Description
A comforting dish featuring tender chicken simmered in red wine with mushrooms and bacon, resulting in a rich sauce perfect for cozy meals.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
- 4 cups red wine (dry, full-bodied)
- 1 cup chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (cremini or button)
- 1 onion, chopped (yellow or sweet)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, sliced on the bias
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 ounces bacon or lardons, diced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- 1–2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Pat chicken pieces dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, leaving fat in the pan.
- Increase heat to medium-high and brown chicken pieces for 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium, add butter if needed, and sauté onions, garlic, and carrots for 4–5 minutes until softened.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and chicken. Stir to coat and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with red wine and chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Stir in tomato paste.
- Add chicken back to the pot with reserved bacon, mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours until chicken is tender.
- Skim excess fat, remove thyme and bay leaves, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving hot.
Notes
For a lighter flavor, use white wine instead of red. Pancetta can replace bacon, and for a gluten-free option, use a cornstarch slurry instead of flour.