Mary Berry Coq Au Vin Pie Recipe

This Mary Berry Coq Au Vin Pie is a rich and warming recipe, which uses tender chicken thighs and full-bodied red wine. It’s a comforting family dinner, ready in about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

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Mary Berry Coq Au Vin Pie Ingredients

For the Filling

• 8 chicken thighs, skinned and boned (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 150g (5oz) smoked bacon lardons (or chopped streaky bacon)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 225g (8oz) button mushrooms, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 30g (1oz) plain flour
• 300ml (½ pint) red wine
• 150ml (¼ pint) chicken stock
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp dried thyme (or a fresh sprig)
• 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly (optional, for sweetness)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Pastry

• 1 x 320g (11oz) sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten (for glazing)

How To Make Mary Berry Coq Au Vin Pie

1. Brown the meat: Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan or casserole dish. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Fry them quickly over high heat until browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Crisp the bacon: Add the bacon lardons to the same pan and fry until crisp. Add the onion and cook gently for a few minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic, cooking for another 2 minutes.
3. Thicken the base: Sprinkle the flour over the onion and mushroom mixture. Stir well and cook for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
4. Make the sauce: Gradually pour in the red wine and chicken stock, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add the tomato purée, thyme, and redcurrant jelly. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened.
5. Simmer the filling: Return the chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer gently for about 20–30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce is rich and thick.
6. Cool the filling: Transfer the chicken mixture to a 1.2-liter (2-pint) pie dish. It is absolutely crucial to let the filling cool completely (or at least until lukewarm) before adding the pastry. If the filling is hot, the pastry will melt and become soggy.
7. Top with pastry: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas 6). Unroll the puff pastry sheet. Cut a thin strip of pastry from the edge and press it onto the rim of the pie dish (dampen the rim with water first). Brush the strip with beaten egg. Lift the main pastry sheet over the pie dish, pressing down on the rim to seal.
8. Glaze and bake: Trim off any excess pastry and crimp the edges. Cut a small slit in the center for steam to escape. Brush the top generously with the beaten egg. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is well-risen and deep golden brown.

Recipe Tips

• Chicken choice: Mary Berry recommends chicken thighs for this pie because they remain succulent during the double-cooking process (simmering then baking). Breast meat tends to dry out.
• The cooling step: Never put puff pastry on top of a steaming hot filling. The steam will make the underside of the pastry slimy and prevent it from rising into flaky layers.
• Wine selection: Use a red wine that you would enjoy drinking (like a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon). The flavor concentrates as it cooks, so a bad wine will ruin the pie.
• Thick sauce: The sauce needs to be quite thick before it goes into the pie dish. If it looks runny after simmering, mix a teaspoon of cornflour with cold water, stir it in, and boil for another minute.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Coq Au Vin Pie

This rich pie needs simple, fresh sides to balance the deep wine flavors.

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Perfect for soaking up the gravy.
• Steamed Green Beans: Adds a fresh crunch.
• Roasted Carrots: Compliments the sweetness of the redcurrant jelly.
• Petit Pois (Peas): A classic, colorful side.

How To Store Mary Berry Coq Au Vin Pie

• Refrigerate: Store the cooked pie in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Freeze (Unbaked): Assemble the pie with cold filling and raw pastry, wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months. Glaze and bake from frozen (add 20 minutes to cooking time).
• Reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or the whole pie in a 180°C oven for 20 minutes to re-crisp the pastry.

Mary Berry Coq Au Vin Pie Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 610kcal
• Protein: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Fat: 38g
• Saturates: 14g
• Sugar: 4g
• Salt: 1.6g

Nutrition information is estimated per slice (based on 6 servings).

FAQs

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