This Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin is an elegant, flavorful weeknight meal made easy in your slow cooker!
Today marks a first here at The Beach House Kitchen: a slow cooker recipe. It’s about time — and what better way to start than with this Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin?
What is Coq Au Vin?
Coq au Vin is a classic French braise of chicken slowly cooked in red wine with bacon, carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms. The result is a rich, savory sauce and tender, falling-off-the-bone chicken. I like to serve it over creamy mashed potatoes and spoon plenty of the sauce over the top for a comforting, satisfying meal.
This slow cooker version is full of flavor: Pinot Noir adds depth, bacon brings a smoky note, mushrooms and onions add earthiness, and garlic ties everything together. It’s a cozy dish that’s perfect for cooler months or any night you want a hearty, elegant dinner without standing over the stove.
The recipe involves a few simple stovetop steps before transferring everything to the slow cooker. Make sure your slow cooker is large enough for the chicken pieces. Start by cooking bacon until just crisp, then brown seasoned chicken in the same skillet for good color. Sauté the mushrooms, then add onions, carrots and garlic until they begin to soften. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker, add chicken broth, place the browned chicken and bacon on top, then pour in the wine and add thyme sprigs and pearl onions.
Cook on low for about five and a half hours, then remove the chicken and thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (start with 1–2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1–2 tablespoons water). Return the chicken to the slow cooker and cook on high for another hour so the sauce becomes glossy and the flavors meld. Adjust the cornstarch amount if you prefer a thicker sauce.
When it’s ready, season with a bit more salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or crusty bread are excellent for soaking up the sauce.
Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin
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Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon
- 4 whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 8 oz. carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cup Pinot Noir
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 cups white pearl onions, frozen
- 1-2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Instructions
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Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until just crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet.
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Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in the skillet, turning once, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate.
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Add butter and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add onions, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes.
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Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker and add the chicken broth. Nestle the chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate and bacon on top of the vegetables. Pour in the wine, add thyme sprigs and pearl onions. Cover and cook on low for 5½ hours.
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To thicken the sauce, whisk 1–2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1–2 tablespoons water until smooth and lump-free. For best results, remove the chicken to a plate before adding the slurry to the slow cooker. If you prefer a thicker sauce, add another tablespoon cornstarch mixed with another tablespoon water. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour.
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Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, then serve immediately with mashed potatoes, noodles or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.