Julia Child’s Coq au Vin
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This classic Coq au Vin recipe is undeniably the best. This recipe stays quite true to the original, only modernizing the ingredients and cooking methods. Don’t be intimidated; my recipe is very easy to follow.
One reader, Sue, says, “Loved this recipe! Just made it for the first time and my husband loved it. It was full of flavor. I will definitely make it again! ★★★★★”
Julia Child’s coq au vin (or chicken in wine) is a wonderful but complex recipe that calls for uncommon ingredients in North American grocery stores. That’s why I created a version of her recipe that we can all make and enjoy. The result is a simple French chicken stew with all the traditional flavors.
Shortly after starting this blog, I was invited to join a celebration honoring Julia Child’s 100th birthday. Food bloggers united, each tasked with preparing her most famous recipes to share. This was the first time I made coq au vin, but it’s become a staple I’ve made countless times.
It’s more straightforward than the fancy name suggests. It takes a bit of time, but the result is always worth it. I’ve made a few subtle tweaks to the original recipe to reflect modern cooking and diets, providing options for various dietary requirements without venturing too far from Julia Child’s original version.
So what is Coq au Vin? Coq au vin translates to ‘rooster in wine.’ A coq au vin recipe is a deeply savory, robust, and hearty French stew consisting of tender chicken braised in red wine with vegetables such as mushrooms, carrots, and onions. Crispy bacon lends more savory depth. It’s warming comfort food that blends savory, sweet, and earthy notes.
Julia Child herself said, “In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.” The French certainly know how to put good food on a plate – it’s one of the most celebrated cuisines in the world!
How to Pronounce Coq au Vin
Coq au vin is French for ‘rooster in wine.’ To master the pronunciation, let’s break it down:
- Coq: Pronounced like ‘kohk’ with the ‘o’ similar to the sound of the ‘o’ in ‘coat’
- Au: This is pronounced like ‘oh.’
- Vin: The final word is pronounced like ‘van’
So, you’re saying ‘kohk oh van.’
Key ingredients
French cuisine is very regional, and coq au vin originates in rural farming areas of France, so it calls for ingredients that comfort. This hearty, rich, and robust dish calls for these ingredients:
- Chicken: Grab some skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks.
- Beurre manié: If you’re not familiar, this fancy name refers to a combination of flour and butter. See the notes for ratios and dietary-friendly variations.
- Red wine: Traditionally, coq au vin is made with a Burgundy wine, like a Pinot Noir. I’ve used lighter reds like Tempranillo and Gamay Noir successfully, and you can also opt for a richer, more robust taste by going for something like a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. The most important thing is that you like the wine you use. The wine adds a lot of flavor to the dish, so make sure it’s one you enjoy drinking!
What makes this coq au vin special?
- Chicken: I use chicken thighs and drumsticks in this recipe. The original Julia Child recipe calls for cutting up a whole chicken, which is more time-consuming. Using familiar and widely available cuts makes it more approachable without sacrificing flavor.
- Bacon: I sprinkle the cooked bacon on top after the dish is cooked so that it remains crispy. If you leave it in the sauce to cook, it gets soggier.
- Tomato: The original recipe calls for a tomato, and I can assume Julia must have meant a summer sun-ripened tomato. Our grocery store tomatoes are sad in comparison, so I use some tomato paste, which has a strong tomato flavor and can be caramelized a little to add some sweetness.
- Carrots: While they are not in the original recipe, carrots make this more of a complete meal.
- Beurre manie: Traditional coq au vin is thickened with butter and flour, which doesn’t work with many modern diets. This recipe gives options for traditional or made without dairy, gluten,
How to Make Coq au Vin
This stovetop recipe is straightforward, albeit time-consuming—it takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. However, the results are worth it. In Julia’s words, “No one is born a great cook; one learns by doing.” So roll up those sleeves and get ready to impress yourself!
