Coq au Vin
Bone-in chicken braised for over an hour in red wine with bacon lardons, then finished with separately browned pearl onions and mushrooms. The sauce reduces to a glossy, wine-dark gravy.
- 1
Heat the oven to 325°F. Cook the lardons in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until browned and the fat has rendered, then lift them out with a slotted spoon.
- 2
Pat the chicken dry and season it with the salt and pepper. Brown it in the bacon fat over medium-high heat, skin side down first, about 5 minutes per side, working in batches. Set the pieces aside.
- 3
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over and stir for 2 minutes, until it smells toasty.
- 4
Pull the pot off the heat, add the brandy, and scrape up the browned bits. Return it to the heat, pour in the wine and stock, whisk in the tomato paste, and bring to a simmer.
- 5
Return the chicken and lardons to the pot with the thyme and bay leaves; the liquid should nearly cover the chicken. Cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- 6
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the pearl onions all over, about 8 minutes, then add the water, cover, and cook 10 minutes until tender. Set aside.
- 7
Add the remaining butter to the same skillet, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook the mushrooms without stirring for about 6 minutes, until deeply browned.
- 8
Lift the chicken out of the pot; it should be tender and register at least 165°F. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- 9
Simmer the sauce on the stovetop over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until it lightly coats a spoon. Return the chicken, pearl onions, and mushrooms and warm through.
- 10
Scatter the parsley over and serve.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch lardons
- 3 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 10 ounces pearl onions, peeled
- 1/4 cup water
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 325°F. Cook the lardons in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until browned and the fat has rendered, then lift them out with a slotted spoon.
- 2
Pat the chicken dry and season it with the salt and pepper. Brown it in the bacon fat over medium-high heat, skin side down first, about 5 minutes per side, working in batches. Set the pieces aside.
- 3
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over and stir for 2 minutes, until it smells toasty.
- 4
Pull the pot off the heat, add the brandy, and scrape up the browned bits. Return it to the heat, pour in the wine and stock, whisk in the tomato paste, and bring to a simmer.
- 5
Return the chicken and lardons to the pot with the thyme and bay leaves; the liquid should nearly cover the chicken. Cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- 6
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the pearl onions all over, about 8 minutes, then add the water, cover, and cook 10 minutes until tender. Set aside.
- 7
Add the remaining butter to the same skillet, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook the mushrooms without stirring for about 6 minutes, until deeply browned.
- 8
Lift the chicken out of the pot; it should be tender and register at least 165°F. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- 9
Simmer the sauce on the stovetop over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until it lightly coats a spoon. Return the chicken, pearl onions, and mushrooms and warm through.
- 10
Scatter the parsley over and serve.