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Classic Comforting Coq au Vin Recipe with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions Made Easy

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A rich and hearty French chicken stew slow-simmered in red wine with mushrooms and pearl onions, perfect for cozy dinners and easy to prepare with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4–5 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs / 700 g)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free version)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or extra olive oil for dairy-free)
  • 20–25 small pearl onions, peeled (frozen works fine)
  • 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, sliced or halved
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 ½ cups dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir or Burgundy)
  • 1 cup chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • A handful fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in the flour, shaking off any excess. (About 10 minutes)
  2. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the chicken thighs skin-side down. Cook for 5-7 minutes without moving until the skin is crisp and dark golden. Flip and brown the other side for 4-5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. (Total 12 minutes)
  3. Lower heat to medium. Add butter to the pan, then toss in pearl onions and sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and brown lightly—about 8 minutes. Add minced garlic and sliced carrots, cooking another 2 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes to reduce slightly.
  5. Stir in chicken broth and tomato paste until combined. Nestle the browned chicken pieces back into the pan. Toss in thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid.
  6. Let everything cook gently on low heat for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Check occasionally to ensure it’s simmering, not boiling.
  7. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top just before serving.
  8. If the sauce is too thin, remove the chicken and simmer the sauce uncovered for a few more minutes to thicken. If too thick, stir in a splash of broth or wine to loosen.

Notes

Pat chicken dry to ensure crispy skin. Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for best flavor and texture. Use a decent drinking dry red wine like Pinot Noir or Burgundy. Frozen peeled pearl onions save time. If sauce is too thin, reduce uncovered; if too thick, add broth or wine. Can be adapted for slow cooker by browning first then cooking on low 6-7 hours. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, omit butter and use extra olive oil.

Nutrition

Keywords: coq au vin, chicken stew, French recipe, red wine chicken, mushrooms, pearl onions, comforting dinner, slow simmer

Find it online: https://cooksyla.com/classic-comforting-coq-au-vin-recipe-with-mushrooms-and-pearl-onions-made-easy/