Coq au Vin Rosé (Printable)

Tender chicken braised in rosé wine with cream, mushrooms, and aromatic herbs for an elegant French meal.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 3 1/4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks recommended)

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 2 cups dry rosé wine
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
07 - 7 oz cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
08 - 1 small leek, white and light green parts, sliced
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)
11 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
14 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken pieces on all sides in batches, approximately 5 minutes per batch, without overcrowding the pot. Transfer seared chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add chopped onions, sliced carrots, and leek. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add quartered mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 additional minute, stirring constantly to incorporate.
05 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture (if using) and stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly.
06 - Pour rosé wine into the pot while scraping up browned caramelized bits from the bottom. Return seared chicken to the pot and add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig.
07 - Bring liquid to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes until chicken is very tender and cooked through.
08 - Remove herbs from the pot. Stir in heavy cream and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly and becomes glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Transfer chicken and sauce to serving plates or a platter. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately with buttered potatoes, crusty bread, or rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes the richness of classic coq au vin and gives it a delicate, almost floral lift that feels perfect for warmer evenings.
  • The cream tempers the wine into something silky and comforting without being heavy.
  • Browning the chicken in batches creates deep flavor even before the wine touches the pot.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the sauce has had time to settle into itself.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the chicken, that caramelization is where half the flavor lives.
  • Keep the simmer gentle or the chicken will turn stringy instead of fall-apart tender.
  • Taste the sauce before adding cream, if the wine is too sharp let it reduce a few extra minutes first.
  • Remove the herbs before stirring in cream or they will look messy and their flavor will turn bitter with prolonged heat.
03 -
  • Use a wine you would happily drink on its own, cooking will concentrate its flavor not hide it.
  • If your Dutch oven is not quite large enough, brown the chicken in a skillet and transfer everything to a bigger pot before braising.
  • Let the finished dish rest off the heat for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles and clings better to the chicken.
  • A few gratings of lemon zest over the top at the end can brighten the whole dish if it feels too rich.
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