Coq Au Vin

Prep time 5 mins Cook time 45 mins Total time 50 mins One of France's most popular dishes, Coq Au Vin is a flavorful braise of chicken cooked with red wine, bacon, mushrooms, and onions. : The Daring Gourmet, Cuisine: French Serves: 4 Ingredients 3 tbs olive oil 4 chicken thighs and 4 drumsticks, skin intact, sprinkled with salt and pepper 4 oz thick-sliced bacon, diced 4 medium shallots, halved (or one small yellow onion, quarted and then halved again) 2 cloves garlic, minced 8 oz white button mushrooms, quartered 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups dry red wine 1 cup chicken stock 2 teaspoons tomato paste ½ teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf 1 package (13 oz) egg noodles, cooked according to package directions Instructions In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and fry on both sides until nicely browned, about 4 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcrowd and fry in batches if necessary. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with aluminum foil. Add bacon and fry until done. Add the shallots to the bacon and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms have released their juices and they are soft, another 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a plate and set aside. Heat the butter in the Dutch oven then whisk in the flour, whisking until the mixture becomes a rich golden brown. Whisk in the wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, deglazing the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomato paste and add the thyme and bay leaf. Return the chicken to the pot and cover. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken shows no sign of pink when the thickest parts are cut into. Return the bacon/onion/mushroom mixture to the pot with the chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chicken over the noodles with the sauce spooned over it.