Coq au vin (or rooster in wine) is a classic French dish. It’s flavorful, it’s rich, and it takes a lot of time and effort to prepare. First, you season the chicken, let it sit overnight, then brown it, add vegetables, and braise it slowly. Authentic coq au vin also requires lots of pots, lardons, which are thick matchstick strips of bacon, glazed pearl onions, croutons, and finally toast points! It takes hours to prepare it properly. It’s wonderful, but it’s also a major undertaking, and highly impractical for a weekday dinner. In contrast, this stovetop coq au vin takes about half an hour to make. Much better!
I have adapted this recipe from Pierre Franey’s 60 Minute Gourmet Cookbook. Being French he called it “Poulet Sauté au Brouilly” (or chicken sautéed in Brouilly wine). I say stovetop coq au vin or chicken with red wine sauce and mushrooms works just fine.
And, once you finish a bit of chopping and browning, stovetop coq au vin mostly cooks itself. You don’t have to fuss with it, you don’t need to use half the pots in your kitchen, and you don’t have to clean them up either. This version only requires a single skillet.
When choosing the red wine, look for one that’s fruity and flavorful, but not too tannic. Wines such as Zinfandel, Brouilly, Beaujolais, or Merlot are fine (I used Merlot). On the other hand, a Cabernet Sauvignon would be overpowering.
Stovetop Coq au Vin or Chicken with Red Wine Sauce
A faster, easier version of coq au vin you can make right on the stove top
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in chicken thigh
- 1 tsp butter
- 2-3 mushrooms, sliced
- 1 T onion, diced
- 1 small clove garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp flour
- 4T red wine (such as merlot or zinfandel)
- 1T plus 1 tsp chicken broth
- 1 small bay leaf
- pinch dried thyme (or small sprig fresh)
Instructions
- Season the chicken thigh with salt and pepper.
- Take a small skillet, and place it on moderate heat. Add the butter and let it melt.
- Once the butter has melted, add the chicken thigh, placing the skin down next to the pan.
- Let that cook until the chicken browns, about 5-7 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook another 5 minutes.
- Now add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the pan, scattering it around the chicken. Stir it all around with a spoon to blend and cook for a minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the chicken/mushroom mixture and add the wine and 1 T of chicken broth.
- Turn up the heat and cook until the liquid comes to a boil.
- Now add the bay leaf and the thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover the pan, turn the heat down to a simmer, and let the chicken cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a plate (cover to keep it warm).
- Stir the sauce and add the remaining teaspoon of chicken broth. Cook for 30 seconds or so, then pour the sauce over the chicken.
Stovetop Coq au Vin Substitutions and Variations
- If you want, cook a few strips of bacon and add that to the chicken
- Make it more colorful with some chopped carrots
- Try different varieties of mushrooms, or a mixture
- Use shallots instead of the onion/garlic
- If you use the bacon, saute the onions/garlic/shallots in the bacon fat
More Chicken Recipes
Crispy Lemon Chicken Thigh Recipe for One
Three kinds of lemon, and a smidge of brown sugar add lots of flavor to this chicken. It almost tastes like it’s fried (but it’s not). Great hot or cold.
Quick Chicken Mango Stir Fry Recipe
A freezer-friendly quick dinner. Use frozen mango if you have it. If not, pineapple will do too (since this cooks quickly). Toss in the chicken and veggies, make a quick sauce and you’re done.
Homemade Chicken Shawarma with Yogurt Sauce
If you can’t get your favorite Mediterranean takeout, make it yourself. You don’t need a rotisserie or special equipment either. Just make it right in your oven.
Single Serving Chicken Recipe with Tarragon and Mushrooms
A fancy French meal without going out (or paying a lot). It takes only 30 minutes to make and uses a single pan. I confess even I wanted to lighten up the original recipe (which called for copious amounts of butter and cream). However, this version retains every bit of flavor!