A simple and yet savory chicken that will leave you wanting more.
Last summer, spending a whole week with my beautiful friend Elaine, chef and owner of Born to Taste Amsterdam, learning new dishes was a genuinely pinch-me moment.
You have no idea what it feels like to talk food all day with someone who has close to 30 years of experience in the big kitchens under the watchful eye and training under a Michelin Star chef, had the kitchen that she ran as well as her very successful cooking school in Cannes.
I spent one excellent week cooking, eating, learning, cooking, eating, learning. It was a natural gift.
One dish we often spoke about during that week was Coq Au Vin, the classic French dish.
Eliane said she enjoyed it with white wine and the pressure cooker—a spin from your classic French dish.
My ears were listening to the magic sound of the pressure cooker, less time cooking, and white wine.
Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to prepare it together.
Since being back, I have had a craving for it.
Like a kid in a candy store, I wanted to make it. I could taste all the flavors and could not wait to tackle Coq Au Vin Blanc.
When you cook with a pressure cooker, a few things are different. Cooking with wine is a bit tricky and needs a small step further to achieve the perfect sauce.
Most recipes I searched use red wine and not in the pressure cooker. But to make matters even more interesting, I was missing a couple of main ingredients.
However, I had alternatives that would not compromise the dish’s flavor.
The internet is beautiful, and I called her in Amsterdam with no further ado. After a long hour of conversation, she shared the recipe and all I needed to do.
And, yes, I could use dried mushrooms instead of fresh ones. I just needed to rehydrate them.
Cooking tips to make this wonderful dish from Eliane:
Use a delicious white wine. The rule of thumb: you drink it, you cook with it. Do not ruin a great dish with a less expensive and not soo good wine.
Ensure the wine has the alcohol evaporated before closing the lid and starting the pressure cooking mode.
The alcohol under pressure will not disappear, and the food will taste bitter and take on some of the metal flavors. Eliane suggests reducing it to a 1/3.
To create a velvety and thickened sauce, make a Beurre Manie`, a blend of butter and flour into a smooth paste.
I am so happy that I made it! This Coq Au Vin Blanc is at the top of all our favorite dishes. Give it a try!
If you enjoy this delicious Coq Au Vin recipe, look at my other recipes.
Coq Au Vin Blanc
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 carrot, diced
- ½ onion, sliced and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 4 drumsticks, skin on
- 4 thights, skin on
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup white wine
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock, (enough to cover the chicken)
- thyme, chopped
- bay leaf
- 2 ounces dry mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the beurre manie` by mixing the flour and the butter in a small dish and set aside.Place the dry mushroom in a small container, cover with hot water and let it rest. Once they are all plump remove from water and squeeze any water out and chop.
- In a large, 8 quarts, pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat and cook the bacon stirring until most of the fat has rendered and the bacon is just lightly browned around 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Add the carrots and the onions to the pan and sauté with bacon fat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it turns a golden-brown color, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Take the vegetables out of the pan and reserve them with the bacon.
- Using the remainder 2 tablespoons olive oil added to the pan with the bacon fat. Season well on all sides the chicken pieces and add to the pan skin side down all in one layer. If the pieces will not all fit in, brown in batches. About 5 minutes. Turn the pieces over and brown on the other side until brown. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed plate.
- Return the bacon, onions, carrots, garlic to the pan and add the white wine. Cook until the wine has evaporated down to 1/3. Add the flour and butter mixture to it and stir well.
- Put the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the thyme, bay leaf, chopped mushrooms and enough of the chicken broth to cover the chicken. Bring to a quick boil.
- Close the pressure cooker lid and follow the manufactures instruction for cooking. Set pressure cooker timer for 30 minutes.
- Once done remove the lid transfer the chicken to a platter with sides. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce slightly.
- Spoon mushrooms, onion sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
Did you make this?
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