Lucy M. If you’ve ever wanted to impress someone with your cooking skills, this Mary Berry coq au vin is your secret weapon! We’re talking succulent chicken pieces that have been lovingly braised in red wine with crispy bacon, sweet pearl onions, and golden mushrooms until everything is fall-off-the-bone tender. Yes, it takes a couple of hours, but most of that is just letting it bubble away in the oven while you relax. The result is this incredibly rich, velvety sauce that tastes like you’ve been training at a French bistro for years!
What Does Coq au Vin Actually Mean?
Coq au vin literally translates from French as “rooster in wine,” reflecting the dish’s humble peasant origins when tough old roosters needed long, slow cooking to become tender. Traditionally, farmers would braise these older birds in red wine with vegetables and herbs to transform them into something delicious and satisfying. Today, we use regular chicken pieces instead of rooster, but the name and classic cooking method remain the same, honoring this beloved French culinary tradition.
Why You’ll Love this Mary Berry Coq au Vin
You’ll absolutely love this Mary Berry coq au vin because it transforms simple ingredients into something that tastes incredibly restaurant-fancy with surprisingly little hands-on effort. The beauty lies in how the slow braising does most of the work for you, turning the chicken unbelievably tender while creating a rich, glossy red wine sauce that’s just heavenly.
The combination of crispy bacon, sweet caramelized shallots, and golden mushrooms adds wonderful depth and texture to every bite, making each forkful feel special. What really makes this recipe a winner is its flexibility: you can braise it gently on the stovetop or pop it in the oven and forget about it while you spend time with your guests.
The sauce is so good you’ll want to serve it with crusty bread or creamy mashed potatoes to soak up every last drop. Plus, coq au vin actually tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for stress-free entertaining when you can prepare it ahead and simply reheat before serving.
What Ingredients are in Mary Berry Coq au Vin?
Mary Berry’s coq au vin requires a carefully balanced selection of ingredients that work together to create its signature rich, wine-based sauce. The foundation starts with quality chicken pieces and bacon, which provide the protein base, while butter and oil guarantee proper browning.
The vegetables—shallots and mushrooms—add depth and texture, while the flour acts as a thickener for the luxurious sauce. The combination of red wine and chicken stock creates the flavorful braising liquid, enhanced by aromatic garlic and a bouquet garni for subtle herbaceous notes.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 lb (1.5 kg) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
- 4 oz (125 g) thick-cut bacon, cut into strips
- 8 small shallots or pickling onions
- 8 oz (250 g) button mushrooms
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups red wine
- 1¼ cups chicken stock
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley for garnish
For a faster dinner with bold flavors, try our Tex-Mex Chicken as a weeknight-friendly alternative to this elegant classic.
How to Make this Mary Berry Coq au Vin
- Heat the butter and oil together in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally until they’re browned on all sides. Remove the chicken and set it aside on paper towels to drain.
- Remove any excess fat from the pot, leaving just enough to cook the remaining ingredients. Add the bacon, shallots or onions, and mushrooms to the pan. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until everything turns a rich golden brown.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon and vegetable mixture from the pot and let it drain well on paper towels. Meanwhile, set your oven to preheat at 350°F (180°C).
- Sprinkle the flour into the pot and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until it takes on a light brown color. In a separate pan, reduce the wine by boiling until you have 1½ cups remaining. Slowly pour the stock into the flour mixture, followed by the reduced wine, stirring continuously to create a smooth sauce.
- Return the browned chicken, bacon, shallots or onions, and mushrooms back into the pot. Add the bouquet garni and garlic, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop, then cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken is fork-tender and cooked through.
- Once done, garnish the dish with freshly chopped parsley and serve piping hot.
Mary Berry Coq au Vin
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the butter and oil together in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally until they're browned on all sides. Remove the chicken and set it aside on paper towels to drain.
- Remove any excess fat from the pot, leaving just enough to cook the remaining ingredients. Add the bacon, shallots or onions, and mushrooms to the pan. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until everything turns a rich golden brown.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon and vegetable mixture from the pot and let it drain well on paper towels. Meanwhile, set your oven to preheat at 350°F (180°C).
- Sprinkle the flour into the pot and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until it takes on a light brown color. In a separate pan, reduce the wine by boiling until you have 1½ cups remaining. Slowly pour the stock into the flour mixture, followed by the reduced wine, stirring continuously to create a smooth sauce.
- Return the browned chicken, bacon, shallots or onions, and mushrooms back into the pot. Add the bouquet garni and garlic, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop, then cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken is fork-tender and cooked through.
- Once done, garnish the dish with freshly chopped parsley and serve piping hot.
Notes
What Does Coq au Vin Actually Mean?
Coq au vin literally translates from French as “rooster in wine,” reflecting the dish’s humble peasant origins when tough old roosters needed long, slow cooking to become tender. Traditionally, farmers would braise these older birds in red wine with vegetables and herbs to transform them into something delicious and satisfying. Today, we use regular chicken pieces instead of rooster, but the name and classic cooking method remain the same, honoring this beloved French culinary tradition.Mary Berry Coq au Vin Substitutions and Variations
Since coq au vin’s beauty lies in its flexibility, you’ve got plenty of room to play around with what you’ve got in your kitchen or what you actually feel like eating. Don’t have red wine? White wine works perfectly fine, though you’ll lose that deep color.
Swap the chicken for rabbit or beef if you’re feeling adventurous. Can’t find shallots? Regular onions do the job. Mushrooms optional if they’re not your thing. I’d suggest using chicken thighs instead of mixed pieces—they stay juicier and more forgiving during cooking.
Vegetable stock can replace chicken stock without drama. Even the bacon’s flexible; pancetta or prosciutto bring their own charm to the pot.
What to Serve with Mary Berry Coq au Vin
What pairs better with a rich, wine-soaked chicken stew than something to soak up all that gorgeous sauce? I’d reach for creamy mashed potatoes first—they’re basically a blank canvas for that deep, savory gravy. Crusty bread works too, though you’ll find yourself fighting the urge to lick your bowl when nobody’s looking.
Egg noodles offer another solid option, clinging to the sauce like they were made for each other. If you’re feeling lighter, buttered rice handles the liquid beautifully without overwhelming your palate. Wide egg pasta ribbons? Chef’s kiss. The key is choosing something starchy and neutral enough to let that wine-braised chicken shine while catching every last drop of that incredible sauce. Your plate should look almost empty when you’re finished.
Final Thoughts
Mary Berry’s coq au vin isn’t just dinner—it’s the kind of dish that makes your kitchen smell like a French bistro and your guests wonder if you’ve secretly been trained at culinary school. I think what makes this recipe special is how it transforms humble ingredients into something genuinely impressive. You’re not fussing with complicated techniques or exotic items you can’t pronounce. Instead, you’re working with chicken, wine, and everyday pantry staples to create restaurant-quality comfort food. The beauty here is that everything improves as it sits, so you can actually make it ahead. That’s the dream for busy home cooks, right. Mary Berry knew exactly what she was doing when she developed this recipe—she gave us permission to feel confident in the kitchen while delivering real, satisfying flavor.
