This Slow Cooker Coq au Vin adapts the classic French stewed chicken to the convenience of a crockpot. With smoky bacon, tender mushrooms, carrots and onions braised in a red wine sauce, it delivers deep, comforting flavor with much less hands-on time.
Coq au Vin in the Slow Cooker
Braising chicken in wine is a time-honored technique and coq au vin is one of the most beloved examples. This slow cooker version stays true to the classic flavors—red wine, fresh herbs, mushrooms and tomatoes—while streamlining the process. Instead of hours at the stove, the crockpot lets the chicken and vegetables simmer slowly until they are fall-apart tender. Serve it over mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, or roasted baby potatoes for a complete, satisfying meal.
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Coq au Vin
Coq au vin has a timeless balance of rustic comfort and elegant flavor. With a few simple, wholesome ingredients you can achieve the complex, layered taste of a traditional French stew without fuss. This slow cooker adaptation is approachable for any home cook and delivers reliably rich results.
- Easy to make: A few straightforward steps — brown, combine, and slow cook.
- Hearty and cozy: Perfect for chilly evenings or when you want a comforting one-pot dinner.
- Leaner option: Use skinless chicken and omit the bacon for a lighter version.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below are the ingredients for this Slow Cooker Coq au Vin. Exact measurements are shown in the recipe card further down.
- Center-cut bacon — adds a smoky, savory base.
- Vegetables — carrots, mushrooms, onion, and garlic for body and sweetness.
- Flour — to lightly thicken the sauce (use gluten-free flour if needed).
- Dry red wine — Pinot Noir, Chianti or Burgundy lend good flavor.
- Low-sodium chicken broth — keeps the sauce balanced and not overly salty.
- Tomato paste — deepens the sauce with umami and color.
- Chicken — bone-in thighs and drumsticks produce rich flavor and tender texture; boneless thighs also work.
- Herbs — fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley and a bay leaf for aromatic complexity.
How to Make Coq au Vin in the Slow Cooker
This step-by-step overview explains the process. The full printable recipe with quantities appears in the recipe card below.
- Prepare the sauce: Whisk together the red wine, chicken broth and tomato paste in a pourable container and set aside.
- Cook the bacon: Render the bacon in a heavy pan until crisp, then remove it with a slotted spoon and reserve for garnish. Leave the bacon fat for cooking the vegetables.
- Sauté vegetables: Cook mushrooms and carrots in the bacon fat until the mushrooms release their juices. Add onion and garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Thicken and deglaze: Reduce heat, sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat. Add the wine-broth-tomato mixture and bring to a brief boil to reduce slightly, then transfer everything to the slow cooker.
- Assemble: Nestle the chicken pieces into the slow cooker with the vegetables and sauce. Season with salt and pepper and top with rosemary, thyme and the bay leaf.
- Cook: Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours or on low for about 8 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.
- Finish and serve: Spoon the braised chicken, vegetables and sauce onto plates and garnish with the crisped bacon and chopped parsley.
Tips and Variations
- Make it leaner: Omit the bacon and sauté the vegetables in a little olive oil. Add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika with the flour for a smoky note.
- Choose a good wine: Use a drinkable dry red that you enjoy; it shapes the sauce’s flavor. No need for an expensive bottle, but avoid very low-quality wine.
- Pearl onions: Swap chopped onion for whole pearl onions (fresh or frozen) for a more classic presentation.
What to Serve With Coq au Vin
Coq au vin pairs beautifully with starchy sides that soak up the wine sauce. Consider mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, roasted baby potatoes, brown rice, quinoa or a simple buttered egg noodles. A green vegetable or salad brightens the meal.
Proper Storage
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat, or reheat portions in the microwave until heated through.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Dinners
If you enjoy this coq au vin, try other slow cooker chicken ideas such as sesame honey chicken, chicken cacciatore, shredded chicken for tacos, or slow cooker enchiladas—simple, hands-off meals that are perfect for busy nights.
- Crockpot Sesame Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Slow Cooker Coq au Vin
Yield: 4 servings (2 pieces chicken, 1 cup vegetables)
Prep: 15 mins • Cook: 4 hrs (high) or 8 hrs (low) • Total: ~4–8 hrs
Ingredients
- 4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cups mushrooms, halved (button or baby bella)
- 2 cups onion, cut into 1–2″ pieces (or use pearl onions)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp flour (or gluten-free flour)
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (Pinot Noir, Chianti or Burgundy)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 large bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (or boneless)
- 4 bone-in chicken drumsticks, skin removed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 dry bay leaf
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine the red wine, chicken broth and tomato paste in a pourable measuring cup and set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, render the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate and reserve for garnish; keep the rendered fat in the pan.
- Add mushrooms and carrots to the bacon fat and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 3–4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3–4 more minutes.
- Lower the heat, sprinkle in the flour and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated. Pour in the reserved wine mixture and bring to a boil for 1–2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Transfer the vegetable and wine mixture to the slow cooker. Nestle the chicken pieces into the slow cooker, season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and place rosemary, thyme and the bay leaf on top.
- Cover tightly and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, until the chicken is very tender and the flavors are well blended.
- To serve, place one thigh and one drumstick on each plate, spoon the vegetables and sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the reserved bacon and chopped parsley.
Notes
- Omit the bacon for a leaner dish. If you skip the bacon, add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika with the flour for extra depth.
- If you don’t have a slow cooker: assemble everything in a Dutch oven and simmer gently on the stovetop for 50–60 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Nutrition (approx. per serving)
Calories: 484 • Protein: 35g • Carbs: 23g • Fat: 26g • Fiber: 5g