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This Healthier Instant Pot Coq au Vin is for those cold fall and winter nights when you want a fancy slow braised chicken, but you want it ready in less than an hour. All made in the instant pot (or the slow cooker), using simple, wholesome ingredients that you might already have on hand. This dish is warm, flavorful, hearty but healthy, and so delicious. Great for both a simple family dinner and holiday entertaining.
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What better way to start Monday off than with an easier, healthier take on a fancy French classic? Especially one that involves cooking with red wine? Yes, this is a good Monday recipe.
Coq au vin is a family favorite. Every time I make it, I love it more and more.
Coq au Vin is the fancy French way of saying chicken braised in red wine. Itโs a truly delicious and hearty recipe thatโs perfect when served over mashed potatoes. Add a side of crusty bread to soak up all the flavorful red wine sauceโฆla perfection!
Today Iโm simplifying the traditionally lengthy recipe by cooking this entirely in the instant potย in less than an hour. If you prefer to use the slow cookerย Iโve included directions for that too, you choose. But by far, the most requests this past month have been for more instant pot recipes.
It seems as though everyone is getting on board with the instant pot. Which makes me happy, because I actually love it too. It definitely took me a while to get on the instant pot train. But once I got the hang of cooking with it, I quickly realized why everyone loves their instant pot so much. Itโs kind of like cooking magic, and I do think it cooks the best chicken every single timeโฆ
Which is why I am excited for todayโs recipe!
As mentioned, coq au vin is traditionally a French style chicken thatโs slowly cooked in red wine on the stove top. Some recipes require four plus hours of cooking, multiple steps, a good amount of ingredients, and a lot of hands on time. Thatโs all great if we have the whole day to spend in the kitchen, but I totally get that most of us just donโt.
Enter this healthier, easier take on Coq au Vin thatโs made entirely in the instant pot.
Itโs simple, itโs quick, itโs flavorfulโฆand just oh so good.ย The secret? A little bit of bacon, red wine, and plenty of fresh thyme (fresh herbs are my current obsession).
Hereโs how you make it. You ready? Itโs simple.
Cook up the bacon and get it nice and crisp. Add in the onions, garlic, and tomato paste, cooking until fragrant. Then add the wine, chicken and herbs. Cover and cook for a bit. In about 20 or so minutes, youโll be done.
I know it sounds too good to be true, but I promise, it really is this simple.
A few notes.
Traditionally, coq au vin is made with whole chicken pieces. I used chicken breasts, which not only cook up quicker, but are also a lighter choice than skin on dark meat. The red wine helps to keep the chicken from drying out. The instant pot cooks the chicken until itโs perfectly tender and tastes as though itโs been slow cooked all day long.
Itโs going to seem like a lot of wine to use, but trust me, itโs going to be great. The wine is the heart of the recipe, providing flavor while also helping to tenderize the chicken, so donโt skip it.
Highly recommending these mashed potatoes and a crusty side of bread. And for anyone looking for a simple stove-top version, check out this recipe.
Also? Maybe pour yourself a glass of wine while youโre cooking. Itโs Monday and that just sounds like a nice ideaโฆ
If you make this coq au vin please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโt forget to also tag me onย Instagram!ย Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Healthier Instant Pot Coq au Vin
Ingredientsย
- 2-3 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 thyme sprigs
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- mashed potatoes, for serving
Instructionsย
Instant Pot
- 1. Set Instant Pot to sautรฉ. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon.ย 2. To the instant post, add the onion, garlic, and tomato paste and cook an additional 5 minutes. Turn the instant pot off.ย 3. Add in the red wine, chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, chicken, carrots, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. 3. Once done cooking, use the natural or quick release function. Set the Instant pot to sautรฉ and bring to a boil, boil 5 minutes or until the liquid reduces slightly. Turn the instant pot off. Remove the bay leaves and thyme and discard. Stir in the parsley and reserved bacon.4. Serve the chicken and sauce over mashed potatoes.
Slow Cooker
- 1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. If thereโs excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. 2. To the skillet, add the onion, garlic, and tomato paste and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to the bowl of your slow cooker.3.ย To the slow cooker, add in the red wine, chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, chicken, carrots, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.ย 3. Once done cooking, cook, uncovered on high for 15-20 minutes to reduce the sauce. Remove the bay leaves and thyme and discard. Stir in the parsley and reserved bacon. 4. Serve the chicken and sauce over mashed potatoes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I am currently making this recipe for about the 6-7th time. It’s absolutely perfect. Sometimes I don’t have bacon, sometimes I only have alcohol free wine, but regardless it’s still always a delicious hit with the whole family. I never change anything else about the recipe, it’s so good it doesn’t need tweaking. Thank you.
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hubby doesnโt do mushrooms. Any suggestions for another option in addition to the carrots?
Hi Meg,
You could do another veggie that he enjoys like peppers or celery.
I hope you love this recipe! Happy Holidays!
What could you add if you omitted bacon? Or just omit?
Hi Katie,
That would be perfectly okay for you to do! I hope you love this dish!
Is it better to cube the chicken breast first?
Hi Jenny,
You do not need to that for this recipe:)
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe!
Can I use boneless skinless thighs?
Hi Jen,
You bet, that will work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!
Absolutely delicious! So quick in the instant pot and tastes amazing. Perfect winter dish.
Hey Chloe,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, Iโm so glad it was a winner!
Out of this world good! Very easy! To save a step, i used baby carrots. It was very watery as others mentioned, so i ended up using 5 tablespoons of corn starch to make a slurry to thicken it. It’s PERFECT. This will be a regular in my house!
Hey Buddy! Thank you so so much! So glad you are loving this coq au vin! Have a great week! ๐ xT
Sadly it came out watery – I did it the slow cooker version. Is there something I can add or change next time for a thicker consistency? Flavor was delicious.
Hi Francesca,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Next time, you could add a cornstarch slurry in step 4 to help thicken it up. I hope this helps! xx
Loved this recipe! I’ve made Coq Au Vin the long way several times. This was just as yummy, especially with some brown butter crispy sage mashed potatoes. Thankful for an easier way to enjoy this meal!
Hi Amanda,
Fantastic! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe and appreciate you making it! Have a great week! xxT
Frozen chicken breast or thawed?
Hi Mary,
You need to use thawed chicken breast. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Omg! This was so easy to make, absolutely delicious, and my family loved it! Will definitely add to my recipes. Thank you!
Hey Michele,
Wonderful! Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Sunday! xx
Love the recipe but need a substitute for the bacon as we donโt eat pork.
Hi Helen,
You could skip the bacon or use turkey bacon. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx