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An easier One Hour, One Pot, Coq au Vin with Crispy Prosciutto. Lightly seasoned chicken seared until golden with nutty browned butter, onions, shallots, garlic, and fresh thyme. The chicken is finished in a French-inspired red wine pan sauce with caramelized buttered mushrooms. It’s “smothered” in sauce and topped with crispy prosciutto and fresh thyme sprigs just before serving. So delicious, especially when served with a few slices of fresh bread and potatoes. Such a cozy one-pot dish with delicious, rich flavors.
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My first coq au vin recipe was back in November 2014. I was still living at home with my family in Colorado. Being one of 8 kids (well actually there were just seven of us back then), some of my siblings and cousins were already arriving for Thanksgiving. Most of them coming in a little early to enjoy the early snowfall we had that season.
It was a special year, a very cozy holiday season with a lot of snowfall. I remember being in a hurry to create dinner and needing something I could get done in an hour or so. I came across coq au vin and somehow, even though the traditional recipe takes hours of simmering time, I decided it sounded yummy and like something everyone could enjoy.
There were pre-cooked chicken tenders in the fridge, so I used those, which greatly shortened up the recipe. It turned out so great. My brother Brendan said it might be his new favorite dinner!
Ever since then, I’ve made many variations on the recipe. I’ve done coq au vin meatballs, coq au vin in the instant pot, and today, another quick-cooking chicken in a red wine sauce inspired by the French recipe.
Traditionally this would require hours of simmer time and a lot more prep work, but I really simplified the process. I also used prosciutto instead of traditional bacon or pancetta.
Here are the details
Step 1: season the chicken
Before you begin cooking, you should season and flour the chicken. Start with salt and pepper. Then take the chicken and toss them in flour to fully coat. The flour on the chicken creates a coating that allows the sauce to really stick and creates a nice crispy coating.
Step 2: cook the prosciutto and sear the chicken
Find a big skillet with sides, or use a dutch oven, I always use cast iron. Cook the prosciutto until extra crispy, pull it out of the pan, and set aside.
Add a sliver of olive oil and pan-sear the chicken until the crust is golden. Now add butter and allow it to brown around the chicken. Take the chicken out of the skillet. I usually put it on the same plate as the prosciutto.
Step 3: make the wine sauce
Add the remaining butter and vegetables-onion, shallots, garlic, carrots, and all those mushrooms. Get everything golden and caramelized to create a nice depth of flavor. Then stir in the tomato paste and let that cook for a minute or two. Pour in lots of red wine. I like pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon along with your favorite chicken broth. I love to use chicken bone broth for added protein instead of regular broth.
Let the wine simmer on medium heat and reduce a little, then slide the chicken pieces right in. Cook another few minutes, until the sauce is reduced down to your liking.
Add the prosciutto to the top, then finish with fresh thyme. It’s going to look delish and smell even better.
My favorite way to serve this is over a creamy mashed potato, or egg noodles very delicious. Then just add some fresh bread and a salad – so yummy!
I can’t wait to make this for my family soon. Everyone is coming in for Thanksgiving and then again for Christmas. This will be great for feeding the family!
Looking for other simple dinners? Here are my favorites:
Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice
Baked Chipotle Cheddar Sweet Potato Chowder
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo
Herby Buttered Balsamic Mushroom Ravioli
Smothered Chicken in Mushroom Wine Pan Sauce
Lastly, if you make this One Hour One Pot Coq au Vin, 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, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Coq au Vin
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 ounces prosciutto
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 small shallots, chopped
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1/2 cup brandy , (optional)
- 2 cups red wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken through the flour and toss to coat.2. Arrange the prosciutto in a braiser with sides or a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy all over, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet.3. In the same braiser, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chicken. Sear on both sides until golden, 3-5 minutes per side. Add 1 tablespoon butter and allow the butter to brown around the chicken, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. Add the onions, shallots, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes or fragrant. Add 2 tablespoons butter, tomato paste, thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have caramelized.4. Add the brandy and wine, then the broth. Simmer for 10 minutes, then slide the chicken into the sauce. Cook another 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is warmed and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce is too soupy, add 1-2 additional tablespoons of flour. Remove from the heat. Top with crispy prosciutto and fresh herbs.5. Serve the chicken over mashed potatoes with crusty bread for mopping up all that delicious sauce. YUM!
