This slow cooker coq au vin is a French-inspired recipe I bring out every year when the temperatures drop! It’s a cozy, stew dish with tender chicken braised with bacon, earthy mushrooms, and herbs in a flavorful red wine gravy.
I love a hearty bowlful of coq au vin with a side of fluffy dinner rolls in chilly weather. It’s an easy variation of slow cooker chicken stew that warms you right up!
Coq au vin is the definition of comfort food made fancy, and this slow cooker recipe is SO easy! Coq au vin (pronounced “kok-oh-van”) is a classic French dish, literally translating to “rooster in wine”. But, don’t worry, we’re not putting roosters in the slow cooker. This recipe is made from juicy chicken breasts braised in red wine with veggies, bacon, and mushrooms to create a rich and flavorful stew. I make this slow cooker coq au vin recipe as soon as there’s a nip in the air, along with other French favorites like beef bourguignon and chicken cassoulet. The best part is, it basically cooks itself!
Why I Love This Coq au Vin Recipe
- Mostly hands-free. I love my slow cooker, and I’ll take any excuse to use it, whether it’s slow cooking a roast or chicken marsala. It’s just so easy to add everything to the pot and let it cook for hours while I run errands.
- Cozy flavors. The chicken gets braised in a glossy, flavor-filled wine sauce along with smoky bacon, mushrooms, and veggies. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs dinner you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
- Make-ahead. Not only can you prep this recipe in the morning and leave it to cook all day, but the leftovers taste even better! Slow cooker coq au vin stores well in the fridge or freezer and reheats easily on the stovetop.
Ingredients You’ll Need
My coq au vin recipe packs all sorts of tasty ingredients into the slow cooker or crock pot. Below are some notes on what you’ll need. Scroll down to the printable recipe card after the post for a full list with recipe details.
- Bacon – Thick-cut or regular bacon. You could also use pancetta.
- Green Onions – Not traditionally used in coq au vin, but I like to slice up green onions for a pop of color and extra flavor. You can also use shallot.
- Butter – For sautéing. Butter is popular in French cooking, but you could also use olive oil.
- Chicken – Feel free to use chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks. Most bone-in or boneless chicken works well in coq au vin. Keep in mind that bone-in chicken pieces will take longer to cook.
- Vegetables – Quartered yellow onions, sliced carrots, and mushrooms. I also add baby red potatoes to make this recipe a bit heartier, plus, they cook nicely in the crock pot.
- Garlic – Freshly minced.
- Chicken Broth – I like to use low-sodium chicken broth. You can use beef broth for a deeper-flavored gravy.
- Wine – Red Burgundy wines are the traditional choice for coq au vin, so I use a less-expensive Pinot Noir. You can use Chardonnay (another Burgundy wine) if you prefer white. Many variations of coq au vin use different kinds of wine, though I recommend choosing a dry wine that you’d like to drink. You’ll taste the difference!
- Thyme – Fresh thyme sprigs are a must! I also add in bay leaves.
- Cornstarch – Optional, but if you’d like to thicken the wine sauce, cornstarch does the trick.
How to Make Slow Cooker Coq au Vin
Here’s how to make a slow cooker version of this classic French recipe!
- Sauté the ingredients. Crisp up the bacon in a skillet, and then use the same skillet to sauté the green onions in the leftover bacon fat. Afterward, sear the chicken with butter until it’s browned on both sides.
- Assemble. Now, add the rest of the veggies to the slow cooker and stir in minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Layer the chicken, bacon, and green onions over top. Pour in the chicken broth and wine and add the thyme and bay leaves.
- Cook. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on LOW.
- Finish and serve. Afterward, remove the chicken pieces from the slow cooker and slice them up before returning the sliced chicken to the gravy for serving. If you’re using bone-in chicken you can skip this step! If you’d like, there’s also the option to thicken the sauce (see below).
How to Thicken Coq au Vin
This step is optional, but towards the end of the cooking time, I like to whisk up a quick slurry and stir it back into the gravy to thicken it. After the 4 hours are up, I’ll separate about 3 spoonfuls of the cooking liquid and whisk that with cornstarch. Then, add it back into the slow cooker with the coq au vin. Cover the pot and let it simmer for another 30 minutes.
If you don’t wish to thicken the sauce using cornstarch, you can continue to slow cook the coq au vin for 5 hours on LOW instead. It’ll thicken up with the additional cooking time.
Recipe Tips
- Cooking times vary. The exact cooking time will vary depending on the chicken you’re using, whether it’s bone-in or boneless, and your slow cooker model. Not all slow cookers cook the same, so check the chicken toward the end of the recommended time. If the internal temperature reads 165ºF, it’s done.
- Don’t splurge on expensive wine. There’s no need to go out and buy a pricey bottle for coq au vin. I always recommend choosing what you like to drink. If you don’t want to use Pinot Noir, another dry red, like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, will do just fine.
- Use white wine instead. If you’d prefer to make a version of slow cooker coq au vin with white wine, try a dry white like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Riesling.
- Add a splash of brandy. If you have some on hand, a shot of brandy is a great way to add extra complexity to the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
If you ask Julia Child, coq au vin is best served with potatoes or green salad. This recipe has potatoes already included, but I’ll sometimes serve it over a bed of mashed potatoes anyway—in this house, the more potatoes, the merrier. I also love this cheesy potato casserole.
I always pair my cozy bowlful of slow cooker coq au vin with hunks of crusty French bread or cornbread for sopping up leftovers. It’s a filling meal as is, or this broccoli cauliflower salad also goes great on the side. And if you’re looking for more ways to round out your meal, serve coq au vin over risotto or pasta.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover slow cooker coq au vin tightly covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Warm your leftovers in a pot with a lid over low heat. Reheat until the chicken is hot throughout, just be careful not to overcook.
- Freeze. You can freeze coq au vin for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating and serving.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
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Cook the bacon. In a large skillet cook the bacon to a desired crispness. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Break up the bacon into pieces when cool enough to handle.
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Sauté the onions. Add green onions to the bacon fat and cook for 1 minute. Remove and set aside.
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Sear the chicken. Add butter to the skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and add it to the pan with the bacon fat and butter. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside.
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Assemble. Arrange carrots, onions, mushrooms, potatoes, and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker. Season with the remaining salt and black pepper and stir. Add the chicken and skillet drippings over the vegetables and layer the crumbled bacon and green onions on top.
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Add liquid and cook. Pour in chicken broth and wine. Add thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Bone-in chicken will take longer to cook.
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Thicken the sauce (optional, see note). Remove 3 tablespoons of cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a mixing bowl. Whisk with cornstarch to make a slurry. Add the mixture back into the slow cooker and stir until well combined. Cover and continue to cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
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Finish and serve. When the cooking time is up, remove the chicken and transfer it to a cutting board. Chop it up or shred it, then stir the chicken back into the sauce and serve.
Thickening the sauce: This step is optional if you want a thicker gravy. If you DO NOT want to thicken the sauce, continue to slow cook the dish for 30 minutes or until done.
Serving: 12ounces | Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 1468mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6214IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
