We have often heard that great things take time. We can spend hours on our craft… creating, enjoying, perfecting. Rather than falling victim to any perceived pressures of time and perfection, let’s enjoy getting lost in the beauty of each precious creative moment. Treasure every small step of the process. Smile. Appreciate your senses as you create. Listen to the sounds. Notice the surrounding smells. See the beauty of the colors and shapes. Feel the textures on your fingertips. And, taste.
This recipe is one of those that takes time, providing us with an opportunity to enjoy each moment along the way. Creating a precious meal while appreciating the experience. This Coq Au Vin was originally created and written by Julia Child in her famous French cook books. My family lovingly refers to it as “purple chicken” and we all love to taste these amazing flavors. I have adapted this recipe to be gluten-free with a preparation flow that works better for me. If you want to make it with gluten, you can use regular all-purpose flour. You will love these rich tasty flavors.
My favorite tips:
*The beauty of this recipe is the rich tasty flavor that develops from these common ingredients.
*I have adapted the original recipe to be gluten-free. It is a family favorite! You can still make it with gluten by substituting the gluten-free flour for regular all-purpose flour.
*Find the method that works best for you… I prepare the braised onions and mushrooms first, and then prepare the chicken. Then they are added together and served as one combined dish.
*For the red wine, I use Cotes du Rhone or Beaujolais. You can use your favorite full-bodied red wine. Use the same wine when prepping the Braised Onions and in the Coq Au Vin.
*As far as cooking time… this can vary significantly. If you start the chicken while the mushrooms and onions are cooking, then it will be quicker. There will be multi-tasking involved!
*When lighting cognac on fire, TAKE EXTREME CARE not to burn yourself or any of your surroundings. The flames will be higher at first and then subside.
*This meal pairs really well with my favorite Roasted Basil Green Beans!
Classic Coq Au Vin – adapted from Julia Child
Course: All Recipes, Marvelous MeatsDifficulty: Difficult4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
- BRAISED ONION INGREDIENTS:
18-24 pearl onions, approximately 1 inch diameter, peeled
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Herb bouquet – 4 fresh parsley sprigs, bay leaf, 1/2 tsp thyme – wrapped and tied in cheesecloth.
- SAUTEED MUSHROOM INGREDIENTS:
1 pound fresh mushrooms, cleaned and halved
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp shallots, minced
- COQ AU VIN INGREDIENTS:
3 pounds chicken breast, chopped into large bite sized pieces
4 ounces bacon, sliced into rectangles approximately 1/4 inch by 1 inch in size
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup cognac
3 cups red wine (see notes)
1 to 2 cups brown chicken or beef stock
1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
3 Tbsp gluten-free all purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter, softened
Braised Onions, as prepared below
Sauteed Mushrooms, as prepared below
Garnish – Parsley
Directions
- BRAISED ONION DIRECTIONS
- Add butter and olive oil to skillet on medium to medium-high heat.
- Add onions and saute until browned, approximately 10 minutes, stirring gently so as to keep most onions intact.
- Add red wine and herb bouquet. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer on low heat for 40 to 50 minutes until tender.
- Remove herb bouquet and set aside to serve with the Coq Au Vin.
- SAUTEED MUSHROOM DIRECTIONS
- Heat butter and oil in skillet on medium-high heat.
- When butter foam subsides, add mushrooms. Cook 4-5 minutes while stirring frequently.
- When mushrooms are lightly browned, turn heat to medium and add shallots. Cook approximately 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat and set aside to serve with Coq Au Vin.
- COQ AU VIN DIRECTIONS
- Bring two quarts water to simmer in a sauce pan. Add bacon and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bacon and rinse with cold water. Dry bacon.
- Melt 2 Tbsp butter in deep skillet or stock pot on medium heat. Add the bacon and saute slowly until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside, retaining fat in the pan.
- Turn heat to medium-high and add chicken. Cook until browned, stirring to brown all sides.
- Season with the salt and pepper.
- Return bacon to the pan with chicken. Cover and cook slowly on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes. Stir once or twice.
- Uncover pan and add cognac. Remove from heat. Light the cognac on fire with long-handled grill lighter. USE CAUTION not to burn yourself or your surroundings. Shake pan back and forth until flames subside.
- Return pan to the heat source. Add wine and enough stock to cover the chicken.
- Stir in tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to simmer.
- Cover and simmer slowly for 25-30 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove chicken to side dish while retaining liquid in pan.
- Simmer the liquid for 1-2 minutes, skimming fat from the top.
- Bring to a rapid boil on medium-high to high heat. Reduce liquid to about 2 1/2 cups. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
- In prep bowl, blend gluten-free flour and 2 Tbsp softened butter together into a paste. Whisk paste into hot liquid.
- Move pan back to medium heat and simmer for 1-2 more minutes. Sauce will thicken and be able to coat a spoon lightly.
- Place chicken in pan or on serving dish. Add sauteed mushrooms and braised onions. Baste with the sauce.
- Serve hot with parsley garnish.
Notes
- *I have adapted the original recipe to be gluten-free. It is a family favorite! You can still make it with gluten by substituting the gluten-free flour for regular all-purpose flour.
- *Find the method that works best for you… I prepare the braised onions and mushrooms first, and then prepare the chicken. Then they are added together and served as one combined dish.
- *For the red wine, I use Cotes du Rhone or Beaujolais. You can use your favorite full-bodied red wine. Use the same wine when prepping the Braised Onions and in the Coq Au Vin.
- *As far as cooking time… this can vary significantly. If you start the chicken while the mushrooms and onions are cooking, then it will be quicker. There will be multi-tasking involved!
- *When lighting cognac on fire, TAKE EXTREME CARE not to burn yourself or any of your surroundings. The flames will be higher at first and then subside.
- *This meal pairs really well with my favorite Roasted Basil Green Beans!
This is my son’s favorite recipe. He tagged it Purple Chicken when he was young, and the name stuck. We love it!