- Prep: Put the chicken in a bowl with the wine, chicken stock, and brandy, if you’re using it. Let it soak up the flavors while you chop the veggies and cook the bacon in a large skillet, pot, or Dutch oven on medium-high heat.
- Sear chicken: Remove the chicken from the bowl (save the wine marinade) and sear it until golden. Work in batches if needed.
- Start coq au vin: First, add the onions and carrots, then the garlic. Next, add the tomato paste until it caramelizes, and pour in the reserved red wine marinade. The chicken goes back in with the thyme, and then the lid is put on to let it simmer.
- Veggies: In another skillet, sauté the cremini mushrooms until they brown. Add the pearl onions to the pan with the chicken.
- Beurre manié: Mix the butter and flour (or another variation). Remove the chicken from the pan, then add the flour mixture. Stir until the sauce thickens, then season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Finish: Add the chicken and top with the cooked bacon and mushrooms. Garnish with some fresh time, and enjoy!
What to serve with coq au vin
Coq au vin is elegant and impressive enough to serve while entertaining guests, yet homey and comforting enough to serve up when it’s just the family eating at home.
My favorite way to serve this coq au vin recipe is on top of a pile of roasted garlic mashed potatoes with a crisp arugula wild rice salad. The gravy from the coq au vin is incredible poured over the mash, and the salad rounds it out with some added freshness.
Another great option is to serve this with warm garlic bread or even some buttered sourdough.
Make ahead and storage
Make ahead: The great thing about stews is that their flavor intensifies when stored overnight in the fridge, making them a great option for a dinner party. For ease, I let the stew cool in the braiser (until warm, not room temperature) on the counter, then put the lid on and refrigerate.
Store: Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in your fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: This recipe freezes well in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Reheat: I like to reheat this in a pot over medium-low heat, but you can also use the microwave.
Julia Child Coq Au Vin Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 1 ½ cups red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Optional: ¼ cup brandy
- 3 strips thick-cut bacon or lardons (cut into ½ inch pieces)
- 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper (divided)
- 1 medium onion (quartered then thinly sliced)
- 4 medium carrots (cut into 1-inch piece)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 8 ounces mushrooms (thickly sliced)
- 8 ounces pearl onions (peeled)
- Beurre manie (see notes for the options)
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs and drumsticks in a medium-sized bowl and pour the wine, chicken stock, and (if using) the brandy over the top. Prep the vegetables.4 chicken thighs, 4 chicken drumsticks, 1 ½ cups red wine, Optional: ¼ cup brandy, 1 cup chicken stock
- Add the bacon to a large, high-sided pan or braiser over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy, about 8 minutes, then remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon.3 strips thick-cut bacon or lardons
- Remove the chicken from the wine marinade (save the wine) and dry the chicken well with paper towels. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper.
- Working in 2 batches if needed, place the chicken in the pan, skin side down. Sear until golden on both sides (about 8-10 minutes total), then remove the chicken. Remove all but two tablespoons of the bacon/chicken oil from the pan – reserving the oil to use later in the recipe.
- Add the sliced onion and carrots to the pan and let them cook until the onion is golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for 1 minute.1 medium onion, 4 medium carrots, 4 cloves garlic
- Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste until it is fragrant and begins to darken. Pour in the reserved wine marinade, add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper, and bring it to a boil for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck-on bits.2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- Nestle the chicken into the pan and sprinkle the thyme over top. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Pour 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil (or use olive oil) into a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until brown, about 10 minutes.8 ounces mushrooms
- Add the pearl onions to the pan with the chicken and cook for 10 minutes.8 ounces pearl onions
- In a small bowl, mix your choice of beurre manie – see notes for the options. Remove the chicken from the pan, add the beurre manie, and stir until the sauce thickens. (You can leave the chicken in the pan if you prefer, but I find it is easier if I remove it.) Season to taste with salt and pepper – I often add an extra teaspoon of each.Beurre manie
- Add the chicken back into the pan and top with the cooked bacon and mushrooms. Sprinkle with a little fresh thyme.
