Coq au Vin Rosé (Printable)

Chicken braised in rosé wine with cream, mushrooms, and herbs. A lighter take on the French classic.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 3 1/4 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown chicken pieces on all sides in batches, approximately 5 minutes per batch, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot. Transfer seared chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add chopped onions, carrots, and leek slices. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add quartered mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly to incorporate.
05 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture and stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly.
06 - Pour rosé wine into the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape up caramelized bits from the bottom. Return seared chicken to the pot. Add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig.
07 - Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 45 minutes until chicken is extremely tender and easily separates from bone.
08 - Remove herb sprigs from the pot. Stir in heavy cream and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until sauce reaches a glossy consistency and thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Transfer chicken and sauce to serving plates or a platter. Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The rosé keeps everything bright and elegant without losing that slow braised soul.
  • Cream tempers the acidity just enough to make the sauce silky and luscious.
  • It feels fancy but comes together with everyday supermarket ingredients.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors settle and deepen.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the chicken, that caramelization is half the flavor of the finished dish.
  • If your sauce looks broken or oily after adding cream, a quick whisk over heat will bring it back together.
  • Taste the rosé before you cook with it, if it tastes off or too acidic in the glass, it will taste worse concentrated.
03 -
  • Let the chicken come to room temperature for twenty minutes before browning so it cooks more evenly.
  • Use a wide, shallow Dutch oven instead of a tall narrow pot so the chicken sits in a single layer and braises evenly.
  • If the sauce tastes too acidic at the end, a tiny pinch of sugar or an extra tablespoon of cream will balance it out.
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