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.
Hubby and I loved it. Kids – not so much. Too many vegetables. Ugh.
Made it with the sage mashed potatoes in the 2014 recipe. They were DELICIOUS!
I used the Winking Owl Shiraz (dry red) from Aldi, which I also love to drink.
It definitely took me more than an hour to cook but I never can make something as fast as listed in recipes. It just takes so long to get things out and chopped.
Anyway, great recipe!
Hey Christy,
Happy Saturday!! Thanks so much for trying this dish and your feedback, so glad it was a hit! Sorry about the kids:) xx
Made this last night and it was amazing! Def one of my new favorites. I made it with Cabernet, but always interested to see if you suggest a different type of red wine in case I want to play around with the recipe next time I make it 🙂
So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, Madeleine! I like to use a cab or pinot noir! I hope this helps! xT
I’m making this for a dinner party tomorrow night. Can I make it tonight and just heat it up? And would it go well with your Sage butter smashed potatoes?
thanks
Hi Linda,
Sure, that will work well for you! Yes, the smashed potatoes would be delicious to serve with this! I hope you love the recipe! xT
I am making this tonight. Please, how much brandy and sage? It is not listed in the recipe. Thank you.
Hi Honi,
You can use 2 tablespoons of brandy and a few leaves of fresh sage. I hope you love this dish! xx
For those looking for the brandy mentioned in the HBH instagram story but not in the recipe below, most classic versions of this recipe use 2-3 tablespoons, added after the onions have browned and cooked out fully before adding the wine.
Thanks for sharing! The brandy is totally optional as well!
I made this for dinner last night exactly as recommended, served over mashed potatoes and with a slice of bread. It was delicious! I have a hard time getting my husband to try new things but he absolutely loved this one!
Hey Julia,
Happy Friday!🍂 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for trying it and your comment! xx
In the video, you mention brandy and wine, but in the written recipe I’m not seeing the brandy. Can you clarify? Thank you!
I made this tonight and my family loved it! It is a good thing I made extra because everyone had a second helping. I will definitely make this one again. Thank you for the amazing recipes!
Hey Angie,
Happy Friday!🍂 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for trying it and your comment! xx
Your coq au vin meatballs are one of my all-time favorite recipes, excited to try this version!
Love to hear this Christine!! Let me know how this dish turns out for you:) xx
This looks delicious, but I think bone in thighs would add deeper flavor. Am anxious to make it. Thanks T
Hi Carol,
Bone in thighs would be great! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Can I make this with a combination of breasts and thighs? If so, do I need to take the breasts out sooner or put them in later as to not dry out the meat? Everyone in my family loves thighs except for me, so I would probably only switch out about 1 or 2 thighs for breasts.
Hi Jeanine,
Of course, that would work well for you! I don’t think you will have any issues with the chicken drying out in this dish, there’s plenty of sauce and it only cooks for so long. I hope it turns out well for you! xx
Another delicious sounding recipe. Can this be made with chicken breasts instead of thighs? I realize there’s a difference light vs darker meat, but family is more for the former. If so, how many lbs or pieces? Thank you
Hahaha! I just asked the same question but about mixing thighs and breasts. I hate the texture of thighs but I’m the odd person out in my family.
Hey Sally,
Totally, I would use 4-6 chicken breasts depending on the size of them! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this dish! xT
Might this be made in an Instant Pot? If so, how?
Hi Brooke,
I would give this recipe a try if you want to use the instant pot:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/healthier-instant-pot-coq-au-vin/
Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
Could I use chicken breasts instead of thighs
Hi Lynne,
Sure, chicken breasts would also work well in this dish! Let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Hi there! Would love to make this dish for dinner this weekend. Unfortunately, we don’t like mushrooms. Can I omit them? Or is there a substitute you recommend?
Hi Tina,
Totally okay to skip the mushrooms, the carrots will add some nice flavor in there for you! Let me know how this dish turns out, I hope you love it! xT