This coq au vin recipe makes you feel like you ‘re dining at a french bistro. It’s satisfying, earthy and delicious. I skipped the bacon, cognac/brandy and onions.
Ingredients
Olive oil
4 ounces bacon or pancetta, diced
4 or 5 boneless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1″ pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cognac or brandy (optional)
1/2 bottle of dry red wine
1 cup chicken stock, homemade if available
10 sprigs of fresh thyme or 3 1/3 tsp dried thyme
1/2 pounds frozen small whole onions
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced
2 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250° F
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven.
If using bacon, cook 8 – 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove and place on a plate.
Lay the chicken on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both side. Brown in batches, until done. Set aside.
Add carrots, onions, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every so often, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cognac, bacon, chicken and any juices, wine, chicken stock and thyme and bring to a simmer. Stir to remove bits from the bottom. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the over for 30 – 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven.
Mash 1 tbsp of the butter and all the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp of butter and cook the mushrooms until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.
Adapted from Ina Garten’s Coq au Vin recipe