A French classic!
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4 chicken thighs and 4 chicken legs (skin on)
1 and 1/2 cups red wine (Burgundy or pinot noir is good.) 2 cups chicken stock - divided 1/4 cup brandy - optional 6 - 8 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 onion, sliced fairly thin 4 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 stalks celery, sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped 1 and 1/4 cups mushrooms, sliced salt and pepper to taste |
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- Marinate chicken in wine, 1 cup of the chicken stock, and brandy (if using). Cover with plastic wrap and let sit.
- Fry the bacon until crispy over medium heat in an oven-proof skillet or pot. Remove bacon, but leave the grease!
- Take each piece of chicken (one at a time) out of the wine marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Save the marinade - you will use it later!!
- Reheat the pot with the bacon grease to medium-high. Place chicken pieces - skin side down (3 or 4 at a time) in the pot. Brown both sides of chicken (4 - 5 minutes per side) until golden. Remove from pan; drain all but 2 tablespoons of the grease into a small bowl.
- Sauté onions, celery, and carrots in the remaining bacon grease for about 5 minutes, adding a bit more oil, if needed.
- Add garlic and stir for a minute more. Sprinkle flour on top and stir to combine for about a minute. Add tomato paste and stir all for another minute or so.
- Gradually stir in the saved wine marinade and the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot for bits of flour and tomato paste. Bring all to a boil, then return the chicken pieces to the pot.
- Season with salt, pepper, and thyme, then turn heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes - covered.
- After 20 minutes, add mushrooms to the pot and simmer 10 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle with the cooked bacon and some fresh thyme.
