Description
Coq au Riesling is a classic French-inspired dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a flavorful Riesling wine and creamy mushroom sauce, accented with bacon, garlic, and fresh thyme. This recipe delivers a rich, comforting meal perfect for dinner that combines succulent chicken with a silky, aromatic sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 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 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to ensure flavorful meat.
- Cook Bacon: In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon slices until they are crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan for added flavor.
- Sear Chicken: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bacon fat if needed. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip the chicken and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the finely chopped onion to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic cloves and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook Mushrooms: Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until they are lightly browned and have released their moisture.
- Deglaze and Add Flavorings: Pour in 1 cup of Riesling wine and 1 cup of chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves to infuse flavor into the sauce.
- Simmer Chicken and Bacon: Return the chicken thighs and cooked bacon to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Finish Sauce with Cream: Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside briefly. Combine 1½ cups of heavy cream with a couple ladles of the hot sauce from the pan. Slowly whisk this mixture back into the pan over low heat to avoid curdling, creating a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary. Return the chicken to the sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes to meld flavors. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Use a dry or off-dry Riesling wine to maintain a balanced flavor; avoid sweet wines as they overpower the sauce.
- Patting the chicken dry before searing is essential to achieve a crispy skin and enhances the depth of flavor in the sauce.
- When incorporating the cream, temper it by mixing with hot sauce first and stirring gently over low heat to prevent curdling.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with a splash of chicken broth for the desired consistency.
- Leftovers reheat well over low heat and often taste even better the next day as flavors develop.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg
