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Succulent chicken with cremini mushrooms is slowly simmered in white wine and a splash of cream. I present to you Coq au Vin Blanc! Quintessential French cooking, but in your own kitchen.
Serve this delicious chicken recipe with Herb and Garlic Mashed Potatoes for an unforgettable meal!
One thing that I’ve learned from blogging is that nothing is more popular than chicken recipe. That goes doubly true for chicken cooked in a delicious sauce to carry that beautiful flavour even further.
And so this recipe is my gift to you! It has everything I know you’ll love – succulent chicken thighs and legs soaked in a stunning, creamy sauce made with white wine, bacon and mushrooms. It combines the best of French cooking in one amazing pot, and I know you’ll love it!
French cuisine
If you are looking for a bit of comfort food with a touch of elegance, this French recipe for chicken, slowly simmered in white wine, is for you.
When people think of French cuisine, images of perfectly and beautifully plated food immediately come to mine. Well, this recipe is nothing like that. Fear not…it is simple and quick. It requires a very few ingredients that you most likely have on hand.
This braised chicken recipe is one of the finest examples of French country cooking. Far, far away from classically trained chefs. Just skilled home cooks creating rustic, beautiful and delicious food for their families.
What is coq au vin blanc?
The legendary Coq au Vin is a French braised chicken dish made with red wine, along with mushrooms, bacon lardons and a simple spread of other ingredients.
There are various legends about how far back this stew recipe goes, with even Julius Caesar getting a mention. But it was only truly documented last century so it’s really anyones guess how and why it was invented.
I’ve adapted the classic Coq au Vin to a version I’m fond of using dry white wine. It keeps the essential elements of the classic version but with a different range of flavours showing through.
It’s really a wonderful dish when you want to appear to have worked endless hours on dinner without having to really stretch yourself all that much! To add to the simplicity of this chicken braised in white wine, there is also a convenience factor.
This dish is cooked in one pan and boasts tender succulent chicken thighs and legs swimming in creamy gravy like sauce. Did I also mention that there is bacon involved?
As I mentioned earlier, all you need is a handful of ingredients but how, you might wonder, it can possibly develop such deep and gratifying flavours? My answer is simple and as old as the world. Wine and slow cooking.
This recipe might be a bit more hands-on than you’d like to invest in for a regular weeknight dinner. It will take you approximately one hour to make.
However, do save this chicken recipe for a weekend because you will absolutely fall in love with the complex flavours and will cook it again and again!
Cooking with wine
You can use any dry white wine for this recipe. I’ve used Chardonnay but Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling will also work beautifully. I do not recommend using cooking wine.
The reason I recommend dry white wine is because sweetness in wine tends to concentrate when it’s cooked down. So if you start with sweet wine, you will end up with very sweet dish after 40 minutes of simmering.
Unless you abstain from alcohol for medical or religious reasons, I would encourage you to give cooking with wine a try. The reason it works is because adding wine is like adding a concentrated flavour boost to your food.
Wine makers have worked long and hard to develop those flavours. All you have to do is to pour it in, sit back and let it simmer happily for 40 minutes for all that flavour to transfer to your dish.
If you are concerned about cooking with alcohol or feeding your children “winey” chicken, don’t be! Alcohol will cook out of the dish in the process of simmering! There will be traces left but truly negligible amounts.
All you will be left with is creamy sauce and scrumptious chicken as acid from the wine permeates it and makes it irresistibly tender.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- The recipe can be made ahead and frozen to serve later. Just make sure to add about 1/2 cup/125ml to 1 cup/250ml of chicken stock when reheating it as you are bound to lose some sauce in the process.
- Choose a dry white wine to cook with. I used a dry Chardonnay, but other varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio will also work well. Be careful not to use a sweet wine!
- Yes, you can use chicken breasts instead of thighs but the sauce will be less flavourful. Choose what is more important to you… deep flavour or convenience and proceed accordingly.
- The recipe uses bacon lardons, which are diced pieces of thick cut bacon. Lardons are typically only lightly smoked, so they do not overpower the dish. They are commonly used in French cooking.
