Possible Cooking Methods: Stovetop Pressure Cooker Slow Cooker
Coq au vin blanc takes the traditional coq au vin and uses white wine instead of red. The white wine gives it a little lighter feel, even if you choose to finish it with the heavy cream listed in the ingredients as optional. I suggest using a wine from Burgundy for this recipe. That is what is traditionally used when cooking with red wine. Burgundy whites are usually Chardonnays, but they are much less oaky than American Chardonnays. You could also use a Pinot Gris or a French Sauvignon Blanc for this recipe very successfully. Whatever you use, remember that it’s also nice to cook with wine in a glass as well, so be sure to pick one that you like! Traditional cooking on the stovetop is my recommended version of this recipe, although the pressure cooker is a close second.
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 strips of bacon, chopped
3 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 large)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces button mushrooms, quartered or cut into chunks*
24 pearl onions, fresh and peeled, or frozen and thawed
1 onion, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary
¼ cup all-purpose flour*
3 cups white wine*
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
*Quantity changes for alternate methods
Stovetop Directions
Serves:6
Cooking Time:60 minutes
1. Pre-heat a wide 5-quart braiser pan over medium heat.
2. Add the olive oil and bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon and reserve, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sear in batches until well browned on all sides. Remove the chicken to a side plate once browned.
3. Add the mushrooms to the pan and brown well – about 5 to 8 minutes. Once they are nicely browned, add the pearl onions, sliced onion and carrots to the pan and cook until starting to soften – about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf and rosemary and cook for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and continue to cook for a minute or two. Pour in the white wine and let it come to a simmer for a few minutes. Add the chicken stock, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan and cover with the lid askew. Lower the heat to keep a gentle simmer in the pan and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Pre-heat the broiler.
5. Remove the lid from the pan and pop it under the broiler for 5 minutes to color and crisp the skin. Pour in the heavy cream (if using) and remove the rosemary sprig. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle the fresh tarragon and the cooked bacon on top. Serve with a mixed green salad – a salad with radicchio and fennel would be especially nice.
Additional Cooking Directions for
Pressure Cooker Directions
Serves:6
Cooking Time:40 minutes
Change Ingredients: Remove skin from chicken thighs; slice mushrooms instead of quartering; reduce wine to 2 cups; reduce flour to 2 tablespoons; add 1 tablespoon butter
1. Pre-heat a 6-quart multi-function pressure cooker using the BROWN or SAUTE setting.
2. Add the olive oil and bacon to the cooker and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon and reserve, leaving the bacon fat in the cooker. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sear in batches until well browned on all sides. Remove the chicken to a side plate once browned.
3. Add the mushrooms to the cooker and brown well – about 5 to 8 minutes. Once they are nicely browned, add the pearl onions, sliced onion and carrots to the cooker and cook until the onions starts to soften – about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf and rosemary and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine and let it come to a simmer for a few minutes. Add the chicken stock, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the cooker. (If your cooker doesn’t have a brown setting, use a skillet on the stovetop for the steps above and transfer the contents to the cooker now.) Return the chicken to the cooker, cover and lock the lid in place.
4. Pressure cook on HIGH for 10 minutes
5. Release the pressure with the QUICK-RELEASE method and carefully remove the lid. Transfer the chicken to a side plate.
6. Mix the flour with 1 tablespoon of soft butter, making a paste. Bring the sauce to a simmer in the cooker using the BROWN setting and whisk the butter and flour paste into the liquid to thicken. Add the heavy cream (if using) and return the chicken to the cooker to warm through and coat with the sauce. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle the fresh tarragon and cooked bacon on top. Serve with a mixed green salad – a salad with radicchio and fennel would be especially nice.
Slow Cooker Directions
Serves:6
Cooking Time:4 to 6 hours on LOW
+30 minutes on HIGH
Change Ingredients: Remove skin from chicken thighs; slice mushrooms instead of quartering; reduce flour to 2 tablespoons; reduce wine to 2 cups
1. Pre-heat a 6-quart multi-function slow cooker using the BROWN or SAUTE setting.
2. Add the olive oil and bacon to the cooker and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon and reserve, leaving the bacon fat in the cooker. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sear in batches until well browned on all sides. Remove the chicken to a side plate once browned.
3. Add the mushrooms to the cooker and brown well – about 5 to 8 minutes. Once they are nicely browned, add the pearl onions, sliced onion and carrots to the cooker and cook until starting to soften – about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf and rosemary and cook for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and continue to cook for a minute or two. Pour in the white wine and let it come to a simmer for a few minutes. Add the chicken stock, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the cooker. (If your cooker doesn’t have a brown setting, use a skillet on the stovetop for the steps above and transfer the contents to the cooker now.) Return the chicken to the cooker, cover and slow cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours (or 2½ hours on HIGH).
4. Add the heavy cream (if using) and slow cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle the fresh tarragon and cooked bacon on top. Serve with a mixed green salad – a salad with radicchio and fennel would be especially nice.