What to Serve with Coq Au Vin? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Coq Au Vin stands as a classic, charming the socks off dinner tables for decades. It’s a French dish that screams sophistication without breaking a sweat. Yet, even the best of us find ourselves scratching our heads over what to serve on the side.

We’ve got your back, navigating this with ease and a sprinkle of fun. Here’s the thing. An epic side dish transforms a meal from good to unforgettable. Remember the last time a side dish made you go, “Wow”? We aim for that reaction.

We’ve been down this road. Picking sides for Coq Au Vin isn’t a stroll in the park. But hey, we made mistakes so you won’t have to. Ready for sides that not only complement but elevate?

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Coq Au Vin?

It’s a question that comes to everyone’s mind when thinking about serving coq au vin because it can be a dish on its own.

But when it comes to meat dishes, you require extra items for various reasons.

First of all, meat dishes are rich, and they can make you feel overloaded pretty fast.

But add a few dishes, and your palate will feel refreshed immediately.

Secondly, chicken is healthier than red meat, but it can still cause harm if you eat significant portions at a time.

If you have side dishes, you can satisfy your hunger and enjoy the chicken, but you don’t have to worry about it harming you.

And yes, if you serve coq au vin on a special occasion, it’s only reasonable to serve side dishes, or your guests are going home hungry.

What to Serve with Coq Au Vin? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Now, look at the following dishes you can serve with coq au vin.

1 – French Onion Rice Pilaf

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If you’re a fan of French onion soup, then you’ll surely love this rice pilaf.

Why? Because it has the soup’s seasoning, which makes the rice pilaf more flavorful.

As mentioned earlier, coq au vin pairs very well with food that has starch so that it will combine nicely with the rice pilaf.

Rice is a filling dish, so nobody will leave the party hungry when they eat the two dishes.

Long-grain white rice is the preferred choice for making rice pilaf.

But you can make the dish with other rice varieties too.

Brown rice is slightly healthier, but it’s chewy and takes a while to cook.

2 – Garlic Roasted Mushrooms

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Though mushrooms have a meaty flavor and texture, they’re light and don’t overwhelm you.

Hence, they make right sides with meat dishes like coq au vin.

Garlic-roasted mushrooms are a delicious dish that can add lightness to your meal and balance the flavors nicely.

You will feel full but not overloaded when you eat coq au vin and mushrooms.

You can make the dish with button or baby Bella (cremini or crimini) mushroom, as it has a denser texture and meatier flavor.

Other ingredients include garlic, butter, lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper.

3 – Honey Butter Glazed Carrots

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Glazed carrots are a great choice to add to a sweet-flavored veggie dish alongside coq au vin.

The veggies complement the richness of the chicken dish and tone it down a notch.

Carrots naturally have a sweet flavor; when you add honey and butter, they become creamier and even sweeter.

Though a savory dish, it can be like a dessert because of its sweetness.

Hence, it will be delightful to eat the carrots with the coq au vin.

A dish tastes the best when you cook it with fresh veggies.

Besides, fresh carrots are sweeter than older ones, so make the dish with freshly-harvested or freshly bought carrots to obtain maximum flavor.

4 – Lemony Lentil Salad

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Being a rich and hearty food, coq au vin can make you full pretty fast and even make you overwhelmed.

You can wash away that feeling with a fresh addition like a lentil salad.

It’s crunchy and fresh and complements the yummy chicken.

You can use green, brown, or green lentils, whether canned or dry.

If you use dry lentils soaked, then it’s delicious raw also.

But you can cook it down if you don’t want to use the raw version.

Either is delicious. Adding feta and lemon juice gives the salad a tangy taste, making it fresher.

Combined with onion, bell pepper, and cucumber, it will make an excellent accompaniment with coq au vin.

5 – Crispy Brussels Sprouts

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Besides fresh salads, roasted and smoky flavored dishes combine perfectly with coq au vin.

You can add crispy Brussels sprouts to your menu to serve with the chicken.

Roasted crispy Brussels sprouts are so delicious that you might think it has many ingredients.

However, it’s a wrong notion because it’s precisely the opposite.

You don’t have to add many items to make Brussels sprouts delicious.

Brussels sprouts past their prime can taste nasty.

It’s, therefore, necessary to pick fresh veggies for the dish.

Choose compact sprouts with tight leaves.

You should also check between the stalk and sprouts for mold and moistness.

6 – Farro Salad with Roasted Veggies

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It’s not a frequently served dish, but farro salad is also an excellent dish to enjoy with coq au vin.

When you combine roasted veggies, you’ll have a warm, delightful dish that can fill your belly and please your senses.

Farro is an ancient grain with a nutty flavor and a chewy texture.

You can eat it raw or cooked, and it’s a versatile grain, so that you can make many dishes with it.

Along with farro, you can add veggies such as carrots, red onion, parsnips, and beets.

If you like to experiment, you can include dried fruits and herbs for added freshness.

7 – Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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Your menu will never go wrong with the humble spuds.

Mashed potatoes are famous, versatile, delicious, and filling.

They also taste great with coq au vin.

Mashed potatoes are a crowd-pleaser, so everyone will love the combo when you serve it with the chicken dish.

Your guests will enjoy the food and go home feeling full.

Typical mashed potatoes contain milk, butter salt along with the potatoes.

You can enhance its flavors by adding sesame seeds, white pepper, and garlic.

8 – Crusty French Bread

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Bread can also make a fine combo with coq au vin.

You have many choices for bread, but crusty bread, like baguette, is the perfect variety.

You can dip your bread in the chicken gravy, enjoy the lovely flavors, and make your belly full.

Fresh French bread is the best choice to enhance your meal.

So, you can make the bread at home.

However, if you don’t have much time or if you can’t make the bread at home, you can get freshly-baked bread from the store.

9 – Apple Carrot Slaw

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Coleslaw is one of the most popular side dishes at any event.

It suits most dishes, and it balances the meals.

But for this occasion, you can twist the recipe by making apple and carrot slaw.

It tastes fresh and tasty, and it goes well with coq au vin.

But instead of mayo-based dressing, you can use a vinaigrette dressing to give it a slightly tangy flavor.

Apple carrot slaw tastes just as delicious as traditional coleslaw, so you don’t have to worry about it not being a hit dish.

Your guests will have a lovely time with both dishes.

10 – Egg Noodles

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We will complete the list with egg noodles.

The dish is simple, but it tastes lovely with coq au vin.

It’s also easy to make noodles. To obtain maximum flavors, you can keep it simple.

If you have time and have made noodles before, you can make a fresh batch at home and use these to make the dish.

But ready-made pasta tastes good, too, so you can grab a few packets from the store.

You can make the dish with egg noodles, butter, salt, and pepper.

Conclusion

With at least ten dishes to serve alongside coq au vin, it will be fun whenever you have a party.

You can pick and choose and serve several or only a few items depending on how many people you invite.

All the dishes taste lovely with the chicken dish so that you can choose any items.

But eating the same dish frequently can make you feel bored.

So, choose different items each time to keep your meal exciting.