Quick One Pan Coq Au Vin Blanc
chicken, one-pot-meals, sponsored
Updated 18th January 2022
Coq au vin is a great French classic dish that I’m quite fond of. It is a very homey traditional slow braised rooster or chicken stew, usually made with red wine. It’s one of those dishes that is made up of layers of flavours and when prepared authentically reminds me of beef bourguignon, in that almost each element of the dish gets its own pan time. This has a lot to do with building those fabulous layers of flavour in both of those dishes, but it can also be time consuming to make. Another thing that can be intimidating to some when cooking coq au vin is that after all that time and effort, in the end, there is a chance you will be left with purple chicken from it simmering in red wine. In this version I swapped in white wine for red, used only chicken thighs instead of a variety of chicken pieces, and exchanged shallots for pearl onions. Though the ingredients and techniques are simpler, the flavours are just as delicious as the traditional version!
Why you are going to love this recipe:
- It’s all made in one pan
- It’s loaded with flavour - the flavours keep building from the bacon and chicken being cooked in the pan then the veggies and ofcourse the wine and cream creating a very flavourful sauce
- It’s very easy to make and quick - under 1 hour - less steps then a more traditional Coq au vin without sacrificing the flavour
Ingredients in Coq au vin blanc:
- Bone-in Skin on Chicken Thighs: you could use chicken breast too but make sure to adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Flour: for dredging or sprinkling over chicken
- Bacon: or pancetta
- Shallots: Or you could use regular onions
- Carrots and celery: these always add more flavour to any dish - they make a perfect mirepoix with the shallots or onions.
- Garlic: I used 3 but if you are a garlic lover feel free to use more or less if you prefer less
- Mushrooms: I used cremini but feel free to use whatever variety you like
- Thyme and Rosemary:I always like to use fresh but dried is fine
- White Wine: Pinot Grigio or any dry white wine will work here
- Cream: I used heavy cream. It adds loads of richness to the sauce but feel free to substitute with half and half or chicken broth for a lighter version
- Fresh Parsley: For garnish, optional.
How To Make Coq Au Vin
- Pat chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. Dredge or sprinkle with flour.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown. Add veggies and cook until tender. Then push to one side of the pan
- Add chicken to other side of pan and brown on both sides (may need to do this in batches)*
- Deglaze the pan with wine scraping up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan and add the herbs. Simmer until chicken is cooked through.*
- Add cream to pan and simmer another 5 min stirring as needed until slightly thickened.
Alternate methods:
- This is especially good if you are working with a smaller pan: Add the bacon and cook until crispy.Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the chicken and brown both sides. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the onions and carrots, celery, garlic and mushrooms to the pan and cook over medium heat until the onions are transparent and lightly browned. Then deglaze with wine and return chicken and bacon to pan.
- For Crispy Skin: Cook in the oven instead of on the stove. use a more shallow pan that allows the skin to sit slightly above the sauce. Bake covered at 350°F for 10-15 minutes then raise the heat to 400°F and cook uncovered for a further 5-10 minutes. Thicken on the stove with the chicken removed from the pan.
I partnered up with Black Celler Wine, a Canadian wine company, to make something fabulous using their Pinot Grigio. I couldn’t wait to use it in my quick one pan coq au vin blanc recipe that I love making! It was perfect in it. The best part is that this version is a one pan version as the name implies, so no need to sauté each ingredient individually which saves a lot of time, and another bonus is that it always turns out the same colour as it’s made with white wine (also implied by the name). The Pinot Grigio is smooth and refreshingly crisp - perfect in this rich and creamy dish. It adds a nice lightness to it and cuts through the richness of it. It also is the perfect pairing for the dish too. What you use in cooking should be good enough to drink and enjoy too, and this is definitely one of those wines that’s good for both.
