Coq Au Stout (a.k.a Stout Beer Chicken Stew)
If you have ever had or heard of coq au vin, then I think you know where I am going with this coq au stout recipe. Yes, I am taking the classic French dish coq au vin, replacing the red wine with a dark stout beer, and making coq au stout. The end result? A rich, delicious tasting stout beer chicken stew that did not disappoint at all. And, of course, an Alberta Craft Beer stout was used in this recipe. So, if it is snowing and cold in your neck of the woods, grab a stout and enjoy this coq au stout to warm you up! (Also, a good choice on a nonchilly day, just saying…)
The Brewery
Tool Shed Brewing is located in Calgary, Alberta and was created by two good home brewing friends, Jeff and Graham, that took their hobby of home-brewing to the next level. They have four staple beers – Red Rage, Star Cheek, People Skills, and the Flat Cap Stout used in the Coq Au Stout. Additionally, they have some seasonals and occasional special releases. Find out more on their website, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
The Beer
Okay, this beer. It’s a staple in our house, especially in the winter. It’s a great stout for drinking and cooking alike. It pours a dark clear brown, leaving a thin foamy line of beige head. It smells of dark chocolate, cocoa powder, some caramel maltiness, a hint of black licorice, and some floral earthy hops. The taste is similar, big in the dry dark chocolate, hints of licorice, earthy floral hoppy bitterness, and the sweetness of caramel roasty malts. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied, mild carbonation, and dry finish (that’s that dark cocoa powder/dark chocolate!) Overall, this is solid stout, very sessionable, and perfect for Coq Au Stout!
The Recipe
Coq Au Stout (a.k.a. Stout Beer Chicken Stew)
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts cut in half
- 30 g pancetta chopped into small chunks
- ~ 1 Tbsp. flour, and a pinch each of salt, and pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 carrot, large, peeled and diced
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can, 355 mL Stout beer
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp. flour
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees Celsius
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Evenly sprinkle the flour, salt and pepper over the chicken and set aside
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On low-to-medium heat, cook the pancetta until the fat has rendered and the pork is slightly crispy. Remove from pan and add to an oven safe dish (Dutch oven like)
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Place the chicken in the skillet pan and cook on low-to-medium heat, flipping to cook each side, until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the oven safe dish with the pancetta.
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Add about 1/4 cup of the chicken broth to the skillet pan and scrape up any tasty bit from the bottom of the pan. Add in the chopped mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaf, and cook on medium heat until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaf to the oven safe dish.
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Add remaining chicken to the skillet pan. Add in the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic to the pan and cook until slightly softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add vegetables to the oven safe dish.
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Add the stout beer to the pan. Raise the heat to medium-to-high heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add in the tomato paste, flour, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk sauce while cooking on medium heat until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add sauce to everything else in the oven safe dish and give all of the ingredients a good stir to combine.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with boiled new potatoes, pasta, or rice, and your favourite vegetable or side salad. Pairs nicely with a stout, porter, or even a spiced winter ale.
