Gradual Cooker Coq au Vin

This sluggish cooker coq au vin is a French-inspired recipe I convey out yearly when the temperatures drop! It’s a comfortable, stew dish with tender rooster braised with bacon, earthy mushrooms, and herbs in a flavorful crimson wine gravy.

I like a hearty bowlful of coq au vin with a aspect of fluffy dinner rolls in chilly climate. It’s a straightforward variation of sluggish cooker rooster stew that warms you proper up!

Coq au vin is the definition of consolation meals made fancy, and this sluggish cooker recipe is SO simple! Coq au vin (pronounced “kok-oh-van”) is a basic French dish, actually translating to “rooster in wine”. However, don’t fear, we’re not placing roosters within the sluggish cooker. This recipe is comprised of juicy rooster breasts braised in crimson wine with veggies, bacon, and mushrooms to create a wealthy and flavorful stew. I make this sluggish cooker coq au vin recipe as quickly as there’s a nip within the air, together with different French favorites like beef bourguignon and rooster cassoulet. The very best half is, it mainly cooks itself!

Why I Love This Coq au Vin Recipe

• Largely hands-free. I like my sluggish cooker, and I’ll take any excuse to make use of it, whether or not it’s sluggish cooking a roast or rooster marsala. It’s simply really easy so as to add all the pieces to the pot and let it cook dinner for hours whereas I run errands.
• Cozy flavors. The rooster will get braised in a shiny, flavor-filled wine sauce together with smoky bacon, mushrooms, and veggies. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs dinner you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
• Make-ahead. Not solely are you able to prep this recipe within the morning and go away it to cook dinner all day, however the leftovers style even higher! Gradual cooker coq au vin shops properly within the fridge or freezer and reheats simply on the stovetop.

Components You’ll Want

My coq au vin recipe packs all types of tasty components into the sluggish cooker or crock pot. Beneath are some notes on what you’ll want. Scroll all the way down to the printable recipe card after the publish for a full checklist with recipe particulars.

• Bacon – Thick-cut or common bacon. You may additionally use pancetta. 
• Inexperienced Onions – Not historically utilized in coq au vin, however I wish to slice up inexperienced onions for a pop of shade and further taste. It’s also possible to use shallot.
• Butter – For sautéing. Butter is standard in French cooking, however you might additionally use olive oil.
• Rooster – Be happy to make use of rooster breasts, thighs, or drumsticks. Most bone-in or boneless rooster works properly in coq au vin. Understand that bone-in rooster items will take longer to cook dinner.
• Greens – Quartered yellow onions, sliced carrots, and mushrooms. I additionally add child crimson potatoes to make this recipe a bit heartier, plus, they cook dinner properly within the crock pot.
• Garlic – Freshly minced.
• Rooster Broth – I like to make use of low-sodium rooster broth. You should utilize beef broth for a deeper-flavored gravy.
• Wine – Pink Burgundy wines are the normal selection for coq au vin, so I take advantage of a less-expensive Pinot Noir. You should utilize Chardonnay (one other Burgundy wine) should you want white. Many variations of coq au vin use totally different sorts of wine, although I like to recommend selecting a dry wine that you simply’d wish to drink. You’ll style the distinction!
• Thyme – Recent thyme sprigs are a should! I additionally add in bay leaves.
• Cornstarch – Non-obligatory, however should you’d wish to thicken the wine sauce, cornstarch does the trick.

The best way to Make Gradual Cooker Coq au Vin

Right here’s the best way to make a sluggish cooker model of this basic French recipe!

• Sauté the components. Crisp up the bacon in a skillet, after which use the identical skillet to sauté the inexperienced onions within the leftover bacon fats. Afterward, sear the rooster with butter till it’s browned on each side.
• Assemble. Now, add the remainder of the veggies to the sluggish cooker and stir in minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Layer the rooster, bacon, and inexperienced onions over prime. Pour within the rooster broth and wine and add the thyme and bay leaves.
• Prepare dinner. Place the lid on the sluggish cooker and cook dinner for 4 hours on LOW. 
• End and serve. Afterward, take away the rooster items from the sluggish cooker and slice them up earlier than returning the sliced rooster to the gravy for serving. If you happen to’re utilizing bone-in rooster you’ll be able to skip this step! If you happen to’d like, there’s additionally the choice to thicken the sauce (see beneath).

Serving Solutions

If you happen to ask Julia Youngster, coq au vin is greatest served with potatoes or inexperienced salad. This recipe has potatoes already included, however I’ll typically serve it over a mattress of mashed potatoes anyway—on this home, the extra potatoes, the merrier. I additionally love this tacky potato casserole.

I at all times pair my cozy bowlful of sluggish cooker coq au vin with hunks of crusty French bread or cornbread for sopping up leftovers. It’s a filling meal as is, or this broccoli cauliflower salad additionally goes nice on the aspect. And should you’re on the lookout for extra methods to spherical out your meal, serve coq au vin over risotto or pasta.

The best way to Retailer and Reheat Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Retailer leftover sluggish cooker coq au vin tightly lined within the fridge for 3-4 days. 
• Reheat. Heat your leftovers in a pot with a lid over low warmth. Reheat till the rooster is scorching all through, simply watch out to not overcook.
• Freeze. You’ll be able to freeze coq au vin for as much as 3 months. Thaw it in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating and serving.

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