stars
      There seems to get something missing between steps 4 and 5. Do I cook on the stove top or in the oven? For how long? If in the oven, at what temperature? I’ve seen some recipes that say Sumer fir 3 hours and others say put in the oven for 30 minutes. Please advise.

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        September 23, 2021 at 9:58 am

        Hi Siobhan! Thank you so much for catching that, and yes that was a typo on my end and I have updated the recipe. Once the liquid is in, place a lid on the pot with a small opening and bring to a boil then down to a simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.

        Reply

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