French cuisine is the epitome of classy. Coq au vin may be more rustic than classy but it’s still French so it counts! Plus you’re cooking with wine. Doesn’t get any classier than that.
Before you get started on the main part of this dish, you’ll want to get the potatoes cooking. Boiling water can take a while over the fire so it’s good to get a head start. The potatoes will keep warm once cooked and drained in the pot while the rest of the meal finishes.
This classic french dish begins by frying up some bacon in the bottom of your dutch oven.
Once they’re nice and crispy add your onions, carrots and garlic. Fry those until slightly caramelized and soft. Stir in the tomato paste and then make some room for the chicken. Sear the chicken on both sides and add the mushrooms. Add oil as needed throughout this process.
Time for the vin part of coq au vin! Add your wine and chicken stock to the pot then drop in two bay leaves, a few sprigs of thyme and season it all nicely with some salt and pepper. Stir it all up and cover, adding some more coals to the lid. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove the lid and let the broth reduce down by about 1/3. This part is optional. I was too hungry to let it reduce that long.
Mash up the potatoes with the garlic, butter and milk/cream. Scoop out some potatoes, and some chicken and veggies and cover it all with the delicious wine broth. Garnish with some parsley, if you remembered to pack it (not me!).
Bon appétit! (so french!)
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- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 2 Tbsp olive oil if needed
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups carrots chopped
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken strips or breasts
- 2 cups crimini mushrooms sliced
- 2 cups red wine usually a burgundy
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- salt and pepper
- parsley for garnish
- 4 large Russet potatoes chopped, peeling optional
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4-6 Tbsp butter
- 1/2-3/4 cup milk or cream
Ingredients
Coq au Vin
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
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- Heat dutch oven on a bed of charcoals.
- Chop all your bacon and veggies.
- Add chopped bacon to dutch oven. Fry until crispy.
- Add some oil if needed and then add the onion, garlic and carrots. Cook veggies, stirring often, until soft and caramelized. Stir in the tomato paste and then push everything to the side to make room for the chicken.
- Add some more oil if needed. Add chicken and sear on both sides until brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes.
- Pour in the wine and chicken stock. Add the bay leaves, thyme sprigs and some salt and pepper. Stir everything to combine. Cover with the lid, placing more coals on top. Let cook for 15 min.
- Uncover and let simmer until broth has reduced up to a 1/3. Keep an eye on the coals make sure they're still hot.
- Chop potatoes and add to large pot. Fill pot with water until potatoes are about an inch underwater. Cover and bring to boil over fire. Cook until tender. About 20-30 min.
- Drain water and add garlic, butter and milk/cream. Mash until you reach desired consistency.
If you don't have a camp pot big enough to boil potatoes, wrapping them in foil and baking them in the coals works just fine. Just make sure to start them well ahead of the Coq au Vin. They can take anywhere from 30 min to an hour. Serve the potato chopped up on the side. Or try to mash it! With enough butter and cream it should turn out just fine.
Chicken stock cubes or packets and water are way easier to pack than a carton of stock.
