Step 1

Dry the chicken with paper towels or a washable kitchen cloth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.  Preheat the oven to 350F.

Step 2

Cook the chopped pancetta or bacon over medium heat, until brown and starting to crisp. Remove bacon, drain any excess grease.

Step 3

In a large dutch oven, brown the chicken in a single layer, in a tablespoon of the bacon fat, over medium-high heat, until the skins are golden brown and crispy about 5-8 minutes per side. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon or tongs, from the pot and set aside. Drain and save the oil, leaving just enough to cook the mushrooms.

Step 4

Saute the mushrooms over medium heat, and stir until lightly softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Saute onions over medium heat, adding more of the drained oil if needed, until tender and roasty and starting to brown 5-8 minutes, remove and set aside with the mushrooms. The pan may start to get crusty with stuck little bits but these will all add flavor and lift off as the liquid gets added.

Step 5

Add garlic and saute for a minute. Now add 1/2 of the bacon and all of the chicken pieces back in the pot along with the red wine, cognac, chicken broth, tomato paste, dijon, balsamic vinegar, fresh and dried thyme, bay leaves, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 350F degrees. The stew should be bubbly and carrots tender.

Step 6

In a bowl mix together softened butter and flour until a smooth paste is formed. Remove the stew from the oven and set the pot on a burner to simmer. Add mushrooms and onions. Push the chicken and veggies to one side and use a whisk to incorporate the flour mixture into the stock then stir around the chicken redistributing the ingredients evenly in the pan. Simmer on low heat, for 8- 10 minutes until thickened and luscious. Garnish with the remaining bacon and fresh parsley.