- ½ lb. bacon, chopped
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 thighs
- 2 legs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped (or a box of frozen pearl onions)
- 2 cups button mushrooms, or your favorite wild mushroom (a combination would be nice)
- 3 carrots, cut in 2-inch pieces
- 1 bottle of good Burgundy wine (if you wouldn’t drink it-don't use it)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
The French have expertly created the most delicious stews such as Beef Bourguignon, Bouillabaisse (a seafood stew), and the Cassoulet (a bean stew). This chicken stew will leave your family and guests wanting more! Each region in France uses a different wine; some prefer white to red. It is a personal preference. Experiment and see which you like best!
The legend for this French recipe for chicken stew, has it that Julius Caesar’s cook created the first Coq au Vin recipe, after the Gauls gave Caesar a tough old rooster as tribute for his conquering of them, and the cook made the best of the meal to serve back to the Gauls. However, it is more likely that Coq au Vin evolved as a local recipe in France.
Serves 4
Here are a couple of tips to help you:
- Frozen pearl onions are less expensive than fresh and you don’t have to blanch them to get the skin off-saves money and time.
- Cut your bacon when it’s still very cold.
In a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp.
Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Coat chicken pieces in flour, salt and pepper. Brown chicken in bacon fat on both sides. Remember not to touch or move the chicken until it has browned.
Add garlic, onions, mushrooms and carrots. Sauté 2 minutes to soften.
Return the chicken pan and stir in the wine and broth. When the wine is well blended, add the herbs. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
While chicken is cooking, mix together butter and flour. Be sure to incorporate these very well before putting into the pan. You don’t want to have lumps of flour in your pot. You can also substitute by using equal parts of water and flour, but the butter adds a lot of flavor!
Remove cover, stir in butter/flour mixture. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken a bit.
Serve on a bed of egg noodles or mashed potatoes; top with the chicken and vegetables and complete your dish with the reserved crumbled bacon and fresh parsley. All that’s left is to enjoy!