You can create a tonne of amazing dishes with wine. If you want to impress guests at your next dinner party, try whipping up Coq Au Vin. This famous French chicken-based dish is absolutely delightful when done right. Ideal Wine Company explains how.
What you’ll need
The BBC has a great recipe for Coq Au Vin. It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare, between 30 minutes and an hour to cook and serves four. In order to create this recipe, you’ll need:
- Salt and crushed black pepper.
- A small, chopped bunch of flat leaf parsley.
- Two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
- Six chicken thighs.
- 500 millilitres of chicken stock.
- 350 grams of mushrooms.
- A sprig of fresh thyme. However, pinch of dried thyme will suffice.
- 150 grams of thickly-cut, streaky bacon.
- Five cloves of garlic, crushed.
- 150 grams of whole, peeled shallots.
- 25 grams of butter.
This recipe also calls for 500 millilitres of “good wine” and it is crucial that you choose an excellent vintage. Coq Au Vin is traditionally made with Burgundy red wine. If you buy the Chambertin Potel 2005 from Ideal Wine Company, you’ll have a brilliant Burgundy red that is perfect for Coq Au Vin.
Coq Au Vin Cooking method
So how can you turn these ingredients into a mouth-watering Coq Au Vin? Start by heating a thick-bottomed casserole dish. Throw in the shallots and most of the butter, but hold a knob back and cook until browned. Stir in the garlic, add the thyme and bacon, then cook for roughly three minutes.
After, you should stir in the mushrooms. Now it’s time to turn the heat up and pour the wine, vinegar and chicken stock into the mix, followed by the chicken pieces. Then, bring the mixture to the boil and let it simmer gently for roughly 25 minutes. After, throw in the parsley and leftover knob of butter, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve up your Coq Au Vin!
Get experimental
If you’re not the best of cooks, stick to this recipe so you can create a good Coq Au Vin. But if you’re a natural in the kitchen, you could always try getting experimental. Although Coq Au Vin is traditionally made with Burgundy red wine, it can also be made with other French reds, or even Champagne. Ideal Wine Company sells a range of Champagnes that you could use to take this classic chicken-based dish to new levels!
