Coq au Vin Rosé (Printable Version)

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

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken pieces dry and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on all sides in batches, approximately 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add onions, carrots, and leek. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add 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 minute more, stirring to incorporate.
05 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables if using, and stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly.
06 - Pour rosé wine into the pot, scraping up all browned bits from the bottom. Return seared chicken to the pot. Add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig.
07 - Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with lid, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes until chicken is extremely tender and easily pulls from the bone.
08 - Remove and discard herb sprigs. Stir in heavy cream and simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes, until sauce reaches desired consistency and becomes glossy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Transfer chicken and sauce to serving plates or bowl. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately with buttered potatoes, crusty bread, or rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The rosé wine keeps things elegant and light without losing any of that slow-braised tenderness.
  • It looks stunning on the plate with that soft pink sauce clinging to golden chicken skin.
  • You get all the comfort of a French braise but it wont weigh you down on a spring or summer night.
  • The cream makes the sauce silky and luxurious in a way that feels special but is shockingly easy to pull off.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the chicken, those caramelized bits are what make the sauce taste deep and complex.
  • Use a dry rosé, not a sweet one, or the sauce will taste off and cloying instead of bright and balanced.
  • Let the pot simmer gently on low heat, a hard boil will make the chicken tough and dry out the sauce.
  • If the sauce looks too thin after adding cream, just let it bubble uncovered for a few extra minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
03 -
  • Always taste the rosé before you cook with it, if it tastes good in the glass it will taste good in the pot.
  • Let the chicken rest in the sauce for a few minutes after cooking so it absorbs even more flavor before serving.
  • Use a wide, heavy pot so the chicken pieces have room to brown properly without steaming each other.
  • If the sauce breaks after adding cream, whisk in a teaspoon of cold butter off the heat to bring it back together.
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