White Wine Coq Au Vin Recipe (Chicken in Wine Sauce)

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White Wine Coq Au Vin is a delightful twist on a classic French chicken recipe, traditionally cooked in a red wine sauce.

Our version of coq au vin is infused with the crisp notes of dry white wine and smoked sausage, paired with Brussels sprouts, offering a refreshing take on a beloved classic.

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While you may prefer to skip to the recipe card, we recommend reading through the blog post to avoid missing valuable tips and substitution suggestions and to ensure you have the necessary ingredients, equipment, and understanding of the steps and timings.

White Wine Coq Au Vin

Coq au vin, which translates to “chicken in wine,” is a staple in French cuisine.

Julia Child, the renowned chef, brought this dish to the forefront of American home cooks’ minds with her easy recipes and passion for French cooking.

The classic coq au vin recipe often uses red wine, bacon lardons, and pearl onions. The wine tenderizes the chicken as it cooks.

However, our white wine coq au vin recipe introduces a lighter, more delicate flavor profile with the use of dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.

Smoked sausage and Brussels sprouts add a touch of earthiness and a burst of green, making it the perfect dish for any season.

If you are looking for chicken recipes with lots of flavor try our One-Pan Chicken with Lemon Orzo Spinach and Feta, Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken and Vegetables, and Instant Pot Chicken Marsala recipes.

Easy White Wine Chicken Coq Au Vin

Chicken in White Wine Sauce

Cooking this dish requires some essential tools.

A Dutch oven is ideal as it evenly distributes heat, ensuring the chicken cooks perfectly.

Using paper towels to pat the chicken dry ensures a deep golden brown skin and a wooden spoon is perfect for scraping up those delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

The browned chicken pieces create a flavorful pan sauce combined with the white wine sauce.

The beauty of our easy coq au vin blanc recipe lies in its versatility.

It’s comfort food that is elegant enough for a dinner party but simple enough for a weeknight meal.

Imagine enjoying this succulent chicken, simmered in a rich white wine sauce, on a chilly evening with some crusty bread on the side.

It’s the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out.

To cut through the richness, serve coq au vin with Green Beans or a simple salad with vinegar and oil dressing.

You’ll also want something to soak up the amazing wine sauce, such as crusty bread, Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, or some plain egg noodles.

Recipe for Coq Au Vin With White Wine

Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe

This recipe’s ingredients and tools are conveniently linked to online retailers like Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Walmart.

Ingredients Needed For White Wine Coq Au Vin

  • Fresh ProduceShallot, Garlic, Brussels Sprouts, Lemon
  • ProteinChicken Thighs and Legs, Smoked Sausage
  • Chilled & DairyButter, Heavy Cream
  • PantryKosher Salt, Black Pepper
  • All-Purpose Flour also known as Plain Flour.
  • Dry White WineUse wine that you enjoy drinking.
  • Chicken Broth/Stock

The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post.


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Equipment Needed For This Recipe

The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post. The Purple Pumpkin Blog uses both cups and weighted measurements in its recipes, making American cups and kitchen food scales valuable tools for trying all the recipes. We provide US customary, imperial, and metric measurements. Still, it’s important to note that while you can combine cup measurements with weighted measures, never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.).

White Wine Chicken Coq Au Vin

Dinner Party Menu Suggestions

You’ve made the main dish, but what about the rest of the courses?

Here are additional recipes to create a perfect meal for a dinner party.

White Wine Chicken Coq Au Vin Recipe

How Do I Make White Wine Coq Au Vin?

The printable recipe card with the ingredients list and instructions can be found at the end of this post.

Number of Servings: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours

Step 1 – Season Chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.

Step 2 – Sear Chicken: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the chicken skin side down and cook for 10-12 minutes, occasionally turning, until all sides have browned. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

NOTE: The chicken will not be cooked through at this stage.

Step 3 – Sauté Aromatics: Add the shallot and garlic to the same pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the shallots begin to soften. Add the sausage and continue cooking until it begins to brown.

Step 4 – Deglaze Pan: Sprinkle flour into the pan. Add wine and cook for 3-4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

When the wine mixture has reduced slightly, stir in the chicken stock.

Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it down into the broth.

Step 5 – Cook Chicken: Add the heavy cream to the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer at medium heat for 45 minutes.

Step 6 – Prepare Brussels Sprouts: While the chicken is cooking, trim Brussels sprouts and cut them in half.

Heat a dry pan or skillet over medium heat and cook the Brussels sprouts until they get nicely browned but not charred.

Step 7 – Finish Dish: Ten minutes before the chicken is finished cooking, add the Brussels sprouts to the chicken.

