If you’re looking for a delicious and easy Instant Pot chicken coq au vin recipe, this is it! This dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner, and it can be made in just 15 minutes. Ingredients: 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup white wine 3 cups chicken broth 1 bay leaf 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin strips 2 celery stalks, sliced into thin strips 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 1 tablespoon flour mixed with 1/4 cup water to make a slurry (optional) Instructions:
- Add the chicken breasts to the Instant Pot. Season them with salt and pepper. Spread them in an even layer on the bottom of the pot. Pour in the white wine and let it soak into the chicken. Pour in the chicken broth until it comes up to halfway up the sides of the chicken breasts. Add in bay leaf and carrots and celery stalks. Close and lock the lid of your Instant Pot on top of the ingredients. Set your Instant Pot to manual pressure cooking mode (high pressure) for 6 minutes or until cooked through. Carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot using tongs or a slotted spoon; set them aside on a plate while you make your sauce. 2. Melt butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium heat; stir in flour mixture until smooth (if using). Cook for about 1 minute until bubbly; gradually add in white wine until sauce has thickened slightly (about 2 cups). Bring sauce to a simmer; cook for about 5 minutes more or until slightly thickened again*. 3. Return cooked chicken breasts to skillet; spoon sauce over top of each breast before serving*. *If desired ..
What is Chicken Coq Au Vin?Coq au vin is a very old recipe. According to legend, it comes to us from ancient Gaul and is associated with Julius Caesar. The cooks of this time were instructed to find new recipes in order to please the emperor. An inventive cook had the idea of mixing wine with the preparation of the dish. And the rest is history as they say and coq au vin is now defined as a French braised chicken cooked in wine. It has been so successful that each region in France has adopted a variant. See our healthy chicken stew recipe.
Key Spices for Chicken Coq Au Vin
Wine
Each region of France will often use its own style of wine. However, my advice is to use the best wine you can as it will pay off in the flavor and taste of the final dish
Fresh Thyme and Bay Leaf
If you have fresh herbs or are making this as a special dish – my advice is to use the fresh ones from your garden or go to the effort of buying some from your local supermarket. Powdered versions are ok – but fresh is best if you can.
Bacon
Bacon is another key ingredient, and cooking it so it releases its flavor is key. If you can purchase Lardons or Speck this will give you a deeper taste. However streaky bacon is just fine as long as you cook it well to render the fat and bring out the taste.
Marinate the Chicken
Place the chicken in a container or bowl and add the garlic, diced beetroot, and wine and cover with plastic film. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours and overnight is best if you can. After we have completed the marinate – we are going to take out the chicken to brown it- but keep the marinade as we will later add it to the instant pot when we pressure cook.
How to Prepare the Chicken
Lightly flour the chicken in preparation for browning it up. The flour helps sear and seal the chicken to keep in the flavor. Later it also helps with the thickening of the gravy or sauce.
Sautéed Chicken
You will see the chicken is now browned off – and the red color is from the wine and the beetroot in the marinade.Set the chicken aside and continue to the next step in the recipe.
How To Make Authentic French Coq Au Vin
Here are our top tips to make your coq au vin really authentic. Firstly, uncork the red wine and pour it over the bird, allowing it to take a soak in an overnight bath while in the fridge. This will infuse the meat with a subtle but depth of flavor plus you will get a lovely maroon hue on the marinated chicken Drain the wine off the chicken then pat it dry with a paper towel or similar – and then cut and sear the bird. Keep the wine to use during cooking. Another easy trick? Sauté the pearl onions in the rendered bacon drippings before adding them to the coq au vin stew. The same goes for the mushrooms. And a final tip – do not serve the stew straight away; rather, let it cool and then refrigerate overnight. Then skim off any fat from the surface and heat it gently. Trust me you will taste a big big difference. I am sure Julia Childs would be happy with the above! You can also use a dutch oven for a great result.
What wine is best for Coq Au Vin
Any authentic red burgundy is great – like a good Pino Noir
Do you leave skin on chicken for coq au vin
Yes you leave the skin on – position it on the top so it crisps a little as you braise it.
Does the alcohol cook out of Coq Au Vin
Yes the alcohol will cook out – leaving an intense gravy when mixed with al the other ingredients
Can you Freeze cooked Coq Au Vin
Yes – this dish freezes well for up to 3 months – let it thaw out in the fridge for 24 hours and then only heat it up very gently – not straight away on high heat.
How do you Thicken Coq Au Vin
Use 1 tbsp flour and 1 tbsp butter to begin and whisk it in little by like – until the gravy is the right texture – remember to let it cook for at least two minutes to cook out the flour.
