Michelin Coq au Vin at Home

This is Coq au Vin cooked using Michelin-star technique and served to Pierre Koffmann.
In this video, a Michelin-trained chef breaks down how to make restaurant-quality Coq au Vin at home, inspired by the methods of legendary three-Michelin-star chef Pierre Koffmann. Rather than blindly following tradition, we focus on why each step matters — from brining the chicken instead of marinating it in wine, to building flavour through proper caramelisation and controlled reduction.

You’ll learn how chefs actually cook Coq au Vin:
• Why brining creates juicier chicken than wine marinades
• How to brown chicken properly without burning the sauce
• Why garnishes are cooked separately in Michelin kitchens
• How to balance red wine, stock, and aromatics for a refined sauce
• A classic French finishing technique using chicken liver for richness
This is not a shortcut recipe. It’s a technique-led Coq au Vin, showing how a traditional French dish becomes something worthy of a Michelin kitchen — while still being achievable at home.
If you’re searching for:
• A classic Coq au Vin recipe
• Michelin chef techniques
• How to cook Coq au Vin properly
• French chicken recipes done right
This is the version to learn from.

INGREDIENTS
1 Chicken
1L Water
Bay Leaf
Peppercorns
Thyme
50g Salt
1 Carrot
2 Shallots
30g Plain Flour
125ml Cognac
600ml Red Wine
300ml Reduced Chicken Stock
300ml Beef stock
Bouquet Garni (Piece of the dark green end of the leek, bay leaf, thyme)
150g Smoked Lardons
250g Button mushrooms
15 Pearl onions
1 Chicken liver (optional)
Fresh Parsley

RECIPE
1. Mix the brine ingredients in a bowl to dissolve the salt.
2. Break the chicken down into pieces, place in the brine, cover and leave to marinate for 4 hours.
3. If using a whole chicken, cut the carcass into 3 – 4 pieces and roast on 180C until golden.
4. After 4 hours, remove the chicken from the brine and pat the chicken dry. Dust with flour.
5. In a wide based pan, add a dash of olive oil and on a medium heat, brown the skin of the chicken until golden. Turn the chicken over to briefly colour the exposed flesh. Remove from the pan and set aside.
6. If using unpeeled pearl onions, cut the roots off the pearl onions, blanch for 2 mins in simmering water and refresh in ice water. Pinch the end of each onion so they pop out.
7. Add the lardons to the same pan as the chicken and saute until golden. Set aside
8. Add the mushrooms and saute on a medium high heat until starting to colour.
9. Add the pearl onions in with the sauted muchrooms and continue to sautee for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside with the lardons
10. Next cut the shallot and peel & cut the carrot into big chunks
11. In the same pan, sauté the onions and carrots vegetables on the same medium heat and cook until just softened and starting to colour (about 5-7 minutes).
12. Turn the heat to medium high and add the cognac and either stir until the brandy has almost entirely evaporated or light the pan to flambee off the alcohol
13. Pour in the wine and allow to reduce by 2 thirds
14. While the wine is reducing, add the roasted carcass, garlic and bouqet garni
15. Add the chicken stock & beef stock, bring to a gently simmer and return the chicken to the pan, skin side up.
16. Cover with a cartouche and simmer for 20-30 mins or until the thickest part of the chicken thigh’s juices run clear
17. Remove the chicken and set aside and strain the sauce to remove the shallot, carrot, bouqet garni and roasted carcass.
18. Reduce the sauce until it starts to thicken slightly and taste balanced
19. Blitz through the chicken liver and pass the sauce through a sieve back into the pan
20. Return the chicken along with the mushrooms, lardons, pearl onions and fresh parsley to coat with the sauce. Warm through and serve!

VIDEO CHAPTERS
00:00 – Coq au Vin for Pierre Koffmann
00:58 – Making the Brine
01:08 – Breaking Down the Chicken
01:35 – Why We Brine the Chicken
02:13 – Preparing the Chicken Legs
02:48 – Roasting the Chicken Bones
03:01 – Brining the Chicken
03:03 – Rinsing & Drying the Chicken
03:16 – Dusting the Chicken with Flour
03:25 – Browning the Chicken
04:37 – Cooking the Garnish Separately
04:47 – Roasting Bacon, Mushrooms & Onions
06:12 – Removing the Chicken from the Pan
06:18 – Rendering the Bacon
06:41 – Using Fat to Build Flavour
07:12 – Preparing the Mirepoix
07:30 – Browning the Mushrooms
08:09 – Cooking Shallots & Carrots
08:17 – Making the Bouquet Garni
08:29 – Adding the Roasted Bones
08:38 – Adding Red Wine
09:11 – Adding Garlic & Seasoning
09:27 – Adding Stock
10:01 – Adding Cognac
10:37 – Reducing the Sauce
10:49 – Adding Bouquet Garni & Stock
11:05 – Returning the Chicken to the Pan
11:26 – Simmering the Coq au Vin
11:50 – Adding a Cartouche
12:06 – Checking the Chicken Is Cooked
12:21 – Reducing & Straining the Sauce
12:51 – Finishing with Chicken Liver
13:36 – Warming the Sauce
14:05 – Recombining Chicken & Sauce
14:16 – Adding the Garnish
14:25 – Final Dish & Tasting