Coq au Vin Rosé (Printable Version)

Chicken braised in rosé wine with cream, mushrooms, and herbs for an elegant French-inspired main dish.

# 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 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

# Directions:

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 or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown chicken pieces on all sides in batches, approximately 5 minutes per batch, until golden. Transfer seared chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add chopped onions, 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 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more, incorporating thoroughly with the vegetables.
05 - If using flour, sprinkle it over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly, cooking for 1 minute to eliminate raw flour taste.
06 - Pour in rosé wine, scraping up all browned bits from the pot bottom with a wooden spoon. Return chicken pieces to the pot. 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 easily separates from bone.
08 - Remove and discard herb sprigs. Stir in heavy cream and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened and reaches a glossy consistency. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Transfer chicken and sauce to serving plates or a platter. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes the deep comfort of coq au vin and makes it feel lighter, more elegant, perfect for warmer evenings.
  • The rosé and cream create a sauce that's velvety and just faintly blush colored, almost too beautiful to eat.
  • You get all the slow-braised tenderness without the heaviness of red wine weighing you down.
  • It's one of those dishes that looks like you spent all day in the kitchen, but really you just let the pot do the work.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the chicken, that step builds the foundation of flavor and gives the sauce its depth.
  • Use a rosé you would drink, because if it tastes flat or overly sweet in the glass, it will taste the same in your pot.
  • Keep the heat low during braising or the chicken will toughen and the sauce will reduce too fast.
  • If the sauce looks too thin after adding cream, just let it simmer a few extra minutes uncovered.
03 -
  • For even more flavor, marinate the chicken in half the rosé with herbs overnight before cooking.
  • Add a splash of cognac or brandy right before the wine for a subtle, sophisticated depth.
  • If you want a thicker sauce without flour, just simmer it longer uncovered after adding the cream.
  • Always taste and adjust the seasoning at the end, the cream can dull the salt so you might need a pinch more.
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