Coq au Vin Rosé (Printable)

Tender chicken braised in rosé wine with cream, mushrooms, and aromatic herbs for an elegant French dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 3.25 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks recommended)

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 2 cups dry rosé wine
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
07 - 7 oz cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
08 - 1 small leek, white and light green parts, sliced
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, optional for thickening
11 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
14 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on all sides in batches, approximately 5 minutes per batch. Transfer seared chicken to a plate.
02 - In the same pot, add onions, carrots, and leek. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more. Sprinkle flour over vegetables if using and stir to coat thoroughly.
04 - Pour in rosé wine, scraping up browned bits from the pot bottom. Return seared chicken to the pot. Add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig.
05 - Bring mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook gently over low heat for 45 minutes until chicken is very tender and cooked through.
06 - Remove herb sprigs. Stir in cream and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until sauce reaches desired consistency and becomes glossy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Arrange chicken pieces in serving bowls and ladle rosé cream sauce over top. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The rosé gives it a softer, more floral flavor than the heavy red wine version, perfect for warmer months.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but forgiving enough that you can chat and sip wine while it simmers.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle into the chicken.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the chicken, those caramelized bits are where half the flavor lives.
  • Keep the heat low during braising or the chicken will toughen and the sauce will reduce too fast.
  • Taste the sauce before adding cream, if the wine tastes too sharp let it simmer a bit longer uncovered first.
03 -
  • Use a wine you genuinely enjoy drinking, because cooking concentrates its flavor and any flaws will show up in the sauce.
  • If the sauce seems too thin at the end, remove the chicken and simmer the liquid uncovered until it reduces to your liking.
  • Fresh thyme and rosemary make all the difference, dried herbs just won't give you that same fragrant, garden-fresh quality.
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