It’s a great dish that can be made even in the mid week. Because it’s a one pan meal, it’s less fuss and a lot less time to make than the traditional version. It’s perfect over buttery egg noodles which take next to nothing to boil and have ready and the perfect meal for date night as well. It’s also great with mashed potatoes or even just some crusty bread on the side to dip into that wonderful sauce. It’s incredibly warming and comforting like a delicious hug in bowl and when the weather turns cool, it’s always a meal I crave. I do love the original version braised low and slow in red wine, but to be honest, I love this one more. White wine is less overpowering, adds a much brighter flavour and doesn’t affect the color of the chicken plus it takes way less time to make. I think you will feel the same about this one and hope you give it a try.
How long can you keep coq au vin in the fridge?
Coq au vin will keep in the fridge for around 3 days. The good news is that during this period, the flavours will develop and intensify further, which is why it will often taste better the next day.
Can You Freeze Coq Au Vin?
Yes you can. Make sure it is completely cool. Portion out into freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat at 180C (160 fan) in an ovenproof dish, covered in foil for about 35 minutes.
What is Traditionally Served with Coq Au Vin?
Generally, you want something full of starch to serve alongside the stew. You want something that will absorb all the flavours. Try crusty bread, rice or a spoonful of mashed potatoes.
This post is in partnership with Black Cellar Wine. All thoughts and views are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Olive & Mango possible.
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Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 slices bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 ½ pounds total)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, for sprinkling
- 4 shallots peeled and quartered or one large onion
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 ½ cups white wine (I used Black Cellar Wine Pinot Grigio)
- ½ tablespoon fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Egg noodles to serve with or mashed potatoes or just some crusty bread to dip into the lovely sauce
Directions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour both sides
- Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until almost crisp, 2 to 3 min. (Feel free to drain off some of the fat but ensure there are approx 2tbsp left in the pan to sauté the veggies with and brown the chicken)
- Add mushrooms, celery, carrots, garlic and onion/shallots and continue cooking, stirring often, until bacon is crisp and mushrooms are browned, 7 to 8 min.
- Slide the vegetables and bacon to the side of pan, then add chicken, skin-side down, to other side of pan and cook until dark golden, about 4 min per side. May have to do this in batches if they all don’t fit in your pan.
- Keep and eye on the veggies and stir them about while browning the chicken so you don’t have any burnt pieces.
- Add wine, thyme, rosemary.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low scraping bottom of pan to release any brown bits.
- Simmer until chicken is cooked through and mixture has reduced and is saucy, 15 to 20 min.
- Transfer chicken to a platter before adding the cream or add cream right into sauce and vegetables in with the chicken in the pan. (Either is fine - if you add it while the chicken is in the pan just make sure to pour it into the sauce not over the chicken so that the chicken stays brown in colour)
- Boil until mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 min.
- Pour sauce over chicken when serving and sprinkle with parsley and serve over buttery egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
Recipe Notes
Storage & Freezing
- How long can you keep coq au vin in the fridge? Coq au vin will keep in the fridge for around 3 days. The good news is that during this period, the flavours will develop and intensify further, which is why it will often taste better the next day.
- Can You Freeze Coq Au Vin? Yes you can. Make sure it is completely cool. Portion out into freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat at 180°C (160°F) in an ovenproof dish, covered in foil for about 35 minutes.
Alternate cooking methods
- This is especially if you are working with a smaller pan: Add the bacon and cook until crispy.Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the chicken and brown both sides. Transfer chicken a plate and set aside. Add the onions and carrots, celery, garlic and mushrooms to the pan and cook over medium heat until the onions are transparent and lightly browned. Then deglaze with wine and return chicken and bacon to pan.
- For Crispy Skin: Cook in the oven instead of on the stove. use a more shallow pan that allows the skin to sit slightly above the sauce. Bake covered at 350°F for 10-15 minutes then raise the heat to 400°F and cook uncovered for a further 5-10 minutes. Thicken on the stove with the chicken removed from the pan.
Adapted from Chatelaine
