Classic Coq au Vin Recipe Chicken Legs Braised in Red Wine
It's hard to look beyond classic recipes when you want a bit of comfort food, and coq au vin is a firm favourite with me. Chicken legs braised in red wine is a French masterclass in hearty, bold cooking.
Servings 2 Servings
Calories 1262kcal
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Legs
- 1 Bottle Red Wine 750ml
- 1 Medium Carrot 150g
- 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 Head Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 175 ml Chicken Stock ¾ Cup
- 30 g Softened Butter 2 tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon Plain Flour
- 100 g Bacon Lardons 4oz
- 8-10 Shallots
- 150 g Small Chestnut Mushrooms 1½-2 Cups
Instructions
- Pour the wine into a 20cm or 8" saucepan and bring it to a boil, and then cook until it is reduced by half, which will take around 15 minutes, then allow to cool.
- Cut the carrots into rings at a 45° angle.
- Add the chicken legs to a bag or Tupperware box and add the carrots, thyme, black pepper and bay leaves. Then pour over the wine and allow the chicken to marinate, 4 hours minimum but up to 12 hours.
- Pour the chicken into a colander and allow it to sit for 15 minutes to allow the wine to drip through and dry the chicken a little. Then transfer the wine to a bowl, the carrots, thyme and bay to another bowl and dry the chicken thoroughly with kicthen paper.
- Cut the garlic in half across the cloves.
- Season the chicken with the salt.
- Heat a 24cm or 10" casserole or Dutch oven over a high heat, and when it is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and brown the chicken on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- Add the carrots, thyme and bay from the marinade to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Place the head of garlic, cut side down, in the pan and pour over the red wine and chicken stock, then bring the liquid to a boil.
- Add the chicken legs, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven and cook at 150°C or 300°F for 2 hours.
- Peel the shallots.
- Clean the mushrooms.
- Around 10-15 minutes before the chicken has been cooking for 2 hours, heat a 30cm or 12" nonstick frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.Fry the bacon in the pan and cook it for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly
- Add the shallots and cook for 4-5 minutes, moving constantly until they begin to brown.
- Then throw in the mushrooms and cook for another 4-5 minutes tossing constantly, then set aside the pan.
- Place the butter in a bowl and mash it together with the flour.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and fish out the chicken legs and garlic with a slotted spoon, and whisk in the flour and butter mix until it is completely combined.
- Add the mushrooms, bacon and shallots, then return the chicken to the pan and slide it back into the oven for a final 15-20 minutes, this time without a lid.
Video
Notes
The garlic cloves will fall out of the papers whilst you are serving this dish, you can either mash them or leave them whole, but be sure to remove the papery shell before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 1262kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 71g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 36g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 307mg | Sodium: 1905mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 24g
