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bone-in chicken thighs in a dark red-wine sauce with halved mushrooms, pearl onions, carrot rounds and small cooked bacon pieces in a plain braising pot
Melissa Hart

Coq au Vin-Style Chicken Thighs

Brown the mushrooms separately and return them near the end so they still have some shape after the chicken has softened in the wine. The bacon supplies a little smoky fat for browning, while a modest spoonful of flour gives the sauce body without turning it into gravy. Keep the braise at a quiet simmer. The thighs should become tender enough to pull from the bone with a fork, but they don't need to fall apart in the pot before you can lift them onto a plate.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs about 3 lbs total
  • 3 oz thick-cut bacon diced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms halved
  • 1 cup frozen pearl onions thawed and patted dry
  • 2 carrots peeled and cut into thick rounds
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
  • 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Cook bacon in a wide heavy pot over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until browned. Transfer to a bowl and cook mushrooms in the drippings for 5 minutes; add them to the bacon bowl.
  2. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown in two batches in the same pot, skin-side down for 6 minutes and on the second side for 2 minutes; transfer to a plate and leave about 1 tablespoon fat in the pot.
  3. Cook pearl onions and carrots for 4 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds, then stir in flour for 1 minute. Pour in wine and broth gradually, scraping up browned bits, and add thyme and bay leaf.
  4. Return chicken skin-side up with its juices, bring to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook over low heat for 30 to 35 minutes until tender and the thickest meat reaches 175 to 185°F.
  5. Return bacon and mushrooms and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove thyme stems and bay leaf, then lift the chicken to a platter and spoon the wine sauce and vegetables around it.