Name: Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 350 min
Total time: 370 min
Ingredients: 1/4 lb Bacon, (cooked & chopped); 1 Cut-Up Chicken ((or use 4 breasts or 6 thighs)); 1 Bay Leaf; 8 oz Pearl Onions ((fresh or frozen)); 2 cloves Garlic, (finely minced); 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme ((or 1 tsp dried leaves, not ground)); 8 oz Baby Carrots; 16 oz Crimini Mushrooms, (sliced); 1 tsp Kosher Salt; 1/2 tsp Pepper; 1 cup Chicken Broth; 3/4 cup Red Wine ((or dry white)); 1/4 cup Brandy or Cognac ((optional)); 1/3 cup Flour; 4 Tbsp Softened Butter

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Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin is an elegant French chicken recipe. The chicken is braised in a seasoned wine, mushroom, and onion sauce, and served with potatoes, pasta, or rice. This fabulous crock pot Coq Au Vin is much easier to make than to pronounce!

Coq Au Vin in a black bowl on wooden board next to gold fork and knife

Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin

A lot of people think of crock pot meals as creamy, cheesy, loaded recipes, or pot roasts and the like. But believe it or not there are some healthier, lighter recipes that are also elegant. Like this one!

What is Coq Au Vin?

Coq Au Vin (cock-oh-van) or chicken in wine, is a popular French recipe. This was originally made for cooking a rooster, which tends to be tough, to be cooked all day in a braise with mushrooms, onion, wine, and some kind of lardon (essentially bacon).

There are, of course, many variations of this classic dish out there, and I put my own spin on it for the slow cooker.

Which Cuts of Chicken Work Best?

You can use whatever you like. The recipe was originally for a whole cut-up chicken, but you can use breast, thighs, drumsticks, or a combination of them.

What if I don't want to use wine or cognac?

Not everybody likes to cook with wine, for various reasons. Or you just might not have any on hand. No worries!

You can use a little of a good balsamic vinegar (start with 2 Tbsp.), pomegranate juice, grape juice, cranberry juice, or just use a bit more chicken broth.

If you use juice, I recommend one that is as close to pure, unsweetened juice as you can get.

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5 from 3 votes

Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

5 hrs 50 mins

Total Time

6 hrs 10 mins

Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin is an elegant French chicken recipe. The chicken is braised in a seasoned wine, mushroom, and onion sauce, and served with potatoes, pasta, or rice.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French

Keyword: crock pot coq au vin recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 454 kcal

Author: Sandy Clifton

Ingredients

¼ lb Bacon, cooked & chopped
1 Cut-Up Chicken (or use 4 breasts or 6 thighs)
1 Bay Leaf
8 oz Pearl Onions (fresh or frozen)
2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
4 sprigs Fresh Thyme (or 1 tsp dried leaves, not ground)
8 oz Baby Carrots
16 oz Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp Kosher Salt
½ tsp Pepper
1 cup Chicken Broth
¾ cup Red Wine (or dry white)
¼ cup Brandy or Cognac (optional)

Thicken

⅓ cup Flour
4 Tbsp Softened Butter

Instructions

Cook the bacon and set aside to drain on a paper towel. If you want to do the extra step, you can brown the chicken in the bacon fat before adding it to the crock.
Place chicken in the crock. Add the bay leaf, onions, garlic, thyme, carrots, mushrooms, salt, and pepper.
Pour in the chicken broth, wine, and cognac.
Cook on Low for about 5 hours, or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender. Dark meat bone-in may take longer to cook. An instant read meat thermometer is a great tool to use to determine temperature. Poultry should be 165°.
Discard bay leaf.
Mix together the flour and butter until a paste is formed. Microwave for 10 seconds if not soft enough. Stir into the sauce with the chicken and vegetables.
Add the bacon and place lid back on. Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Serve over hot cooked rice or mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, or pasta.