Add lemon juice and cook for 10 minutes until the chicken has cooked. Garnish with lemon slices and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

TIP! Use a meat thermometer to check your chicken is fully cooked. It should read 165ºF (75ºC).

No matter how you cook it—whether it’s grilling, baking, or frying—and the cut—be it chicken breast meat, wings, thighs, or drumsticks—the magic number for safe internal temperature is 165°F/75°C. Stay safe, and enjoy your meal!

Coq Au Vin With White Wine

Recipe Tips

  • Use skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks for great flavor.
  • Add bay leaves or fresh thyme for added depth of flavor.
  • If you can’t find smoked sausage, use slices of bacon instead.

Money-Saving Tip!

Buy a whole chicken and cut it into a variety of chicken pieces (or ask your butcher to do it for you) to use in this recipe. This is more economical than buying pre-cut chicken.

You can use the chicken carcass to make Homemade Chicken Stock.

Coq Au Vin with White Wine Recipe

Storing Leftovers & Freezing

Like many stews, this delicious coq au vine tastes even better the next day!

  • Storing Leftovers:
    • Cool (within 1-2 hours), transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
    • Freeze in portions for a quick and easy meal next time.
    • Reheat in the oven (350°F/180°C/Gas 4) or on the stove top over medium-low heat until hot throughout.
  • Freezing Instructions:
    • Freeze in portions for a quick and easy meal next time.
    • Cool completely and transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag.
    • Label with the dish’s name, thawing/reheating instructions, and the date to keep track of your food storage.
    • Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    • Place the container in the fridge to thaw overnight (or at least 12 hours).
    • Reheat in as above until piping hot throughout.
  • With all leftovers, ensure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
  • Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking
  • You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).

Printable White Wine Coq Au Vin Recipe Card

The printable recipe card is below—please leave a star rating and quick review to share your experience with others!

White Wine Coq au Vin Recipe

White Wine Coq Au Vin with Brussels sprouts

Michelle Ordever
Coq Au Vin with White Wine is a dish that's perfect for any season. With a rich white wine sauce and succulent chicken, it's a must-try recipe that will leave you craving more!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 8 skin-on bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and legs)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 1 large shallot diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ¾ cup sliced smoked sausage
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour plain flour
  • cup dry white wine
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 10 oz 300g Brussels sprouts
  • ½ cup heavy cream double cream
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • Lemon slices for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

  • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt and pepper.
  • Melt the butter over medium heat in a large deep pan or Dutch oven. Add the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook for 10-12 minutes, occasionally turning, until all sides have browned. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside. NOTE: The chicken will not be cooked through.
  • Add the shallot and garlic to the same pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the shallots begin to soften. Add the sausage and continue cooking until it begins to brown.
  • Sprinkle flour into the pan. Add wine and cook for 3-4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine mixture has reduced slightly, stir in the chicken broth. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it down into the broth.
  • Add the heavy cream to the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer at medium heat for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
  • While the chicken is cooking, trim Brussels sprouts and cut them in half. Heat a dry pan or skillet over medium heat and cook the Brussels sprouts until they get nicely browned but not charred.
  • Ten minutes before the chicken is finished cooking, add the Brussels sprouts to the chicken. Add lemon juice and cook for 10 minutes until the chicken has cooked through. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired. Enjoy!

    White Wine Coq au Vin Recipe

Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Comforting Chicken Recipe - White Wine Coq au Vin

FAQs About Coq Au Vin

Here are some questions people often ask about making this classic French dish.

Click the question to read the answer. If you have one of your own, please comment on this post.

How would you describe Coq au Vin?

A classic French dish where chicken is slow-cooked in wine, often with bacon, mushrooms, and onions.

Why is Coq au Vin special?

It’s a perfect blend of comfort food and French elegance, offering deep flavors developed through cooking.

What is a Coq au Vin in cooking terms?

It’s a chicken stew where the chicken is braised in wine and often accompanied by mushrooms, bacon, and onions.

What white wine goes with Coq au Vin?

Dry white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or dry Riesling are ideal.

What can I use instead of red wine in Coq au Vin?

A dry white wine or chicken broth can be used as a substitute.

What is the best cheap wine for Coq au Vin?

Look for affordable bottles of Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc that have good reviews for cooking. If you enjoy drinking a particular wine, it’s a good indicator that it is good for a recipe.

Does wine cook off Coq au Vin?

Most of the alcohol cooks off, leaving behind the wine’s rich flavors without the alcohol content.

Is Coq au Vin same as Bourguignon?

No, while both are French stews, traditional coq au vin uses chicken, and Bourguignon (boeuf bourguignon) uses beef. Try our Beef Bourguignon recipe.

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