- For a more varied flavour experiment with different types of mushrooms. The more interesting the better! If you want to learn more about them, here is a helpful article, which outlines various flavour profiles of mushrooms.
- At the end of the cooking process you should end up with a reduced sauce, so simmer your chicken uncovered.
Serving Suggestions
For a full French inspired dinner, serve this coq au vin with mashed potatoes or sweet potato and rutabaga mash if you are feeling more adventurous and a salad on the side. This apple, walnut and blue cheese salad will do nicely.
Good quality baguette or sourdough bread is also highly recommended so soak up all that amazing white wine sauce! I also like to add a sprinkling of fresh parsley, both for added colour and a bit of fresh flavour.
Storage and leftovers
It’s best to reheat any leftovers by setting the stovetop on low, and heating in a pan with a splash of water or stock to your pan to keep the sauce loose. Cover with a lid or foil to keep the coq au vin blanc from drying out and heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the meat is hot in the middle.
It is possible to freeze any leftovers for up to three months in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container.
More French chicken recipes
- French Chicken Casserole a la Normande
- Chicken Provencal
- Chicken in Wine and Mustard Sauce
- Chicken Fricassee
- Creamy Tarragon Chicken and Potatoes
Coq au Vin Blanc (Chicken in White Wine)
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Cast iron casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4-5 strips of bacon/pancetta, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 8 chicken pieces on the bone, thighs and legs
- 250g / 2 cups Cremini mushrooms, whole or halved
- 500ml / 2⅓ cups dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, approximately 2/3 of a bottle
- 250ml / 1 cup double/whipping cream
- salt & pepper, to taste
- handful flat leaf chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cook bacon or pancetta in a tablespoon of olive oil. Skip oil if bacon is too fatty. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Salt and pepper the chicken pieces and brown them in bacon fat over medium-high heat. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Cook chopped onion over low heat for 5-7 minutes, add garlic when the onion is tender and translucent and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove cooked onion and garlic to the same plate as chicken and bacon.
- Add mushrooms to the pan and brown them for 3-5 minutes over medium-high heat. Return chicken, onion, garlic and bacon to the pan, pour wine all over, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes.
- Add cream and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Use a dry white wine like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio. Avoid anything sweet or your sauce will taste off.
- You can swap in chicken breasts, but thighs give you much deeper flavour. Choose what matters more to you: richness or convenience.
- Lardons are more than regular bacon bits. They are thick-cut and lightly smoked so they add flavour without taking over. They are a staple of French cooking and are often found in classic recipes.
- For a more interesting flavour, try mixing up your mushroom varieties. Shiitakes, oysters, cremini – the more diverse, the better.
- For the best sauce, simmer uncovered so the sauce reduces and concentrates into something truly luxurious.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just stopping by to say this is one of my favorite recipes. I made it first in 2015 but it remains my favorite into 2019. Iโve tried many versions of it, but following the recipe exactly is the best result. Iโve never been a huge fan of thighs so the first couple times I just used chicken breasts and a couple times Iโve used tenderloins (donโt recommend). The last few times the thighs have surprised me (plus they are cheaper at the store!). I used this to impress my friends in college and now I use it to impress my adult friends. Itโs my go to.
This is such amazing feedback. I love how the recipe grew and evolved with you, Sydney! It’s one of my favourites as well!
Loved the flavors and the ease of prep, but that said, saying it only needs 5 minutes of prep is very misleading. Just opening up a package of bacon, chopping it up, sautรฉing it, and washing the cutting board took 15 minutes! Throw in the time it takes to slice the mushrooms, garlic, parsley and an onion? And then sautรฉing each of those things one at a time? Prep for getting this dish ready for simmering should realistically state more like 30- 45 minutes prep, 40 minutes to simmer. Great recipe, though, will make again for sure!
