Coq au Vin with Jason's Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2025

Serves: 4–6 | Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients for the Chicken

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into portions (or 8 chicken thighs/drumsticks)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 200g bacon, chopped
  • 250g baby onions or pearl onions
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 250g brown mushrooms, halved
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste

Ingredients for the Sauce

  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp butter

Optional Garnish

  • Fresh parsley
  • Crusty bread or creamy mashed potatoes for serving


Method

1. Prepare the Chicken

  • Season the chicken generously with salt and black pepper. Lightly dust with flour.
  • Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces in batches until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.

 

2. Cook the Bacon & Vegetables

  • In the same pot, fry the bacon until crisp and golden.
  • Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until slightly caramelised. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook until softened.
  • Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen the flavour.

 

3. Build the Sauce

  • Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release all the rich flavour.
  • Add the chicken stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer.

 

4. Slow Cook

Cover partially with a lid and simmer gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened beautifully.

Stir in the butter at the end for a silky finish.

 

5. Serve

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot with creamy mashed potatoes, buttered pasta, or crusty bread to soak up every drop of sauce.