Description
Coq au Riesling is a comforting French-inspired dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a creamy Riesling wine sauce with mushrooms, bacon, and fresh herbs. This recipe balances rich flavors and a velvety sauce perfect for an elegant dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Other Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 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
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry to ensure crispy skin, then season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- Cook 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.
- Sear the Chicken: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the bacon fat if needed. Place the chicken skin-side down in the pan and sear for 6 to 7 minutes until the skin turns golden brown. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the finely chopped onion to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until soft. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Mushrooms: Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly browned.
- Deglaze and Build Sauce: Pour in the Riesling wine and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the Dijon mustard and fresh thyme leaves.
- Simmer Chicken: Return the chicken thighs and reserved bacon to the pan. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Prepare Cream Mixture: Remove the chicken to a plate briefly. Combine the heavy cream with a few ladles of the hot sauce from the pan. Slowly whisk this cream mixture back into the sauce over low heat to prevent curdling.
- Finish and Serve: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes to meld flavors. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Use a dry or off-dry Riesling to avoid overpowering sweetness in the sauce.
- Pat the chicken dry before searing to achieve crispy skin and enhance sauce flavor.
- When adding cream, temper it by mixing with warm sauce before stirring back into the pan over low heat to prevent curdling.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it.
- Leftovers reheat well over low heat and the flavors improve the next day.
