Delicious stew of chicken, bacon, mushrooms, and red wine.
Prep Time40 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr20 minutesmins
Total Time2 hourshrs
Servings: 8servings
Calories: 626kcal
Author: Lucy Brewer
Ingredients
4slicesbacon, chopped into one inch pieces
1wholecut-up frying chicken
2tbspbutter
tspsalt
⅛tsppepper
cupcognac
3cupsyoung full-bodied red wine such as Burgundy, Cotes du Rhone or Chianti (I use a French Pinot Noir)
2cupschicken stock
1tbsptomato paste
2clovesmashed garlic
1tspdried thyme
1bay leaf
1pkgfrozen pearl onions, thawed
2pkgssliced baby portabella mushrooms
3tbspflour
2tbspsoftened butter
For the mushrooms, you'll need an additional 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil and a little salt and pepper.
For the onions, you'll need an additional 1 and ½ tbsp butter and 1 ½ tbsp oil and ½ cup brown chicken stock. Also, ¼ tsp thyme and salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large Dutch oven and add chopped bacon, frying until browned but not crisp. Remove bacon to a side dish.
Dry chicken with paper towel and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown chicken in the bacon grease. You may have to do this a few pieces at a time.
Return bacon to the pot, cover and cook on medium-low for about ten minutes. Turn off the heat and add cognac. Avert your face and ignite the cognac with a lighted match then shake the pot gently for a few minutes until the flames completely subside.
Pour wine into the pot and add just enough chicken stock to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and juices run clear.
Remove the chicken to a casserole dish. (The chicken will have absorbed the red wine and be a weird purplish color but the sauce is going to cover it, so it will be fine.)
Place a large skillet over high heat and melt the butter and oil. When the butter is hot, add the mushrooms. Stir gently every few minutes until lightly browned and tender, probably about ten minutes. Remove the mushrooms to a bowl so you can use the same skillet for the onions.
Onions: melt the butter and oil in skillet until hot. Add the onions and sauté over moderate heat for about ten minutes, stirring gently so the skins do not break. Brown as evenly as possible and then add the liquid, salt and pepper and thyme.
Cover and simmer slowly for about thirty minutes or until the onions are tender but retain their shape.
Simmer the chicken cooking liquid for a minute or two, skimming off the fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 ¼ cups. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf.
Blend the remaining 2 tbsp softened butter and 3 tbsp flour together into a smooth paste, then whisk into the sauce with a wire whisk.
Bring the sauce back to a simmer, stirring, and simmer for a minute or two. The sauce will thicken and should coat the back of a spoon.
Arrange the chicken in the casserole dish with the onions and mushrooms around it. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.