Here is a streamlined recipe for classic Coq Au Vin, just right for when you are yearning for this chicken in red wine sauce but only have about a half hour to cook dinner. This easy Coq Au Vin is the answer!
Jump to:
- Why we love this recipe ❤️
- What is Coq Au Vin? 🍷
- Ingredients you need 🍗
- Ingredient notes and substitutions 📝
- How to make this recipe 👩🏻🍳
- Recipe FAQs 🧐
- Equipment we used for this recipe 🥣
- What to serve with this recipe 🍽️
- Other easy chicken recipes we love! 💕
- We want to know what you think! 🤔
- Easy Coq Au Vin
Why we love this recipe ❤️
Weekends just feel perfect for making a hearty, all in one meal, and while sometimes I am perfectly happy to spend a big chunk of Sunday afternoon cooking something slowly, sometimes I want a dreamy Sunday dinner…faster.
Which is one of the many reasons I love this easy version of the classic elegant chicken recipe for Coq Au Vin…because you can either make it as a swanky Sunday dinner, or you can honest to goodness whip it up in about a half hour on a random Thursday when you get a Coq Au Vin craving.
Tender chicken, a rich red wine sauce, some herbs and spices and veggies and a hint of bacon…I AM IN.
What is Coq Au Vin? 🍷
Coq au vin is a classic traditional French dish made of bone-in chicken that is braised in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, onions, and herbs, resulting in a rich, savory stew.
Coq au vin means “rooster in wine” and got its start in the French countryside. My shortcut version skips the mushrooms but keeps the red wine and bacon and uses boneless chicken breasts (which cut down on the cooking time). I also add in some carrots, which also get to cook in the red wine.
I also serve it on a bed of pasta, which is as far from traditional as you can get, but I do love it for soaking up every smidge of that red wine sauce.
Ingredients you need 🍗
Ingredient notes and substitutions 📝
- Chicken: We use boneless chicken breasts for this recipe but you can swap in boneless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Red Wine: Burgundy is the traditional red wine used for Coq Au Vin, but you can swap in Pinot Noir or another dry red wine.
- Pasta: We love this chicken on a bed of long pasta like fettuccine or pappardelle but you can also serve it up with crusty bread instead.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe 👩🏻🍳
STEP 1: Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain.
STEP 2: While the pasta is cooking, cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan.
STEP 3: Dredge chicken in the seasoned flour and place in skillet.
STEP 4: Cook for 4 minutes on each side over medium high heat until cooked through and golden. Remove to a plate.
STEP 5: Carefully pour broth and wine into skillet. Stir in thyme and add carrots. Simmer over medium heat until carrots are cooked and sauce is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
STEP 6: Return chicken to skillet and simmer until chicken is warm and covered in sauce, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in bacon.
STEP 7: Divide pasta among plates and top with chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve!
Recipe FAQs 🧐
You can! Just make sure they are boneless.
The very best way to know that your chicken is done is with a meat thermometer. Stick it halfway into the thickest part of the chicken – it should read 165 degrees.
You caught me! Yesssssss….but since mushrooms and I don’t get along, I don’t use ’em. But you can! Slice up a cup of fresh mushrooms and add them when you add the carrots.
It can, mostly. You can do everything ahead except for the pasta – cook that at the last minute and reheat the chicken in its sauce slowly on the stove over medium heat.
Pop your question in the Comments section under the recipe card and I will answer pronto!
Equipment we used for this recipe 🥣
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
- Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
- Large Skillet: We have a few of these in our cupboard but this is one of our faves.
- Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
- Strainer: This classic version is just right for your favorite pasta recipe (one of ours is pasta with egg sauce!)
- Thermometer: The very best way to measure if something (from steak to chicken and even cakes) is done.
- Vegetable Peeler: This is our go-to peeler for carrots and potatoes, sweet and otherwise.
What to serve with this recipe 🍽️
Some sheet pan focaccia is perfect alongside this chicken dinner, and if you want some extra veggies you can’t go wrong with roasted green beans or some butternut squash. And for dessert, let’s keep the fancy going with some easy chocolate mousse!
Other easy chicken recipes we love! 💕
We want to know what you think! 🤔
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe card.
Easy Coq Au Vin
Here is a streamlined recipe for classic Coq Au Vin for when you are yearning for this chicken in red wine sauce but only have about a half hour to cook dinner. This easy Coq Au Vin is the answer!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pappardelle, fettuccine or other flat pasta
- 4 slices of thick cut bacon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 4 medium size boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 1/2 cup flour seasoned with a little salt and pepper
- 4 carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise and cut in half again
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain.
- While the pasta is cooking, cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan.
- Dredge chicken in the seasoned flour and place in skillet. Cook for 4 minutes on each side over medium high heat until cooked through and golden. Remove to a plate.
- Carefully pour broth and wine into skillet. Stir in thyme and add carrots. Simmer over medium heat until carrots are cooked and sauce is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet and simmer until chicken is warm and covered in sauce, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in bacon.
- Divide pasta among plates and top with chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve!
Notes
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- Chicken: We use boneless chicken breasts for this recipe but you can swap in boneless chicken thighs if you prefer.
-
- Red Wine: Burgundy is the traditional red wine used for Coq Au Vin, but you can swap in Pinot Noir or another dry red wine.
-
- Pasta: We love this chicken on a bed of long pasta like fettuccine or pappardelle but you can also serve it up with crusty bread instead.
Hilary Yeates says
You broke it down in a simple way. This article made me stop and think. This is exactly what I needed today.
Thank you Hilary – I’m so glad this was helpful!
Barb says
This sounds like a quick, easy meal to prepare, and it sounds tasty. But it should be titled something like “Chicken in red wine sauce”, not Coq au Vin, which is a classic french recipe that simmers for a long time in wine and herbs! Far too many classic recipes are being bastardized nowadays!!!
Hi Barb! Thanks for your frank input – I do understand your point of view and I’m glad you think it sounds tasty! And of course you are right that the classic Coq Au Vin is made with bone-in chicken and cooked slowly. My hope with this recipe was to give folks with limited time a modified version that was doable in a shorter timeframe and that still featured much of the same flavors. Coq Au Vin does translate to “Rooster In Wine” so I felt it was okay to use that title with the caveats I talked about in my post. One way or the other, I appreciate your thoughts!