Coq Au Vin (Chicken Braised in Red Wine)

chicken

🥗Healthier: skinless chicken

💰Cheaper: chicken thighs

Thighs are more affordable and remain moist during cooking.

red wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic red wine

💰Cheaper: cheap red wine

Non-alcoholic options are lower in calories.

Fill a large mixing bowl with 1 gallon of water.

Add 1/2 cup of kosher salt and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar to the water and whisk until dissolved.

Place 4 chicken legs and 4 chicken thighs into the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, drain the chicken and soak it in red wine overnight.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and set aside.

Cut the bacon into mediumish dice, roughly 1/2 inch in size.

In a pot on low to medium heat, render the bacon until brown and crispy, then remove it from the pot.

If there isn't enough rendered fat, add a little olive oil or chicken fat to the pot and increase the heat to medium-high.

Add the chicken pieces one at a time to the pot, ensuring they are sizzling and not bubbling.

Brown all the chicken pieces, then remove them from the pot.

In the same pot, add 2 tbsp flour and 1 tbsp tomato paste, cooking for about a minute while stirring to prevent burning.

Incorporate 12 oz of red wine and 12 oz of chicken stock into the pot, whisking until the sauce reaches a full boil.

Add a pinch of salt and continue whisking until the sauce thickens, ensuring it reaches 212°F.

Return the chicken to the pot, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: