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.
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.
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.
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.
3) In the same pot, add chopped garlic and herbs and stir through. Then add tomato paste and stir everything together.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bon Appetit!
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.
Julia Child’s eggplant pizzas have always been on my bucket list as well as Julia Child’s chocolate mousse that looks so incredible decadent.
Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin
Ingredients
- 4- ounce bacon
- 2 Tb butter
- 2-3 pounds cut up chicken I used thighs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 3 cups red wine
- 2 cups chicken stock brown stock or canned beef bouillon
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 Tb flour
- 2 Tb softened butter
- Sprigs of fresh parsley for garnish
Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup stock or red wine
- 1 cup frozen and defrosted pearl onions
- 8 oz button or cremini mushrooms cut in quarters
- 1 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.
- 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.
Ohhhhhhhh Mmmmmm Gggggg. My mouth is literally watering uncontrollably! I really really really want to make this now
Lauren, you must! Its not hard, just a lot of different steps..but honestly..soo soo worth it!
How much mushrooms do you use?
About 1-1/2 pounds. I used 1 Styrofoam container that the mushrooms came in.
I made this to celebrate Julia Child’s 100th birthday, thank you for such clear instructions. It turned out great.
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/
Great tip…thank you so much Daniel!
This just sounds beyond delicious!!!
That looks so good! I think Julia was such an inspiring person!
The perfect comfort dish!!
Agreed! Thanks Gerry!
Love coq au vin but have never made it myself – can’t wait!
You can never be steered wrong with a Julia Child recipe. Your photos are gorgeous, too!
Thank you Kristy!!
This looks outstanding! Definitely needs to happen for dinner soon!