Julia Child Coq au Vin Recipe

Julia Child Coq au Vin is chicken braised in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions. The name literally means “rooster in wine.” Julia noted this dish can be called coq au Chambertin, coq au riesling, or “coq au whatever wine you use.” Red is more characteristic, but you do you.

This recipe comes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, pages 263-265. It’s one of those dishes that looks impressive but isn’t actually that hard. The cognac flambé is the scariest part. And honestly? The flames die down in seconds. Julia said this dish is usually accompanied only by parsley potatoes in France. Add buttered green peas if you want a vegetable. Serve it with a young, full-bodied red Burgundy, Beaujolais, or Côtes du Rhône.

What is Coq au Vin? Chicken braised in red wine with bacon lardons, mushrooms, and pearl onions. A classic French dish that turns ordinary chicken into something extraordinary.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken after just 25-30 minutes of simmering
• Rich, wine-soaked sauce that coats everything beautifully
• The cognac flambé – sounds fancy, takes 10 seconds, impresses everyone
• Make-ahead friendly – Julia says it “can wait indefinitely” once assembled
• One of Julia’s most famous dishes – a master class in French technique

Let’s get into it.

Julia Child Coq au Vin Ingredients

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, Pages 263-265. Serves 4-6.

For the Stew:

• 3-4 oz chunk of lean bacon
• 2 Tb butter
• 2½ to 3 lbs cut-up frying chicken
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp pepper
• ¼ cup cognac (yes, you’re going to light it on fire)
• 3 cups red wine (Burgundy, Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône, or Chianti)
• 1-2 cups chicken stock or beef bouillon
• ½ Tb tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• ¼ tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf

For the Garnish:

• 12-24 pearl onions, brown-braised
• ½ lb mushrooms, sautéed
• Fresh parsley

For the Sauce (Beurre Manié):

• 3 Tb flour
• 2 Tb softened butter

Wine notes: Use something you’d actually drink. Nothing fancy. A $10-12 bottle works perfectly.

How To Make Julia Child Coq au Vin

1. Deal with the bacon. Cut it into lardons – little rectangles about ¼ inch across and 1 inch long. Simmer them in water for 10 minutes. Rinse in cold water. Dry. This removes excess salt.

2. Brown the bacon. Sauté it slowly in hot butter until lightly browned. Remove to a side dish. Keep that fat.

3. Brown the chicken. Dry your chicken pieces thoroughly. I can’t stress this enough. Wet chicken won’t brown. Sear them in the hot fat until golden on all sides.

4. Season and cook together. Return the bacon to the pot with the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.

5. The flambé. Here’s where it gets fun. Uncover. Pour in the cognac. Avert your face (seriously) and ignite it with a match. Shake the pan for a few seconds until the flames die down. It looks dramatic. It’s not dangerous. Just don’t lean over the pot.

6. Braise in wine. Pour in the wine. Add just enough stock to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 25-30 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear yellow when you prick it with a fork. Remove the chicken to a side dish.

7. Meanwhile, prep your garnishes. Brown-braise the pearl onions. Sauté the mushrooms in butter. Set aside.

8. Reduce the sauce. Simmer the cooking liquid for a minute or two, skimming off fat. Then crank the heat and boil it down to about 2¼ cups. Taste. Adjust seasoning. Discard the bay leaf.

9. Thicken with beurre manié. Mash the butter and flour together into a smooth paste. Beat it into the hot liquid with a whisk. Bring to a simmer, stirring. Simmer for a minute or two until it coats a spoon lightly.

10. Bring it together. Arrange the chicken back in the pot. Scatter the mushrooms and onions around it. Baste everything with sauce.

To serve: Simmer for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is heated through. Decorate with parsley. Done.

Julia Child on French Cooking

Julia’s philosophy was simple: learn the technique, use good ingredients, and don’t be afraid. She famously said, “Learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”

Her approach to Coq au Vin – and all French cooking – was about making it accessible. She translated complex techniques into “something doable for American home cooks without sacrificing soul or flavor.”

And her wine quote? Classic Julia: “I enjoy cooking with wine. Sometimes, I even put it in my food.”

Recipe Tips

• Dry your chicken. Wet chicken steams instead of browns. Paper towels. Every surface.
• Don’t skip the flambé. It burns off the alcohol and leaves incredible flavor. Plus it’s fun.
• Use bone-in, skin-on pieces. Thighs and drumsticks work best. They stay moist.
• Simmer, don’t boil. Low and slow. Boiling toughens the meat.
• Make it ahead. Julia says it “can wait indefinitely” once assembled. Reheat gently before serving.

Recipe Variations

Slow Cooker Version: Brown your bacon and chicken in a skillet first – don’t skip this, it builds flavor. Transfer everything to your Crock Pot with the wine, stock, and aromatics. Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours. The sauce will be thinner than the stovetop version, so remove the lid the last hour. Thicken with a flour slurry at the end if needed.

What to Serve With Coq au Vin

Julia kept it simple:

• Parsley potatoes – the traditional French pairing
• Buttered egg noodles – my personal favorite
• Mashed potatoes – for extra sauce absorption
• Crusty bread – mandatory for mopping up

Wine pairing: Serve the same type of wine you cooked with. Young, full-bodied red. Burgundy, Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône.

How To Store

• Fridge: Up to 4 days. Tastes even better reheated.
• Freezer: Up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Simmer gently, covered, for 10 minutes. Baste the chicken with sauce as it warms.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (serves 6):

• Calories: 420 kcal
• Protein: 38g
• Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Carbs: 12g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 650mg
• Cholesterol: 130mg

Common Questions

Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1 by Julia Child, Pages 263-265

Bon appétit!

– Claire