Description
Coq au Riesling is a rich and flavorful French-inspired chicken dish simmered in a creamy wine sauce made with Riesling, mushrooms, bacon, and Dijon mustard. This recipe features tender bone-in chicken thighs, cooked until golden and then simmered to perfection, resulting in a comforting main course with a luscious sauce accented by fresh thyme and parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Bacon and Sauté
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
Liquids and Flavorings
- 1 cup Riesling wine
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1½ cups heavy cream
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to ensure proper browning and flavor.
- Cook the bacon: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan for additional flavor.
- Sear the chicken: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the bacon fat if needed. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the finely chopped onion to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook 4 to 5 minutes until they are lightly browned.
- Deglaze and create the sauce base: Pour in the cup of Riesling wine and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate the rich flavors. Stir in 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon thyme leaves.
- Simmer the chicken: Return the seared chicken and cooked bacon to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Prepare the cream mixture: Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm. Combine 1½ cups of heavy cream with a few ladles of the hot sauce from the pan. Gradually whisk this cream mixture back into the pan over low heat, ensuring the sauce does not curdle or split.
- Adjust seasoning and finish: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the chicken and sauce just before serving for a fresh, vibrant finish.
Notes
- Use a dry or off-dry Riesling to complement the sauce without overpowering it—avoid sweet wines.
- Pat the chicken dry before searing to ensure the skin crisps up properly and enhances the flavor of the sauce.
- When adding the cream, temper it by mixing with a few ladles of hot sauce before whisking back into the pan over low heat to prevent curdling.
- If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it to the desired consistency.
- Leftovers reheat well over low heat and the flavors deepen, making it taste even better the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