Last step:
- After you make this recipe, take a picture with your phone and share it in the comments section below. I love seeing it when you make my recipes!
Equipment Used
Notes
- Traditional beurre manie: 2 tablespoons flour + 2 tablespoons softened butter
- Grain-free and gluten-free beurre manie: 2 tablespoons tapioca starch + 1 tablespoon softened butter
- Dairy-free beurre manie: 2 tablespoons flour + 2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Excerpted from The Way to Cook by Julia Child. Copyright © 1989 by Julia Child. Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.
I’m serving coq au vin at a dinner party. I’m having 3 courses before the coq au vin. I would like to cook the coq au vin right before guests arrive, can I let the coq au vin sit on the stove on low temperature til ready to eat?
Oh definitely! Keep the temperature low and just be sure to check on it a few times. If too much liquid evaporates, you can simply add a splash of broth.
I absolutely loved this. I make Julia’s Boeuf Bourginon. I oven cooked this recipe for 40 minutes in Dutch Oven after the stove top preparation sessions. Loved using Beurre manie instead of cornstarch and water.
Thanks, Scott!
This recipe is very good, but it is not JC’s original recipe. Some of the ingredients and steps are vastly different. It also definitely needed more salt, even the people who rarely salt anything were adding salt to this.
Can I ask, what about salt??? We loved it too. But I salted the chicken pieces a little, and then added salt as it cooked in the sauce, and still felt it could have used more?
You can absolutely add more. I personally love salt and salt fairly heavily when cooking for myself. But as so many people watch their sodium intake, we take it easy for recipes shared here.
Loved this recipe! Just made it for the first time and my husband loved it. It was full of flavor. I will definitely make it again!
I followed this recipe exactly and my husband and I were both surprised at how bland it was. We were expecting something delicious. Will probably never make this again.
Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper in step 9. It’s an important step in the recipe.
I’m looking forward to trying this. Could you provide cooking instructions on how to substitute chicken breast?
Chicken breasts cook much faster and will become dry if over cooked, so you’ll want to reduce the time they simmer to 15-20 minutes. I’d give them a quick sear for flavor and then add everything (including the sauteed mushrooms and pearl onions) and cook it all together until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Hope that helps!
Kristen, I love this recipe and thank you! I made it for the first time in September of 2023 and was so excited that I posted my creation on Facebook. I will be making it for the third time for a dinner party tomorrow night. I can’t wait to see how my guests like it. Your interpretation of Julia Child’s recipe certainly is in keeping with celebrating the “joy of cooking!”
Thank you so much for sharing this on your Facebook. It looks incredible!!
Did you braise the onions before adding them to the chicken? Julia braised hers and then browned. Just curious.
No we add then to the pot with the chicken and let them braise alongside the chicken.
Hello I went to go make this and only have (low sodium) Beef Stock, thought I had chicken in the pantry, is it ok to substitute?? Thanks for the advice.
Of yes that will work just fine.
Followed the recipe and resisted the urge to season everything as I go, and regretted it. Probably a good guideline recipe, but needed salt and pepper on everything along the way to perk it up, not just at the end.
How long do you usually marinade the chicken? Or is it just a mix and coat before cooking?
Only as long as it takes to prep the veggies and cook the bacon!
This is a very tasty dish. What do u think about serving it over polenta?
I think that’s a great idea!
Beginner question here- is this saying to save and reuse the wine marinade after the chicken has sat in it? Or should I toss that used marinade, and then add additional, fresh wine to the pot?
Save the marinade! You’ll use it for cooking the chicken. 🙂
You use the same marinade!
I made this for New Year’s Eve, and my husband said it was the best thing I’d cooked all year! The only step I skipped was the bacon, as I do not eat pork. The sauce is definitely best the next day – much fuller-bodied. I will definitely make this again.
Very good recipe and dish for a gathering. I doubled the recipe in a Dutch oven. It turned out beautifully. Served over a sweet potato purée with friend green beans for 8.