Serve this delicious chicken recipe with Herb and Garlic Mashed Potatoes for an unforgettable meal! One thing that I’ve learned from blogging is that nothing is more popular than chicken recipe. That goes doubly true for chicken cooked in a delicious sauce to carry that beautiful flavour even further. And so this recipe is my gift to you! It has everything I know you’ll love – succulent chicken thighs and legs soaked in a stunning, creamy sauce made with white wine, bacon and mushrooms. It combines the best of French cooking in one amazing pot, and I know you’ll love it!
French cuisine
If you are looking for a bit of comfort food with a touch of elegance, this French recipe for chicken, slowly simmered in white wine, is for you. When people think of French cuisine, images of perfectly and beautifully plated food immediately come to mine. Well, this recipe is nothing like that. Fear not…it is simple and quick. It requires a very few ingredients that you most likely have on hand. This braised chicken recipe is one of the finest examples of French country cooking. Far, far away from classically trained chefs. Just skilled home cooks creating rustic, beautiful and delicious food for their families.
What is coq au vin blanc?
The legendary Coq au Vin is a French braised chicken dish made with red wine, along with mushrooms, bacon lardons and a simple spread of other ingredients. There are various legends about how far back this stew recipe goes, with even Julius Caesar getting a mention. But it was only truly documented last century so it’s really anyones guess how and why it was invented. I’ve adapted the classic Coq au Vin to a version I’m fond of using dry white wine. It keeps the essential elements of the classic version but with a different range of flavours showing through. It’s really a wonderful dish when you want to appear to have worked endless hours on dinner without having to really stretch yourself all that much! To add to the simplicity of this chicken braised in white wine, there is also a convenience factor. This dish is cooked in one pan and boasts tender succulent chicken thighs and legs swimming in creamy gravy like sauce. Did I also mention that there is bacon involved? As I mentioned earlier, all you need is a handful of ingredients but how, you might wonder, it can possibly develop such deep and gratifying flavours? My answer is simple and as old as the world. Wine and slow cooking. This recipe might be a bit more hands-on than you’d like to invest in for a regular weeknight dinner. It will take you approximately one hour to make. However, do save this chicken recipe for a weekend because you will absolutely fall in love with the complex flavours and will cook it again and again!
Cooking with wine
You can use any dry white wine for this recipe. I’ve used Chardonnay but Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling will also work beautifully. I do not recommend using cooking wine. The reason I recommend dry white wine is because sweetness in wine tends to concentrate when it’s cooked down. So if you start with sweet wine, you will end up with very sweet dish after 40 minutes of simmering. Unless you abstain from alcohol for medical or religious reasons, I would encourage you to give cooking with wine a try. The reason it works is because adding wine is like adding a concentrated flavour boost to your food. Wine makers have worked long and hard to develop those flavours. All you have to do is to pour it in, sit back and let it simmer happily for 40 minutes for all that flavour to transfer to your dish. If you are concerned about cooking with alcohol or feeding your children “winey” chicken, don’t be! Alcohol will cook out of the dish in the process of simmering! There will be traces left but truly negligible amounts. All you will be left with is creamy sauce and scrumptious chicken as acid from the wine permeates it and makes it irresistibly tender.
Serving Suggestions
For a full French inspired dinner, serve this coq au vin with mashed potatoes or sweet potato and rutabaga mash if you are feeling more adventurous and a salad on the side. This apple, walnut and blue cheese salad will do nicely. Good quality baguette or sourdough bread is also highly recommended so soak up all that amazing white wine sauce! I also like to add a sprinkling of fresh parsley, both for added colour and a bit of fresh flavour.
Storage and leftovers
It’s best to reheat any leftovers by setting the stovetop on low, and heating in a pan with a splash of water or stock to your pan to keep the sauce loose. Cover with a lid or foil to keep the coq au vin blanc from drying out and heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the meat is hot in the middle. It is possible to freeze any leftovers for up to three months in an airtight container.
More French chicken recipes
French Chicken Casserole a la Normande Chicken Provencal Chicken in Wine and Mustard Sauce Chicken Fricassee Creamy Tarragon Chicken and Potatoes
