Coq au Vin Blanc (Chicken in White Wine)

4.78 from 59 votes

This coq au vin blanc recipe shows a great way of making succulent chicken with mushrooms cooked in white wine and a splash of cream.

Prep Time5

Cook Time55

Total Time1

Course: Main

Cuisine: French

Keyword: coq au vin blanc

Servings:

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

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.

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.