Coq au vin is a traditional French dish, very similar to boeuf bourguignon (beef burgundy), with the exception that it uses chicken in place of beef. And while bourguignon traditionally uses, well, burgundy, coq au vin uses any type of wine, although I tend to opt for merlot —  especially when turning it into a casserole.
The wine and the broth come together to form a sauce that bakes right into egg noodles, making this a gourmet one-pot meal. All the other classic tastes of coq au vin are here, including pancetta, mushrooms and pearl onions that pop just slightly. It'll be the best casserole you have this week!
If you don't have a Dutch oven or other oven-proof pot, you can simply follow steps 1 to 5. Then in step 6, instead of adding the chicken back, stir everything together and pour into a large casserole dish.
Coq Au Vin Casserole
6
20 minutes
55 minutes
1 hour, 15 minutes
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
½ cup (170 g) bacon, chopped
3 pounds (1.5 kg) chicken thighs
1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) black pepper
5 carrots, cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces
10 pearl onions, peeled
½ cup (60 g) mushrooms, quartered
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup (240 ml) red wine, plus ¼ cup (60 ml)
1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons (28 g) butter, room temperature
1 ounce (28 g) all-purpose flour
1 pound (450 g) egg noodles, cooked to package directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or other large oven-proof pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, stirring regularly. Drain on paper towels and discard all but 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of fat in the pot.
Turn heat to medium-high under pot. Generously season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add to pot, in batches so you don't overcrowd, and brown chicken on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Add the carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, until onions and mushrooms have just started to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the wine and stock to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the thyme sprigs.
Mash the butter with the flour and stir into the pot. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thick. Return the chicken to the pot and add the cooked egg noodles, stirring to incorporate into the sauce.
Place the dish into the oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 minutes.