Maxime

Coq au Vin is one of the most well-known French dishes internationally. Although the name just means ‘chicken in wine’, this dish is made with red wine- typically a Burgundy. Coq au Riesling is a version of this concept from my home region of Alsace, made with Riesling – a delicious fragrant white wine instead. Alsace is an important wine-producing region and Riesling is one type of wine that puts Alsace on the map.

Whereas Coq au Vin is rich and dark, Coq au Riesling is bright and creamy. The chicken is flavorful and beautifully tender. The addition of nutmeg to the sauce is a signature Alsatian move: we love the combination of cream, nutmeg, and onion/shallot in just about everything (see: Tarte flambée and Baguettine).

This recipe is simpler than it looks. Aside from a bit of searing and sautéing, most of the cooking time is hands off. You just need to let the chicken and wine do their thing and create magic.

Once the cooking is done, you can dig in immediately- but it is an amazing make-ahead dish. By letting it cool and sit in the fridge until the next day, you allow the flavors to develop and deepen further. If you want to do this: let cool on the counter, then refrigerate. When you are ready to eat, reheat on medium low, then garnish with chopped parsley, and serve!

This most classic way to serve Coq au Riesling is with Alsatian/German egg dumplings/noodles called Spätzle. Rice or pasta will also do the trick!

INGREDIENTS FOR COQ AU RIESLING

• Chicken: the quality of ingredients is important for any dish, but especially in one like this where it is the star. Chicken legs (thighs and/or drumsticks) are ideal for this dish.
• Riesling: made from grapes of the same name, this wine is produced in several countries including Germany, Austria, and of course- Alsace. “Alsatian Rieslings are typically fresh and crisp, with racy acidity and compelling aromas of pears, apples, lemons, flowers and spice.” (Vivino) Riesling is also known for its minerality due to the rocky soil types in its growing region.
• Nutmeg – Muscade: a beloved spice in French, and especially Alsatian, cuisine. It has a warm, nutty, and very distinct flavor profile. It is used in béchamel sauce and dishes like œufs cocottes and tarte flambée.
• Crème fraîche: a French soured cream containing about 30% butterfat, higher than that of sour cream and is thicker, richer, and less acidic. It is very close to crema fresca in Central America. Crème fraîche is produced in many parts of France, but the crème fraîche from Normandie is famous and the crème fraîche from a defined area around the town of Isigny-sur-Mer is highly regarded. We always buy crème fraîche from this region when available!
• Bouquet garni: translates to “garnished bouquet” – it is a bundle of herbs tied together with a string used to flavor soups, stocks, and stews, and is removed prior to serving. There is no standard recipe for bouquet garni, but the most common one used in many recipes (including this one) consists of thyme, bay leaf and parsley. Other herbs may be added for specific dishes.
• Mushrooms – Champignons: I recommend baby portobello or morel.
• Shallot – Échalote
• Garlic – Ail
• Oil – Huile
• Butter – Beurre
• Chicken broth – Bouillon de poulet
• All-purpose flour – Farine
• Egg yolk – Jaune d’œuf
• Salt – Sel
• Pepper – Porivre
• Parsley – Persil (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS FOR COQ AU RIESLING

1. Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry.
2. Salt the chicken generously.
3. Peel and finely chop shallot.
4. Peel and mince garlic.
5. Make the bouquet garni by using the thread/string to tie the herbs up into a bundle
6. Heat oil and melt butter on medium high in a large dutch oven or thick-bottomed pot.
7. Add chicken to the pot in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches) and sear until golden on all sides. If the skin is still stuck to the pot, resist the urge to flip – it will release when the searing is done.
8. Remove chicken and set aside.
9. Add shallots and garlic to the pot, sauté until tender.
10. Pour in the wine and cook for a minute to deglaze the bottom of the pot, scrape the bottom gently with a wooden spatula if needed.
11. Add the chicken broth and nutmeg, stirring to combine.
12. Add the chicken back (for thigh pieces, place them skin-side up) into the pot.
13. Add the bouquet garni.
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Reduce heat to low, add lid, and simmer for 30 minutes.
16. Cut mushrooms into 1/2 cm slices.
17. Heat a small pan on medium and add mushrooms. Let cook for 2-3 minutes to extract water.
18. Add a splash of oil and a pinch of salt, and sauté for 2 more minutes.
19. Remove chicken and bouquet garni from the pot to a plate and set aside.
20. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, crème fraîche, and egg yolk.
21. Pour the cream mixture into the pot and whisk until fully incorporated.
22. Add in the mushrooms, followed by the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.
23. Serve with spätzle (the Alsatian option), rice, or pasta and garnish with chopped parsley.
    You can make and serve immediately- but this is an amazing make-ahead dish. By letting it cool and sit in the fridge until the next day, you allow the flavors to develop and deepen further. If you want to do this: let cool on the counter, then refrigerate. When you are ready to eat, reheat on medium low, then garnish with parsley, and serve!

RECIPE VIDEO

Coq au Riesling • Chicken braised in Riesling

Course: MainCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

15

minutes

An Alsatian version of the more well-known Coq au Vin made with white wine instead of red: tender and flavorful chicken braised in a creamy Riesling nutmeg sauce.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg 1.5 chicken thighs and/or drumsticks (bone-in)

• 90 g 90 shallot

• 15 g 15 garlic

• 2 tbsp 2 neutral oil

• 30 g 30 butter

• 250 ml 250 Riesling (preferably from Alsace)

• 250 ml 250 chicken broth

• 1 tsp 1 nutmeg

• 150 g 150 mushrooms (I recommend baby portobello and/or morel)

• 100 g 100 crème fraîche

• 1 tbsp 1 all-purpose flour

• 1 1 egg yolk

• Salt (to taste)

• Pepper (to taste)

• Parsley (for garnish)

• Bouquet garni

• 4 stems 4 parley

• 2 stems 2 thyme

• 1 1 bay leaf

• Thread or cotton string to tie up the herbs

Directions

• Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry.
• Salt the chicken generously.
• Peel and finely chop shallot.
• Peel and mince garlic.
• Make the bouquet garni by using the thread/string to tie the herbs up into a bundle
• Heat oil and melt butter on medium high in a large dutch oven or thick-bottomed pot.
• Add chicken to the pot in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches) and sear until golden on all sides. If the skin is still stuck to the pot, resist the urge to flip – it will release when the searing is done.
• Remove chicken and set aside.
• Add shallots and garlic to the pot, sauté until tender.
• Pour in the wine and cook for a minute to deglaze the bottom of the pot, scrape the bottom gently with a wooden spatula if needed.
• Add the chicken broth and nutmeg, stirring to combine.
• Add the chicken back (for thigh pieces, place them skin-side up) into the pot.
• Add the bouquet garni.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Reduce heat to low, add lid, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Cut mushrooms into 1/2 cm slices.
• Heat a small pan on medium and add mushrooms. Let cook for 2-3 minutes to extract water.
• Add a splash of oil and a pinch of salt, and sauté for 2 more minutes.
• Remove chicken from the pot to a plate and set aside.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, crème fraîche, and egg yolk.
• Pour the cream mixture into the pot and whisk until fully incorporated.
• Add in the mushrooms, followed by the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Serve with spätzle (the Alsatian option), rice, or pasta and garnish with chopped parsley. (See Notes)

Recipe Video

Notes

• You can make and serve immediately- but this is an amazing make-ahead dish. By letting it cool and sit in the fridge until the next day, you allow the flavors to develop and deepen further. If you want to do this: let cool on the counter, then refrigerate. When you are ready to eat, reheat on medium low, then garnish with parsley, and serve!

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