Quick One Pan Coq Au Vin Blanc
chicken, one-pot-meals, sponsored
Updated. Originally posted 6th February 2019
This Coq au vin blanc is easy to make in one large pan with juicy browned chicken thighs in a creamy white wine sauce flavoured with bacon, carrots, celery, mushrooms, onion garlic and fresh herbs. This is a great midweek or even date night chicken dish that everyone will love. It is great over mashed potatoes, buttery egg noodles or rice.
Coq Au Vin vs Coq Au Vin Blanc
Coq au vin is a great French classic dish that I’m quite fond of. It is a very 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 of course 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:
- CHICKEN: Bone-in Skin on Chicken Thighs is what I use but you could use chicken breasts too but make sure to adjust cooking time accordingly
- FLOUR: For dredging or sprinkling over chicken
- OLIVE OIL: This is to pan fry the bacon especially if it’s not very fatty and needs a bit of oil. Skip if you think your bacon will render lots of fat. You may also need a little extra to sear your chicken thighs.
- BACON: Adds flavor to the dish. You could use pancetta or bacon lardons instead
- SHALLOTS: I like the mild sweet flavor of shallots but you could use regular white or yellow onion.
- CARROTS & CELERY: These always add great flavor to any dish - they make a perfect mirepoix with the shallots or onions.
- GARLIC: I used 3 cloves of garlic but if you are a garlic lover feel free to use more or less according to taste.
- MUSHROOMS: I use cremini or baby Bella but feel free to use whatever variety you like
- THYME & ROSEMARY: I always like to use fresh thyme sprigs and rosemary but dry herbs are fine too.
- WHITE WINE: Pinot Grigio or any dry white wine will work well here. You can even use a Chardonnay, or sauvignon blanc. If you prefer to use less wine that is fine just substitute it with chicken stock or vegetable broth.
- CREAM: I use 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 Blanc (full details in recipe card below)
- Prepare Chicken: Pat chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. Dredge or sprinkle with flour. Set aside.
- Cook Bacon, Veggies & Aromatics: 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
- Brown Chicken: Add chicken to other side of pan and brown on both sides (may need to do this in batches)*
- Simmer in Wine: 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.
- Finish off With Cream: Add cream to pan and simmer another 5 mins stirring as needed until slightly thickened.
How long can you keep coq au vin in the fridge?
- STORAGE: Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for around 3 days in an airtight container. 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. Reheat stovetop or in the microwave. Can You Freeze Coq Au Vin Blanc?
- FREEZING: Yes you can. Make sure dish is completely cool. Portion out into freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 1-3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat at 180C (160 fan) in an ovenproof dish, covered in foil for about 35 minutes or stovetop or in the microwave. I will say though if you know you are making this to freeze I would skip the cream and add it in once your dish is thawed and warmed through - drizzle it in at that point and simmer a few extra minutes or until sauce has thickened. Sometimes dairy can get a little separated or grainy after being frozen.
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.
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
- 6-8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
- 4 slices bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 4 small shallots peeled and chopped or one large onion
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
- 2 small carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 small celery stalks, sliced
- 1½ cups white wine
- ½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Directions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour both sides and set aside
- Heat a large skillet or large dutch oven 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 rendered bacon fat BUT ensure there are approx 2 tbsps 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, 6-8 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 deeply golden, about 4 min per side. You will likely 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.
- Once chicken is done searing (add all pieces to pan if you browned in batches) add the wine, thyme, rosemary.Stir and toss everything about so that the veggies are more evenly dispersed in pan.
- 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)
- Simmer until mixture is slightly thickened, about 3-5 min.
- Pour sauce over chicken when serving and sprinkle with parsley and serve over buttery egg noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.
Recipe Notes
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 Crispier Skin: Finish cooking the chicken 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 stovetop after with the cream
Adapted from Chatelaine
