Recipes Dinner Poultry Dishes Chicken Main Course Coq au Vin 4.5 (23) 22 Reviews Forget everything you know about coq au vin — Ina Garten’s version of the classic French stew is perfect for a chilly weeknight dinner. By Ina Garten Ina Garten Ina Garten is the host of Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network and the author of 13 cookbooks. The popular TV show was inspired by Garten's specialty food store in the Hamptons, and she's become an influencer and expert on cooking and entertaining after 10 seasons on air. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 1, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Servings: 6 Jump to recipe Chicken pieces are browned with salty diced bacon or pancetta, then braised with carrots, onions, garlic, red wine, Cognac, chicken stock, and fresh thyme to build a rich, classic French stew.After the chicken cooks in the wine-infused liquid, the sauce is thickened with a butter-flour paste and enhanced with tender pearl onions and sautéed mushrooms for a glossy, hearty finish.The result is a deeply savory wine-braised chicken dish, rooted in French technique but approachable for home cooking. “Over the years I’ve tried many times to make a good coq au vin, the renowned French chicken stew with red wine, but with disappointing results,” says Ina Garten. “My television producer Olivia Grove one day told me, ‘Well, it’s just beef bourguignon with chicken,’ and I thought, ‘So it is!’ With that in mind, I adapted my old recipe for beef and came up with an easy chicken version that’s such a satisfying winter dinner. Usually the chicken cooks for hours and is dry and stringy, but I found that after only 30 to 40 minutes in the oven, the chicken is perfectly cooked and still tender and juicy.” Bacon versus pancetta Both pancetta and bacon come from cured pork belly, but there are distinct differences between them; mainly, bacon is smoked and pancetta is not. Bacon is usually cured with only salt, whereas pancetta is cured with salt, black pepper, and other spices for a longer period of time. Chewy, bold-flavored bacon is about 50% fattier than mild, tender pancetta, which is also a bit drier. Lastly, bacon always needs to be cooked, while pancetta can be consumed raw. This recipe calls for eight ounces of either bacon or pancetta. Traditional coq au vin is made with lardons, which are unsmoked strips of cured pork fat. Since it’s not smoked, pancetta is the closest widely available substitute for lardons, keeping the dish closer to its French roots. Easy-to-find bacon contributes a slightly heartier character, but the amount used is not enough to turn the stew smoky. Choosing quality bacon If you decide to use bacon over pancetta, quality is key. Look for thick-cut bacon that is naturally cured or dry-cured — it should not contain extra water. Additionally, avoid heavily smoked or flavored bacon, steering clear of anything that announces itself as maple, peppered, applewood, etc. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen This recipe moves quickly once you’re at the stove, so have everything chopped, measured, and nearby before you begin browning and sautéing. Brown the chicken in batches, keeping it in a single layer to avoid crowding the pan and ensure it sears rather than steams. Don’t skip the Cognac flambé — it’s traditional and heightens aromatic complexity. Once you’ve added the Cognac (or brandy) to the Dutch oven, let it warm briefly, then remove from direct heat and ignite with a long match or lighter to burn off the alcohol — just stand back for safety. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings 1 tablespoon good olive oil 8 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced 2 (3- to 4-pound) chickens, each cut into 8 serving pieces 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to season the chicken and the finished stew 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to season the chicken and the finished stew 1 pound carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces 2 yellow onions, sliced 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves) 1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy 1 (750-ml) bottle good dry red wine, such as Burgundy 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade 1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 pound frozen small whole onions 1 pound porcini or cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced Directions Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel Preheat the oven to 275°F. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. After the bacon is removed, add a few of the chicken pieces in a single layer and brown for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken pieces to the plate with the bacon and continue to add the chicken in batches until all the chicken is browned. Set aside. Add the carrots, yellow onions, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper to the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac (stand back!) and carefully ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collect on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just no longer pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove. Mash 2 tablespoons of the butter and the flour together in a small bowl and stir the paste into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium sauté pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Season to taste. Serve hot. Courtesy of Ina Garten Excerpted from Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten. Published by Crown, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2024 by Ina Garten. 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