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Coq au Riesling is a lighter and brighter version of coq au vin and is a great variation of the classic French country dish.
Valentine’s Day is just a week away and I want to share with you a recipe for a romantic dinner for two! When I think of romance French food often comes to mind. Dishes like boeuf bourguignon,moules marinières, and crème brûlée start to float around in my mind but coq au vin is the dish that inspires today’s recipe. Coq au vin is actually a French country dish that the old rooster would find its way into when he lost his crow. In fact, the literal translation of the dish is rooster in wine.
I know, it doesn’t sound very romantic when you look into the origins of the dish. The point of the dish was to tenderize that tough old bird and turn it into a flavorful meal. When you braise the chicken in wine the acid in the wine is what helps tenderize the meat.
Traditionally the dish is made with red wine, usually a burgundy. However, the choice of wine really depends on what part of France the dish is made. In the Alsace region of France, you will not find cooks making coq au vin with a red wine instead they prefer to use a nice white, dry riesling. They then will finish the dish with crème fraiche transforming it into a light cream sauce. It is known as Coq Au Riesling and it is absolutely divine!
When I set out to make the coq au riesling I planned to adapt Julia Child’s coq au vin recipe from her beloved Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It’s delicious, classic, and can take a bit of time the first go-round especially when braising the white pearl onions. Don’t get me wrong, they are absolutely incredible when that hour has passed. However, after a long week at work, you want something more streamlined.
Laura Calder’s version of Coq au Riesling inspired me to do just that. She substitutes the pearl onions with chopped shallots and instead of thickening the sauce with a roux she lets it cook down before adding the crème fraiche. Allowing the sauce to become concentrated and the flavors develop into something incredible. This French country dish becomes a quick and easy meal that you can prepare any day of the week!
I chose to serve this with mashed potatoes but you can really serve it with anything – pasta, buttered noodles, rice, or even some nice crusty bread to sop up that incredible sauce! Just make sure that the wine label says that it is a dry riesling and not sweet. I found a wonderful and inexpensive dry riesling at Trader Joe’s. It was perfect in this dish!
I was inspired to share with you a coq au vin recipe because it is the first dish my mother ever made for my father. It has been a special occasion dish in my family for as long as I can remember. I even remember a Valentine’s Day when my mom made coq au vin because a family member was in town and she and dad decided to stay home and host them. Valentine’s Day is also my parent’s wedding anniversary and next Friday they will be celebrating their 40th!
I hope you enjoy this Coq Au Riesling as much as we do! This light and creamy version of coq au vin is a wonderful way to treat your special someone to a romantic French meal.
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Coq Au Riesling
Ingredients
Coq Au Riesling
- 2 bacon slices cut into lardons
- 4 chicken thighs boned in with skin in tact
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 shallots chopped
- 2 Tbsp cognac
- 1 ½ cups dry Riesling
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 garlic clove mashed
- ¼ cup crème fraiche or sour cream
- salt and pepper
Sautéed Mushrooms (Champignons Sautés Au Beurre)
- 1 Tb butter
- ½ Tb extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Coq Au Riesling
- Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown on each side for about 3-4 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Add the shallots and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the shallots and garlic for about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot by adding the cognac.
- Return the chicken thighs and bacon to the pot. Pour in the Riesling and chicken stock. Make sure the chicken is covered with liquid otherwise add additional chicken stock until it is just covered.
- Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Remove chicken to a side dish to keep warm. Boil the cooking liquid until it cooks down to sauce consistency. Remove from heat and stir in crème fraiche or sour cream.
- Arrange the chicken on a serving dish with the mushrooms and onions, and basted with the sauce.
Sautéed Mushrooms (Champignons Sautés Au Beurre)
- In a 10-inch sauté pan, heat the butter and oil over medium-high to high heat. Once the butter is melted add the mushrooms.
- Toss and shake the pan for 4-5 minutes. The mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2-3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from the heat.
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