Bastille Day Coq au Vin with Pearl Onions and Herbs
Daily Recipe: July 14, 2026
For Bastille Day, few dishes feel more iconic and celebratory than Coq au Vin, the French classic of chicken slowly braised in red wine until deeply savory and glossy. This version keeps the soul of the traditional dish while making it especially beautiful for the table: golden-seared chicken, jewel-toned pearl onions, earthy mushrooms, and a rich burgundy sauce finished with fresh herbs. It is elegant, rustic, and unmistakably French—perfect for a festive July dinner in New York City.
Ingredients (for 4)
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs - 8 pieces (about 3 lb) - patted dry
- Dry red wine - 2 1/2 cups
- Chicken stock - 1 1/2 cups
- Bacon - 6 oz - diced
- Pearl onions - 12 oz - peeled
- Cremini mushrooms - 12 oz - halved
- Carrots - 2 medium - sliced into thick rounds
- Yellow onion - 1 medium - finely chopped
- Garlic cloves - 4 cloves - minced
- Tomato paste - 1 tbsp
- Unsalted butter - 2 tbsp
- Fresh thyme - 6 sprigs
- Bay leaf - 1
- Fresh parsley - 1/4 cup - chopped
- Cornstarch - 1 tbsp
- Water - 1 tbsp
- Olive oil - 1 tbsp
- Kosher salt - 2 tsp
- Black pepper - 1 tsp
Preparation
-
Step 1 - 🍗🧂⏳Season the chicken thighs all over with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
-
Step 2 - 🥓🍳🔥Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the diced bacon for about 8 minutes until crisp and the fat is rendered. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
-
Step 3 - 🍗✨🍽️Pat the chicken dry again, then sear it skin-side down in the bacon fat in batches for 5 to 7 minutes per side until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate.
-
Step 4 - 🧅🍄🤎Add the pearl onions and cremini mushrooms to the pot. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned in spots, then transfer to a bowl.
-
Step 5 - 🥕🧄🫕Add the chopped yellow onion and sliced carrots to the pot with 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil if needed. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
-
Step 6 - 🍷🥄♨️Pour in the dry red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
-
Step 7 - 🥣🌿🍗Add the chicken stock, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and reserved bacon. Return the chicken to the pot skin-side up, along with any juices from the plate.
-
Step 8 - 🍲🔅🕒Bring everything to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
-
Step 9 - 🍄🧅⌛Return the pearl onions and mushrooms to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes more, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced slightly.
-
Step 10 - 🥣💧✨Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Remove the chicken briefly, stir the slurry into the sauce, and simmer for 2 minutes until glossy and lightly thickened.
-
Step 11 - 🍗🥄🧂Return the chicken to the pot and spoon the sauce over the top. Taste and add more salt and black pepper if needed.
-
Step 12 - 🌿🍽️😋Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot.
Additional
Coq au Vin is one of the most famous dishes in French home cooking, traditionally built on the magic of humble ingredients transformed through time and technique. For a more dramatic Bastille Day presentation, serve it in a white serving dish with extra parsley and thyme on top, alongside pommes purée and a simple green salad. If you want to lean even more festive, pair it with a French red wine and finish the meal with berries and whipped cream in blue, white, and red tones.