Julia Child’s Coq au Vin

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.

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.’

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,

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.

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Julia Child Coq Au Vin Recipe

Prep: 45 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

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Julia Child's Coq Au Vin is undeniably the best. This recipe sticks very much to the original, only minorly changing the ingredients and cooking method to bring it in line with the times. While Coq au Vin (or chicken in wine) might sound fancy, it is really just a simple French chicken stew that anyone can master. Don't be intimidated, this recipe is very easy to follow.

4

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

baking dish

large skillet

braiser

Mixing Bowls

Frying Pan

Notes

Can I make this recipe with boneless chicken? You can, however, be aware that boneless chicken cooks much faster, so you’ll need to adjust your cooking time accordingly. One of the reasons we opt for bone-in chicken is for the additional flavor that bone-in chicken provides.

Bacon: While lardons are typically used in authentic coq au vin, they are difficult to find in many small North American towns, so I usually use thick-cut bacon and cut it into thin strips. Bacon adds a slightly smoky flavor, which complements the recipe well. To use lardons, source unsmoked slab bacon from your butcher and cut it into thin strips. 

Wine: Pinot Noir is the traditional option and my personal favorite. Other light-flavored red wines, such as Rioja, Tempranillo, or Gamay Noir, will also work well. I would avoid bold red wines, as you may find they overwhelm the dish. And there’s no need to splurge on an expensive bottle – opt for a low to mid-priced bottle.

Alcohol: Contrary to popular belief, alcohol takes a long time to cook off. Because we are cooking this with the lid on and for a short time, as much as 50% of the alcohol will remain, according to Idaho State University.

Beurre manie options:

• 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

Serving: 1 = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 635kcal (32%), Carbohydrates: 26g (9%), Protein: 40g (80%), Fat: 34g (52%), Saturated Fat: 10g (63%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 194mg (65%), Sodium: 487mg (21%), Potassium: 1220mg (35%), Fiber: 5g (21%), Sugar: 10g (11%), Vitamin A: 10509IU (210%), Vitamin C: 14mg (17%), Calcium: 90mg (9%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

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.

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