Coq Au Vin Recipe You Can Make Ahead!

This Coq Au Vin recipe is one of my favorite main course recipes for special occasion entertaining. Simply because it’s an elegant dish that can be made ahead of time!

In fact, coq au vin is even better if you make it a day ahead because it gives the flavors a chance to marry and become more pronounced. 

Coq au vin recipe on plate ready to be served

What is Coq Au Vin?

The literal translation of Coq Au Vin is “rooster in wine”. This is a classic French dish that was made by slow-cooking a tough rooster in wine until tender and juicy. Today we don’t cook with a lot of roosters here in the States! So chicken is a great substitute.

Raw Chicken Legs on a green cutting board

What Cut Of Chicken Works Best for Coq Au Vin?

  • I really like to use Chicken legs. I find they are the most flavorful part of the chicken, and look elegant on the plate.
  • For an even easier chicken leg recipe you can try my Sheet Pan Chicken with Potatoes and Veggies.
  • They also will not dry out after all that braising, and reheating the following day.
  • Did I also mention they are cheap! Making this a more cost-effective fancy meal than say a beef tenderloin.

Searing chicken legs in a braiser

Cooking in a Braiser

  • I also like to make this dish in a Le Creuset Braiser I think there’s something so festive about the red oven-to-table dish with the shiny gold knob.
  • I’ll warn you it is pricy! But worth it in my opinion, since this is an heirloom piece that will last for decades. They actually get better with age!

Le Creuset Braiser in red with a gold knob

What to Serve with Coq Au Vin?

  • I think any kind of potato dish pairs beautifully with Coq Au Vin. You’ll want some kind of starch to lap up all the delicious sauce with.
  • One of my favorites would be my Potatoes au Gratin or my Twice Baked Potatoes or my Zucchini Gratin.
  • But for something a bit more decadent and over the top you could also try this insanely good French classic called Tartiflette.
Tight shot of a freshly bakedTartiflette in a gratin pan
French Tartiflette Recipe

What Wine is Best For Coq Au Vin? 

  • Some of my favorite wines for Coq Au Vin include a Cotes du Rhone or a Pinot Noir or even a Merlot would be OK. My rule of thumb is to use a wine you would drink.
  • Or follow the $10 rule, any wine over that amount will be better than those under it.
  • Unless you are shopping at Trader Joe’s where I’ve found some fantastic reds for under $10! Such as the Perrin Cotes du Rhone.

How to Make Coq Au Vin Ahead of Time?

  • For a make-ahead Coq Au Vin, complete the recipe all the way through, eliminating the final thyme sprig garnish on top.
  • Allow it to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. (This is another reason why I like the braiser because you just place the lid on and pop it in the fridge)

Placing a lid on a braiser

To Reheat Coq Au Vin 

  • Add about 1/4 cup of chicken broth to “loosen” the sauce a bit which would have thickened overnight in the fridge.
  • Then place in a 300F oven with the lid on for 20 mins.

How to Make Coq Au Vin For A Crowd

  • First, I would double this recipe to serve 12 people.
  • You can either make each batch of coq au vin one at a time, in one braiser, or make two batches at the same time in two braisers.
  • Take the recipe to the stage where the bacon is added
  • Stir the bacon with the sauce.
  • Then transfer the mixture to two separate 9 x 14 casserole dishes
  • Add the chicken and then cover with foil and continue to bake as directed.

Placing cooked bacon into a red braiser

Serving Tips

  • Spoon the sauce over the chicken, and then garnish with fresh thyme sprigs on top. Serve oven-to-table!
  • To continue the French theme of this holiday meal you could begin with some festive Coquilles St Jacques and finish with a classic Bouche de Noel or Profiteroles

Spooning sauce over coq au vin on a plate

More Fancy Mains You’ll Enjoy!

Please let me know if you make this Recipe

by leaving a rating and review below!

 

Coq au vin recipe on plate ready to be served

Coq Au Vin Recipe

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

This Coq Au Vin recipe is one of my favorite main course recipes for holiday entertaining. Simply because it's an elegant dish that can be made ahead of time! In fact, coq au vin is even better if you make it a day ahead because it gives the flavors a chance to marry and become more pronounced. 

