Coq au Vin Bourguignon

Name: Coq au Vin Bourguignon
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, or 6-8 bone-in, skin-on thighs and legs; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2-3 tablespoons neutral oil or butter; 1 bottle Burgundy-style dry red wine (Pinot Noir), 750 ml; 1-1.5 cups chicken stock; 3 tablespoons Cognac or brandy (optional but classic); 1 onion, sliced; 3 carrots, sliced into rounds; 3 garlic cloves, smashed; 5 sprigs fresh thyme plus 2 bay leaves (or bouquet garni); 6-8 oz smoked bacon or lardons, diced; 8-12 oz mushrooms, quartered (button or cremini); 1 cup pearl onions or small shallots, peeled; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons butter (soft, for beurre manié)

Servings: 4

Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, or 6-8 bone-in, skin-on thighs and legs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons neutral oil or butter
1 bottle Burgundy-style dry red wine (Pinot Noir), 750 ml
1-1.5 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons Cognac or brandy (optional but classic)
1 onion, sliced
3 carrots, sliced into rounds
3 garlic cloves, smashed
5 sprigs fresh thyme plus 2 bay leaves (or bouquet garni)
6-8 oz smoked bacon or lardons, diced
8-12 oz mushrooms, quartered (button or cremini)
1 cup pearl onions or small shallots, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter (soft, for beurre manié)

Instructions

Optional: Marinate chicken in red wine with sliced onion, carrots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves overnight or at least 4 hours in refrigerator, turning once or twice.
Remove chicken from marinade and pat very dry. Season well with salt and pepper. Strain and reserve the wine; keep vegetables and herbs separate.
In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon until lightly golden, then remove and reserve. In the bacon fat, brown chicken pieces on all sides in batches; remove and reserve.
In the same pot, sauté the reserved marinade vegetables (onion, carrots, garlic, herbs) for about 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
Return chicken and bacon to the pot. Sprinkle flour over, toss to coat, and cook 1-2 minutes. Deglaze with reserved wine and Cognac, scraping the bottom.
Add stock and bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to a 325-350°F (160-175°C) oven for about 1.5 hours, until chicken is very tender.
While chicken braises, sauté mushrooms in a little butter or oil until well browned; season lightly. In another pan, brown pearl onions or shallots until golden and just tender.
When chicken is done, gently remove pieces and keep warm. If needed, boil the sauce a few minutes to reduce slightly.
Mix soft butter and flour to a smooth paste (beurre manié). Whisk it into the simmering sauce until thickened and glossy. Adjust salt and pepper.
Stir mushrooms, pearl onions, and bacon into the sauce. Return chicken and warm through. Serve with potatoes or buttered noodles and optional parsley.