Simple & Traditional Coq au Riesling

Having family stay with me always means I’m going to try something special in the kitchen. This coq au riesling had been at the top of the list for quite a while.

But while it seems kind of fancy (it’s a little like the chicken version of boeuf bourguignon), it’s actually not that difficult or time consuming. And it tastes awesome.

This dish’s flavor combination is so rich and layered—you build a base of the bacon and onions and garlic sautéed in butter and oil, simmer for a while with some sweet white wine, then finish the whole thing with some cream.

It’s rich, but not overly so—the mushrooms and chicken keep it from becoming too much.

You can serve as you see fit, over rice or pasta or mashed potatoes. While I’m not really a mashed potato person, my garlic mashed potatoes were the perfect foil for the sauce (which is fairly runny). You probably do need to serve it over something, though, or the sauce will be hard to corral.

Melt the butter and oil together in a large pan (like a big cast iron or dutch oven). Brown the chicken pieces all over and remove from the pan, set aside.

Slice up the bacon and dice the onions, then add to the pan you just took the chicken out of (all the butter and oil should still be in there).

Fry until the onions are soft and translucent and the bacon has rendered it’s fat (I used turkey bacon so it doesn’t really do that), probably 5 minutes or so. 

Add the garlic and allow to saute for another 30 seconds before removing the mixture from the pan (leaving the fat behind).

Slice up the mushrooms, then add to the pan once you’ve removed the bacon and onions. Fry for about 5 minutes.

Add the onion and bacon mixture as well as the browned chicken back to the pan. Pour in the wine and then allow it to come to a boil.

Then turn down the heat and cover. Allow to simmer for 15-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

After 15 minutes, uncover the pan, turn the heat up, and add the cream. Allow it to cook for another 10 minutes, and then you’re done.

Garnish with parsley and serve over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread. It makes awesome leftovers as well.

I could see this working really well with chicken thighs as well, as they retain more moisture than chicken breasts.  But either way, this coq au riesling is a delicious and special dish that doesn’t require slaving over the stove for hours!

Other hearty & traditional dishes you’ll love:

• Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon
• Herbed Risotto with Turkey & Caramelized Onions
• Butternut Squash & Sage Lasagna
• Carrot, Parsnip, & Goat Cheese Mash Shepherd’s Pie

Coq au Riesling 

Melt the butter and oil together in a large pan. Brown the chicken pieces all over and remove from the pan.

Add the onions and bacon and allow to fry until the onions are soft and translucent and the bacon has rendered it’s fat. Add the garlic and allow to saute for another 30 seconds before removing the mixture from the pan (leaving the fat behind). Add the mushrooms and allow to fry for 5 minutes.

Add the onion and bacon mixture along with the browned chicken back to the pan. Pour in the wine and allow to come up to a boil. Turn down the heat and cover. Allow to simmer for 15-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 

After 15 minutes, uncover, turn up the heat and add the cream. Allow to cook for another 10 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and season to taste. Serve with rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.

Original recipe here

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