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one plain bowl of wide egg noodles topped with four separate chicken meatballs in deep reddish-brown wine gravy with chunky cremini mushroom quarters cut vertically into four thick wedge-shaped chunks per mushroom, small pearl onions and tiny cooked bacon pieces, with no thin mushroom slices, whole chicken pieces, cream sauce, thyme sprigs or garnish
Rachel Kim

Crockpot Coq au Vin Meatballs

Chicken meatballs take the place of whole chicken pieces in this red-wine dinner, with bacon, mushrooms and pearl onions carrying the sauce. Soak soft bread in milk and squeeze it into a paste before mixing it through the chicken. That panade keeps the meatballs tender without needing a ricotta or Parmesan filling. Reduce the wine briefly in the vegetable pan before the slow cook, then leave the cream out; the finished gravy should taste of browned mushrooms and wine rather than another dairy sauce. Wide egg noodles catch the small onion and bacon pieces, and each bowl should still show separate meatballs above the pasta.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken that includes dark meat
  • 2 oz soft white sandwich bread crusts removed and torn into small pieces
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt for meatballs
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme divided
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp neutral oil for sheet pan
  • 4 slices bacon cut into small pieces
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms quartered
  • 1 cup frozen pearl onions thawed
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water for slurry
  • 12 oz dry wide egg noodles
  • 2 tsp fine salt for noodle water
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and oil a rimmed sheet. Soak bread in milk for 5 minutes and mash into a paste, then gently mix with chicken, egg, meatball salt, 1/4 teaspoon thyme and pepper. Shape 24 meatballs and bake for 16 to 20 minutes until the centers reach 165°F.
  2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a wide saucepan over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes until browned. Retain 1 tablespoon fat in the pan with the bacon, discard excess and add mushrooms and pearl onions; cook for 8 minutes until mushrooms brown.
  3. Stir in tomato paste for 1 minute, add red wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add broth, bay leaf and remaining thyme and return to a simmer.
  4. Transfer hot sauce and hot meatballs to a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours, turning gently once. Whisk cornstarch with slurry water, fold into the sauce and cover on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes until thickened and meatball centers remain at least 165°F.
  5. During the final 15 minutes, boil noodles in a large pot of water seasoned with noodle-water salt for 7 to 9 minutes, or the package time, until tender. Drain and toss with butter.
  6. Remove the bay leaf. Divide noodles among 6 bowls and add 4 meatballs, mushrooms, pearl onions, bacon and wine gravy to each serving.