Coq au Vin

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Step 2

Pat dry the chicken pieces with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Step 3

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, over medium-high heat. Add the lardons or bacon and cook until golden, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the lardons with a slotted spoon and reserve, leaving the drippings in the pot.

Step 4

Add more oil if needed, then add the chicken, without overcrowding the pot. Depending on the size of your pot, you might need to work in batches. Brown the chicken on all sides until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the chicken to the plate with the lardons and reserve.

Step 5

If the chicken has rendered a lot of fat, drain or wipe off the excess (being careful not to disturb the browned bits from the bottom of the pot), leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.

Step 6

Lower heat to medium, then add the chopped onion and carrots. Cook until the onions have softened, about 3 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and cook for a minute to release its aroma.

Step 7

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about a minute, then add the flour and cook for another minute, to get rid of the raw flour taste.

Step 8

Pour in the red wine and add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 10 minutes, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface.

Step 9

Add the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Once boiling, add back the chicken pieces, lardons and any juices that have collected on the plate.

Step 10

Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is very tender.

Step 11

Once there's about 15 minutes left for the chicken to be ready, prepare the pearl onions and mushrooms. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a sauté pan or skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the pearl onions and a pinch of salt, and cook until nicely browned, about 5-8 minutes. Remove to a plate and reserve.

Step 12

Add another tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons butter, then sauté the mushrooms until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove and reserve with the pearl onions.

Step 13

Once the stew has finished cooking, carefully remove the chicken pieces to a plate or serving vessel, tenting with foil to keep them warm. Also, remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Step 14

Optional: Make beurre manié by mixing one tablespoon of softened butter with one tablespoon of flour.

Step 15

Return the pot to the stove, over medium-high heat, and - if using - add the beurre manié to thicken the sauce. If the sauce is not thick enough to your liking, make more beurre manié. If too thick, you can thin it out with more chicken stock or wine.

Step 16

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning. Then, add 1/4 cup parsley, reserving the rest to garnish the dish.

Step 17

Stir in the reserved pearl onions and mushrooms.

Step 18

If serving in the pot, return chicken to the pot, garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve. If serving on a serving vessel, pour the sauce over the chicken, then garnish with parsley and serve.