This time-saving version retains all the classic flavours of chicken, garlic, bacon and wine, but is cooked on top the stove to save on cooking time.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1kg fresh chicken pieces on the bone - a selection of drumsticks and thigh pieces works well. Try to ensure that the pieces are roughly the same size, and that none of them are particularly large
- 4 rashers unsmoked bacon, fat removed and cut into small pieces
- 1 large onion
- 8 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 medium potatoes
- 2 large carrots
- 1 small pack white button mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 250ml good quality red wine
- 500ml hot chicken or vegetable stock (made up from a stock cube is fine)
- black pepper
Method
- For this dish, you need a large frying pan or casserole dish with a lid. Pour the oil into the pan and place on the hob over a medium heat.
- Finely chop the large onion and the garlic cloves and add to the pan. Allow these to cook for a couple of minutes and then add the chicken pieces. If the pieces have their skin on, you can drastically reduce the fat content of this dish by removing the skin before you add them to the pan. Allow the chicken to brown well on each side and then add the bacon pieces.
- Once the bacon has started to cook, spinkle the flour over the contents of the pan and season well with black pepper. You shouldn't need any salt because of the bacon and the stock, but you can add some later if you feel it needs it. Stir everything around so that the flour is evenly dispersed, then pour the red wine into the pan and cook on a high heat for a couple of minutes, stirring well to ensure the flour has all mixed in.
- Now add the stock, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, and place the lid on the pan.
- Now prepare the vegetables by peeling the carrots, potatoes and shallots. Cut the carrots into thick coin size pieces and the potatoes into slightly larger pieces. If the shallots and mushrooms are quite small, they can be left whole; otherwise cut each in half.
- Add the shallots to the pan.
- Once the chicken pan has been simmering away for around half an hour, add the carrots and potatoes.
- Ten minutes later, add the mushrooms. Check the level of liquid in the pan and add more if you feel it needs it.
- The dish should be ready around 50 minutes after you first put it on to simmer. Test the carrots and potatoes to make sure they are soft. If your sauce is a little thin, you can remove the lid and turn the heat up for a few minutes to reduce the sauce a little.
- Serve immediately, either as it is or with a green vegetable on the side such as peas or cabbage.
Variation: you can use white wine instead of red for a lighter taste.
The copyright of the article Easy Coq au Vin Recipe in French Cuisine is owned by Elizabeth Gregory. Permission to republish Easy Coq au Vin Recipe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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