Grilled Coq au Vin Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated March 27, 2025
Photograph: Kerry Saretsky

In the spring and summertime, sitting in a kitchen watching a hot stew bubble away is unthinkable. Criminal! But that doesn't mean that classics like coq au vin are any less delicious. Here, all the flavors of coq au vin, from the bacon to the onions and mushrooms and wine, condensed into a thick, earthy, completely unique barbecue sauce that is slathered onto wine-soaked, highly inebriated chicken. Grilled on a hot grill, it's an elegant, but easy and unique take on the classic stewy coq au vin, fit for a balmy night.

Recipe Details

Grilled Coq au Vin Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 65 mins
Active 20 mins
Marinating and Resting Time 8 hrs 5 mins
Total 9 hrs 15 mins
Serves 2 to 4 servings
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Ingredients

  • 2 bone-in, skin-on whole chicken legs (about 1 pound)

  • 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)

  • 2 cups red Burgundy wine

  • 1 3/4 ounces cubed pancetta (about 1/3 cup)

  • 1 very large shallot, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)

  • 3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 1/8 ounce wild mushrooms

  • 1/4 cup ketchup

  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon fresh fresh thyme leaves

  • 1 bay leaf

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Place the chicken and wine in a large baggie and refrigerate over night. Remove the chicken, and pat dry. Reserve the wine.

  2. In a medium saucepan, cook pancetta over medium heat until just starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally until shallots are soft, about 2 1/2 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add the reserved wine and porcinis, and bring to a boil. Add the ketchup, mustard, sugar, vinegar, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook over low heat until the mixture is thick and coats a spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, and purée mixture in the blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  3. Preheat a cast iron grill pan or a grill to medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and toss in about 1/3 of the barbecue sauce. Lightly oil the hot grill and cook chicken turning once, until breasts register 155°F on an instant-read thermometer and legs register 165°F, about 30 minutes. If chicken skin begins to burn, reduce heat and continue cooking. Remove chicken from grill as it reaches temperature and tent with foil to keep warm. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then serve.

Special equipment

grill pan or grill

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
637 Calories
31g Fat
17g Carbs
67g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 637
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 39%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 204mg 68%
Sodium 427mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 67g
Vitamin C 4mg 20%
Calcium 60mg 5%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 709mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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