And like clockwork, we’re just a week away from Thanksgiving and I am really leaning into easy, cozy, crockpot dinners. With the holiday season kicking into full gear this week, things feel busier than ever. I’m sure we can all relate. I think it’s important to remember that even though we have the big holiday dinner around the corner, we still have to eat on the days leading up to Thanksgiving too! Personally, I LOVE this time just before Thanksgiving. Usually, my family is all slowly trickling in to stay for the extra long weekend. I’m cooking like crazy, and yet it’s all somehow a relaxing, comforting, and exciting time. Busy, but it’s always so nice to cook for the whole family again, it’s fun! When everyone is here, I love to create dinners with certain brothers or cousins in mind. Last year around this time, I finally made white chicken chili for my cousin Abby. And the year before that, spicy butter chicken for my brother Creighton. And this year, I turned to my brother Brendan for some inspiration. I first made coq au vin way, way back in 2014. He loved this more traditional dish and said it was SO DELICIOUS. It’s a classic french dish consisting of chicken braised in red wine with vegetables. I wanted to turn it into a meatball dish that could easily be cooked in the crockpot. It took a few rounds of testing, but I finally got the recipe just right!
Details
Mix up the meatballs first. Ground chicken with parmesan, sage, thyme, onion, garlic, and chili flakes. Then roll the mix into balls and add them to the crockpot. If you don’t love the idea of doing this in the crockpot, you can use the instant pot or stove top variations I give. From here, pretty much everything goes into the crockpot all at once. Add the red wine, broth, and tomato paste. Then lots of carrots (my favorite addition) and mushrooms. Then a whole onion, a head of garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover and slow cook. Since these are meatballs, they can cook quickly on high for a couple of hours or cook them low and slow all day. Either is great and the meatballs are never dry. The wine will add moisture to them. BUT, here’s what I will say about this recipe, the wine does turn the meatballs a funny color. It’s not the prettiest. However, the drizzle of garlic butter and a sprinkling of fresh parsley just before serving will fix them right up. They end up looking delish. Just be aware, you will have purple-ish colored meatballs. When the meatballs are cooked, pull them out along with the garlic, then set them aside on a baking sheet. Add butter and garlic around the meatballs then place the sheet pan under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp them up. What happens is that the butter browns around the meatballs and garlic. I then chop up the garlic and toss them back onto the pan with butter. Then toss the meatballs with the garlicky butter to finish. This step is optional, but I think it really adds flavor and a nice color to the dish. My favorite way to serve these meatballs is over mashed potatoes. Spooning the sauce over the creamy mashed potatoes and topping with the meatballs leaves you with a cozy dinner that’s effortless to make. And one that everyone really loves! My only other suggestion is to add a side of crusty bread for dipping. I already know it’s going to be a go-to recipe this winter. Looking for other slow cooker meals? Here are a few ideas: Creamy White Bean Noodle Soup with Rosemary Bacon. Mustard Herb Chicken and Creamy Orzo Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Jalapeño Ranch Slow Cooker Saucy Sunday Bolognese Pasta Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf Crockpot Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bolognese Lastly, if you make this Crockpot Coq au Vin Meatballs, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