I am glad you loved the recipe. Regarding the prep time…I don’t actually consider sauteeing as “prep time”, that is cooking, so the time for it is accounted for in the recipe instructions. The same goes for washing a cutting board, it’s something I do while things are cooking. The only prep time would be chopping one onion and slicing mushrooms and garlic. I believe 5 minutes is fair but I am fast.
Forgive me if this is basic cooking 101, but Iโm a rookie! Would this be a good choice to feed a crowd of 16 in terms of logistics? I canโt imagine it all fitting in one pan to make enough, so should I just do multiple pans using multiple burners? If so, how do I ensure proper proportions in each pan? I do have a large turkey roasting pan (that Iโve never used๐คฃ) but I could use that if you think itโs best!
Hi Nicole, yes using multiple pans would be your only solution if cooking for 16 people. Are you thinking of using the roasting pan on a stove top? It might not be the best way to brown the chicken though. You can move the bar next to Serving in the recipe card, and it will automatically adjust the recipe ingredients for 16 people. Then I would just divide the chicken evenly among the pans and cook according the instructions. I would also make sure you have help if you are a rookie. ๐ Cooking for 16 is not easy!
Hi Nicole, FYI ~ a few comments below yours ~ sounds like a successful dinner party for 10 couples. Have you already had your dinner party for 16? How did it go? If not, good luck, and I would be interested in hearing how it went. Did everyone love the meal? I always measure a successful dinner party, (or any event that includes cooking ๐) by the number of people who request the recipe.
TraCey says
January 29, 2017 at 1:53 am
“This is really excellent!! I made this for a dinner party of 10 couples. I wanted something easyโฆโฆbut impressive. This was it. It was perfect….”
Julie – Have you ever cooked this in an Instant Pot?
I haven’t, Diana. I don’t actually own an instant pot but I do have a Tefal brand pressure cooker and I imagine you can easily do that in about 10 minutes. ๐
I had seen the recipe a couple days ago for Coq au Chardonnay, but I can’t seem to find the recipe on this site anymore. Can you please reattach it? I bought all the ingredients and came back to the site for the recipe, but it was gone. Thanks!
It’s back, Karen. Thanks for letting me know. I was updating this post last night and accidently deleted it. I wouldn’t have known if not for your comment! Hours of of anxiety and I was able to restore it!
tried this recipe and felt like i’d died and gone to heaven! I wanted to dive into this sauce! OMGOOOOOOOOOOSH! Seriously, it’s the best! My book club LOOOOOVED it!
Merci!
Carol in Paradise, CA
Carol, your comment made me so happy! Yesss! I love that recipe so much myself!
Sometimes, the feature malfunctions, Daisy. I am sure Carol didn’t meant to rate it one star.
Made this last nite. Made exactly as was printed and it was delicious. I did cook the chicken thighs for awhile though to make sure they got nice and browned. Husband loved it. Served over rice. Plenty of sauce!
Thank you for your feedback, Mary!! Bon Appetit!
This is really excellent!! I made this for a dinner party of 10 couples. I wanted something easy……but impressive. This was it. It was perfect. My husband grilled some boneless chicken breast, that I cut into thin strips so it would cook quickly.
What I really love about this dish is…..you can throw everything into the pan and let it be simmering on the stove while your guests arrive, graze on appetizers, eat the salad,and sip wine before the main course. Please make this if you want to enjoy the evening and reLax with friends.
Yes! This! When I am having a dinner party I plan on meals like this one because I don’t want to be red-faced constantly stirring in the kitchen when people are chatting with my husband in the living room. lol ๐
This looks yummy- look forward to trying this!
Michele
Great, let me know how it goes, Michelle!
Yeah can you make it in a slow cooker?
Hi Monique, I just looked at the recipe again and I am sure you can adapt it to a slow cooker but you would still have to brown chicken, mushrooms and onions beforehand (Steps 1-4 in the recipe card) because that is where the flavour comes from, and then assemble the rest of the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. The thing is that you wouldn’t be saving much time because the main hands-on work is in those first steps, afterwards it’s just simmering for a few minutes but if you try it please let me know how it turns out! Good luck! ๐