There can never be enough ways to serve chicken. In this French classic, chicken, bacon, vegetables and wine team together as a winning combination. Coq Au Vin translates simply to chicken in wine.
1 Chicken cut in pieces
3 Bacon slices, julienned
1 Onion, sliced
4 Carrots, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, smashed
1 C Bella Mushrooms
1 Tbsp Tomato paste
2 Tbsp Butter, separated
1 Tbsp Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
2 C Burgundy Wine
1 C Stock
1/4 C Cognac
Salt + Pepper to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
Fresh Copped Parsley Julienne three slices of bacon In a sauce pot, boil the bacon for 10 minutes (it renders some of the fat) Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon.
In a dutch oven, brown the bacon. Once browned, removed with a slotted spoon and set aside.Once browned, remove and set aside. Brown the seasoned chicken pieces in the bacon fat for about ten minutes. Make sure to brown both sides.
In the same dutch oven, sauté a sliced onion and carrots until the onions are light brown. Add two cloves of smashed garlic and brown, careful not to burn. Add 1 tbsp. of butter and sauté sliced Bella mushrooms.
Add two cups of Burgundy wine, a fourth cup of Brandy (or cognac if you have it) and one cup of stock (I used beef, but chicken is fine) to deglaze the pan. Stir in one tablespoon of tomato paste, one tablespoon of thyme and a good ole bay leaf. Add in the chicken and bacon back into the pan with the veggies.
Bring to boil and reduce to a simmer. Place an air tight lid on. Simmer on medium heat for forty minutes. With a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of flour, make a paste by mashing together with a spoon.
After forty minutes of simmering, stir in the paste and simmer for an additional ten minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot.
*I only used two tablespoon of butter in the entire recipe. No other oil is really needed. I seasoned each addition while mindful of sodium, but season to taste. This was served with mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans as accompaniments.
*In regards to the bacon, it adds an unbelievable layer of flavor. However, if you are allergic or not into pork, omit it. Hope you like it!