Tender chicken braised in red wine with onions, mushrooms, and smoky bacon delivers rich, aromatic flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Protein & Main
01 - 1 whole chicken (3.3 lbs), cut into 8 pieces
02 - 5.3 oz smoked bacon or pancetta, diced
→ Vegetables
03 - 7 oz pearl onions, peeled
04 - 8.8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
05 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Liquids
07 - 3.2 cups dry red wine (e.g., Burgundy or Pinot Noir)
08 - 1 cup chicken stock
→ Pantry & Herbs
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Method:
01 - Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season evenly with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, brown chicken pieces in batches until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
04 - Add sliced carrots, pearl onions, and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and flour, cooking for 1 minute to remove raw flour taste.
06 - Return chicken and bacon to the pot. Add red wine, chicken stock, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Scrape up browned bits from the bottom to incorporate flavor.
07 - Bring mixture to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 1.5 hours until chicken is tender.
08 - While braising chicken, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté mushrooms until browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
09 - Remove lid from Dutch oven during last 15 minutes of cooking to reduce sauce slightly. Stir in sautéed mushrooms and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
10 - Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs before serving. Serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh parsley.