Ingredients

  • 7 pieces of apple wood smoked bacon, diced into small strips
  • ½ tsp butter
  • 6 chicken legs, skin on, bone in
  • 2 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks (1 ½ cups)
  • ¾ cup frozen pearl onions
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1/3 cup cognac
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 1 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 ½ cups white button mushrooms, quartered

Instructions

  1. In a large Dutch oven or oven safe casserole with a lid, melt butter and sauté bacon. Once crispy, transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel. Leave fat in pan.
  2. Season chicken legs on both sides with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. In the bacon fat, brown chicken, on both sides. Transfer to a plate to rest.
  4. In the chicken fat, sauté carrots and onions until browned and tender. Add ½ tsp of dried thyme.
  5. Turn off flame while adding alcohol. Add cognac and wine, stir. Turn flame back on. Add chicken broth.
  6. Add garlic, tomato paste, bay leaf, and salt. Stir to combine.
  7. Add 3 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce.
  8. Create a “slurry” by combining 2 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water, mix to combine.
  9. Bring the pot up to a boil, and then add the slurry, this will allow the sauce to thicken. Then lower to a simmer.
  10. Add back in the bacon.
  11. Place the chicken, skin side up, back into the pot. Place lid on top.
  12. Bake at 350F for 25 mins.
  13. Meanwhile sauté mushrooms in butter until browned.
  14. At the 25 min mark, add mushrooms. Cover and bake for another 20 mins.
  15. Then remove lid, garnish with fresh thyme, and bring to the table!
  16. Serve with a mashed potato puree or crusty French bread.

Notes

If making this the day ahead cool completely, and refrigerate, covered. Before reheating, add a splash of chicken broth to loosen sauce and cover and heat at 300F for 20 mins.

Some of my favorite wines for Coq Au Vin include a Cotes du Rhone or a Pinot Noir or even a Merlot would be OK. My rule of thumb is to use what you would drink.

Or follow the $10 rule, any wine over that amount will be better than those under it.

How to Make Coq Au Vin For A Crowd

First, I would double this recipe to serve 12 people. You can either make each batch of coq au vin one at a time, in one braiser or two batches at the same time in two braisers.

  • Take the recipe to the stage where the bacon is added
  • Stir the bacon with the sauce.
  • Then transfer the mixture to two separate 9 x 14 casserole dishes
  • Add the chicken and then cover with foil and continue to bake as directed.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 718Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 340mgSodium: 930mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 7gSugar: 26gProtein: 66g
Brownie cake scooped into a mug with ice cream

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17 Comments

  1. A delicious dish, worthy of company. I made it for my husband and me and am now going to triple the recipe for a large gathering. Since I’m not fond of chicken skin unless roasted nor of fishing out bones after cooking, I just used boneless chicken thighs – the flavours penetrated them beautifully. The only quibble I have with the recipe is that the amount of cornstarch was excessive for the liquid. The taste of the final sauce wasn’t affected but it was very gelatinous. So, I just diluted with some chicken stock – perfect. Would the fact that I didn’t use skin-on, bone-in thighs affect the amount of liquid? Anyway, thanks Beth for a recipe that I’ll use over and over again.

  2. I would like to make this now for serving on New Years Eve so I assume it is OK to freeze? Would you complete the recipe and then freeze?

    1. Well this one I’m not sure I would freeze with the chicken bones and skin on. But you could absolutely make up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. A better recipe for freezing would be my Beef Bourguignon recipe. It’s a video on YouTube and unfortunately I haven’t put the recipe on my blog yet, but it’s written in the video description on YouTube. Here it is!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb1pOhKmGkk

    1. Oh you really could just leave them out all together and it will still be good. Or add 1-2 celery stalks sautéed with the carrots if you would like to add another vegetable 🙂

  3. Delicious!!!
    Followed instructions to the letter and it was a great success! Will make again for sure…
    Thanks so sharing!