Coq au Vin Rosé (Printable Version)

Tender chicken braised in rosé wine with mushrooms, cream, and fresh herbs. An elegant French-inspired main course for four.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 3.25 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks recommended)

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 2 cups dry rosé wine
03 - 2 tablespoons 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 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, optional for thickening
11 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon 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 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown chicken on all sides for approximately 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned chicken to a clean plate.
03 - In the same pot, add chopped onions, carrots, and sliced leek. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add quartered mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
05 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables if using for thickening, and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients.
06 - Pour rosé wine into the pot, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Return chicken pieces to the pot and add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig.
07 - Bring liquid to a gentle simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 45 minutes until chicken is very tender and cooked through.
08 - Remove herbs from pot. Stir in heavy cream and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until sauce reduces slightly and becomes glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Transfer chicken and sauce to serving plates or bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It brings all the elegance of classic French cooking but feels appropriate even on a warm evening.
  • The rosé keeps the sauce delicate and faintly fruity, never overwhelming the chicken.
  • Everything happens in one pot, so cleanup is almost as satisfying as the meal itself.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have mingled overnight in the fridge.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the chicken, that golden crust and the fond left behind are the foundation of the entire sauce.
  • Use a wine you enjoy drinking, because bad wine will only concentrate its flaws as it reduces.
  • Let the chicken braise gently, not at a rolling boil, or the meat will toughen instead of turning tender.
  • Add the cream only after the braising is done, or it may curdle under prolonged high heat.
03 -
  • Let the chicken come to room temperature before browning so it cooks more evenly and develops better color.
  • Taste the sauce before adding cream, if its too acidic, a pinch of sugar will balance it without making it sweet.
  • Use a wide, heavy pot so the chicken fits in a single layer during braising, which helps everything cook at the same rate.
  • If the sauce is too thin after adding cream, simmer it uncovered a few extra minutes and it will reduce beautifully.
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