Instant Pot Coq au Vin brings the classic French dish to your weeknight table with far less fuss. Chicken leg quarters braised in red wine transform into tender, flavorful pieces in a silky, reduced sauce with mushrooms, pearl or quartered onions, carrots, and crisp bacon.
An Easy French Chicken Dish to Make at Home
Coq au vin sometimes has a reputation for long, intricate preparation, but it began as a simple rustic stew: chicken slowly braised in wine until tender. This Instant Pot version keeps that traditional flavor profile while dramatically shortening the active cooking time. You brown ingredients to build depth, then pressure-cook the chicken until it falls apart and melds with the rich wine sauce. The result is a comforting, family-friendly meal that tastes like it took hours to make.
Why Is Coq au Vin Special?
Coq au vin’s fame in the English-speaking world owes much to culinary ambassadors like Julia Child, but its appeal is simple: hearty, slow-braised chicken enriched by red wine, smoky bacon, mushrooms, and aromatics. The braising process concentrates flavors, producing a glossy sauce with savory depth and tender meat that pulls easily from the bone.
What’s in Instant Pot Coq au Vin?
This recipe uses everyday ingredients to recreate the classic flavors. Use bone-in dark meat for the best texture and flavor—the bones add richness and the dark meat stays moist under pressure. You can substitute boneless thighs if preferred, but breasts tend to dry out more easily.
- Chicken: Thighs, drumsticks, or leg quarters work best.
- Wine: Burgundy is traditional, but any good drinking red wine will do—avoid boxed or salted “cooking wine.”
- Onions: Small onions cut into quarters or a cup of peeled pearl onions.
- Stock: Chicken stock or broth, or even water if necessary; the bones help build flavor.
- Bacon: Lardons are classic, but diced regular bacon works well.
- Oil: A neutral high-heat oil for browning.
- Butter: For sautéing mushrooms.
- Mushrooms: Baby bella (crimini) or button mushrooms, halved if large.
- Carrots: Cut into large chunks so they hold up during cooking.
- Cornstarch and water: Mixed into a slurry to thicken the sauce at the end.
- Thyme: Fresh sprigs for aroma and flavor.
How to Make Coq Au Vin
The method mirrors the traditional approach: brown ingredients separately to build flavor, then combine and pressure-cook. Follow these streamlined steps for reliable results.
- Marinate the chicken. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Place in a deep dish with quartered onions and thyme, then pour in red wine. Marinate at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
- Cook the bacon. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (medium). Add oil and bacon, cook until crisp, then transfer bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.
- Sauté the mushrooms. Add butter and mushrooms to the pot and cook until they release their liquid and begin to brown—this concentrates their flavor.
- Brown the carrots. Add carrots and cook 2–3 minutes to develop a bit of color, then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Brown the chicken. Remove chicken from the marinade (reserve the marinade). Pat pieces dry and brown in batches in the Instant Pot with the remaining oil until golden on all sides; they do not need to be fully cooked.
- Reduce the braising liquid. Pour the reserved wine marinade and chicken stock into the pot, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a boil and reduce by about half (about 5 minutes) to concentrate the sauce.
- Pressure cook. Return the chicken, onions, thyme, mushrooms, carrots, and bacon to the pot. Lock the lid and pressure cook on high (medium-high setting) for 15 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural release, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Thicken the sauce. Mix cornstarch with water to form a slurry. Remove chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon, then stir the slurry into the hot braising liquid. Set the pot to Sauté and simmer until thickened. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Garnish with parsley if desired, and serve with a starchy side to soak up the sauce.
Tips and Tricks
Small adjustments make a big difference when cooking coq au vin in the Instant Pot.
- Sauté settings: The Instant Pot’s Sauté mode varies by model. Use medium heat and monitor the built-in timer so ingredients brown without burning. If the setting times out, cancel and resume Sauté.
- Whole chicken option: If using a whole chicken cut into parts, brown and cook the thighs and drumsticks first. Add breasts later and pressure-cook them for 8–10 minutes to avoid drying.
- Slow-cooker alternative: Brown ingredients first, then transfer to a slow cooker with the wine and stock. Cook on low for 4–6 hours until tender.
- Make ahead: The flavors deepen if refrigerated overnight and reheated the next day.
- Wine variations: White wine (such as Riesling) can be used for a lighter-style braise if preferred.
What to Serve with Coq au Vin
Serve this saucy dish with something starchy to soak up the sauce. Popular pairings include:
- Mashed potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are ideal for catching the rich wine sauce.
- Crusty bread: A thick slice of rustic bread provides a satisfying texture contrast and is perfect for sopping up sauce.
- Vegetable gratin: A baked vegetable side adds color and complements the savory flavors.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- To freeze, remove meat from the bones once cooled and pack with sauce into freezer-safe bags; freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat until piping hot to avoid drying out the chicken.
Instant Pot Coq Au Vin
Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 3 cups red wine
- 3 small onions, cut in quarters (or 1 cup pearl onions)
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 6 slices bacon, diced
- ⅓ cup sunflower oil (or other high-heat oil)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms
- 3 to 4 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
Instructions
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Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
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Place chicken in a deep dish with onions and thyme, pour in the wine, and marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
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Set Instant Pot to Sauté (medium). Add half the oil and the bacon; cook until crisp, then transfer bacon to a plate.
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Add mushrooms and butter; cook until most liquid evaporates and mushrooms brown slightly.
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Add carrots and cook 2–3 minutes for a bit of color, then transfer to a plate.
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Remove chicken from the marinade (reserve the marinade), pat dry, and brown in batches with remaining oil until golden.
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Pour the reserved wine and chicken stock into the pot, scrape up browned bits, and reduce by half over medium heat (about 5 minutes).
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Add chicken, onions, thyme, mushrooms, carrots, and bacon back to the pot. Lock the lid and Pressure Cook on high for 15 minutes. Let natural release for 10 minutes, then quick-release remaining pressure.
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Mix cornstarch and water into a slurry. Remove chicken and vegetables, stir slurry into the sauce, and set to Sauté until thickened. Adjust seasoning.
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Serve over mashed potatoes or with crusty bread, and garnish with parsley if desired.
Equipment
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Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Notes
- You can use boneless chicken thighs or drumsticks if you prefer.
- White wine can be substituted for a different flavor profile.
- This Instant Pot version is fast and easy; total active cooking time is roughly one hour, plus marinating time.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 24g
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Protein: 31g
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary with ingredients and preparation methods.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
- Easy Instant Pot Orange Chicken
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken Broth