Coq Au Vin simply means Chicken in Wine. The French sure know how to make simple things sound so ooh-la-la. Traditionally Coq Au Vin is made with red wine and mushrooms. This recipe however is made with white wine and green olives. The result is simply delish! Use chicken pieces with the skin on – this gives it a lovely brown color on the outside, while keeping the flesh inside nice and juicy. Serve it with some mashed potatoes or some buttered carrots to make a complete meal. This takes 50 mins tops to make, so if you want to impress the family on a weekday… I’d say go for it.
Coq Au Vin with a Twist
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins
Serves: 4
What you need:
1 kg Chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 Onion, sliced
12 Garlic cloves, to taste, crushed
1 tsp dried Thyme
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup pitted Green Olives (16-18)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1-2 Tbsp Butter
Salt and Black Pepper
What to do:
Heat a deep heavy frying pan. When hot, add a splash of oil and set the chicken pieces skin side down. Cook over medium heat until browned, about 10 mins. Turn and brown the other side, 5-8 mins more. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate ans set aside.
Drain the excess fat from the frying pan, leaving about 1 Tbsp. Add the sliced onion and ½ tsp salt and cook until soft, about 5 ins. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a minute more. Add the wine and stir, scraping up any bits that cling to the pan. Bring to the boil and boil for a minute. Stir in the olives. Return the chicken pieces to the pan. Add the bay leaf and season lightly with pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 mins.
Transfer the chicken pieces to a warmed plate. Stir the lemon juice into the sauce. Whisk in the butter to thicken the sauce slightly. Spoon over the chicken and serve.
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