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

→ 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 to avoid crowding, brown chicken on all sides for approximately 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
03 - In the same pot, add onions, carrots, and leek. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more to caramelize slightly.
05 - If using flour for thickening, sprinkle it over the vegetable mixture and stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly.
06 - Pour rosé wine into the pot, scraping up all browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Return chicken to the pot and nestle among vegetables. Add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig.
07 - Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, cover with lid, and reduce heat to low. Cook undisturbed for 45 minutes until chicken is extremely tender and cooked through.
08 - Remove and discard bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary sprigs. Stir in heavy cream and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until sauce achieves a glossy, slightly thickened consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Transfer chicken and sauce to serving dishes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately with buttered potatoes, crusty bread, or steamed rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes elegant but forgives you if you forget to check the pot for ten extra minutes.
  • The rosé keeps everything lighter and brighter than traditional coq au vin, so you don't feel weighed down after dinner.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have melted into each other overnight.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken, wet skin will never brown and you'll lose all that flavor.
  • If your sauce seems thin after adding cream, let it simmer uncovered a few extra minutes instead of adding more flour later.
  • Taste the wine before you pour it in, if it's too sweet or tastes off, your sauce will too.
03 -
  • Brown the chicken in two batches instead of crowding the pot, patience here means deeper flavor later.
  • Let the sauce simmer uncovered at the end so it concentrates and clings to the chicken instead of running off the plate.
  • Use a Dutch oven with a heavy bottom to keep the heat even and prevent scorching during the long braise.
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