Coq au Vin Rosé (Printable format)

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

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 3.25 pounds 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 ounces 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 with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken pieces in batches, approximately 5 minutes per batch, until golden. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
03 - In the same pot, add chopped onions, carrots, and sliced leek. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add quartered mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
05 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables if using and stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables with the flour mixture.
06 - Pour rosé wine into the pot, scraping up all browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Return chicken to the pot and add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig.
07 - Bring mixture to a simmer, cover with lid, and cook gently over low heat for 45 minutes until chicken is very tender and cooked through.
08 - Remove herb sprigs with tongs. Stir in heavy cream and simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes until sauce becomes slightly thickened and glossy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Plate chicken with sauce and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately with buttered potatoes, crusty bread, or rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns leftover rosé into something deeply satisfying without the heaviness of red wine versions.
  • The cream adds a silky finish that clings to every piece of chicken and vegetable.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but forgiving enough for a weeknight if you prep ahead.
  • The mushrooms soak up all that herby, wine-soaked flavor and become little treasures.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken, wet skin will never crisp and you'll lose that browned flavor base.
  • If your sauce looks thin after adding the cream, let it simmer uncovered a few extra minutes instead of adding more flour.
  • Remove the herbs before stirring in the cream or they'll be impossible to fish out later.
03 -
  • Use a wine you'd enjoy drinking, the flavor concentrates as it cooks and cheap wine will taste even cheaper.
  • Let the chicken rest in the sauce off the heat for 5 minutes before serving so it absorbs even more flavor.
  • If you want extra richness, stir in a tablespoon of cold butter at the very end for a glossy, restaurant-quality finish.
Go back