Sure you can buy air-chilled chicken. But this DIY tip gives any tip of poultry the air-chilled treatment for crisp, golden skin.
Generally, I think it’s worth paying a bit extra for air-chilled chicken because it tastes more robust, and the skin browns better than standard water-chilled chicken.
But with grocery prices as high as they are these days, we’re all looking to save where we can at the check-out.
That’s OK, because with a bit of planning and, really, no extra effort, you can get a similar result at home with any kind of bird.
Technique: Dry Pan Sautéed Mushrooms >>
I recently tried this with regular ole skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs for coq au vin. The day before cooking, I removed the chicken from its packaging, patted it well with paper towels, and arranged it on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Then I popped it in the fridge, uncovered, and let it sit.
That’s it.
When I was ready to brown the chicken, I dusted it with salt and pepper and set it skin-side-down in the hot fat in the pan. The result: gorgeously browned, crisp skin.
What’s going on here? The relatively dry air of the refrigerator is allowing the excess moisture in the chicken, especially in the skin, to evaporate. When that skln hits the hot fat, it immediately starts to brown. It’s also a smart technique when roasting a whole bird. (I even use this technique for fish with lovely results.)
Why You Need More Than One Kitchen Thermometer + a Kitchen Scale >>
And if you buy air-chilled chicken? Do this anyway, for even better results.
Give this DIY trick a try this coq au vin.
(Air-Chilled Chicken) Coq au Vin Recipe FAQs
Can I use different cuts of chicken?
I’m calling for chicken thighs because, well, they’re my favorite. But you can use a combo of skin-on, bone-in thighs drumsticks, and chicken breast halves.
Can I use something in place of onions?
You can substitute two chopped leeks for the onion.
What do I serve this with?
Serve the coq au vin with crusty bread to sop up allllllll the delicious gravy.
How long will leftovers keep?
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze them up to 2 months.
(Air-Chilled Chicken) Coq au Vin
Equipment
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 Dutch oven (or saute pan)
- 1 kitchen thermometer
Ingredients
- 6 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 pound button mushrooms
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot large
- 1 russet potato large
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 slices bacon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups red wine (such as pinot noir)
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- 4 thyme sprigs
- Flat-leaf parsley chopped (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- The day before preparing the recipe, remove the chicken from its packaging. Arrange it on a paper-towel lined plate or small sheet pan and pat it dry with paper towels. Refrigerate, uncovered.
- Clean and quarter or thickly slice the mushrooms. Chop the onion and carrots. Peel the potato and cut it into ½-inch cubes. Mince the garlic. Coarsely chop the bacon.
- Place the bacon in a large Dutch oven or sauté pan over medium heat. Cook 6-8 minutes or until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Add, skin side down, to the drippings in the pan, and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding.) Transfer the chicken to the plate with the bacon, leaving any drippings behind in the pan.
- Add the mushrooms, onion, carrots, and potato to the pan. Sauté 5-7 minutes or until the mushrooms have released most of their liquid. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the flour, and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
- Add the wine, and cook 5-7 minutes or until reduced by half, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Pour in the chicken stock. Nestle the chicken and thyme sprigs in the pan, cover. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 20 minutes or until the chicken is done (measures 165°F on an instant-read thermometer).
- Uncover the pan, increase heat to medium-high and cook 1 minute or until gravy is thickened. Remove the thyme sprigs. Stir in the bacon. Taste, and add more salt and/or pepper, as needed. Divide among 6 shallow bowls. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.