Recipe :: Weeknight Coq Au Vin

Last week I had a couple of girlfriends over for a Parisian evening.  We ate French cheese, drank French wine, listened to French music, talked about France, and ate French food.  My friend brought over the most delicious Potato Dauphinoise for our side, and for our main dish I decided to take a stab at making Coq Au Vin.  It paired perfectly with the potatoes and I served it with some big homemade croutons to soak up all the delicious wine sauce.  The traditional Coq Au Vin uses mostly chicken legs and thighs, but since I prefer white meat and had a few organic chicken breasts in the fridge I used those instead.  I will admit, that it turned out to be so delicious I didn't even have time to photograph it!

Weeknight Coq Au Vin
Serves 5-6

INGREDIENTS
4 slices turkey bacon {optional}
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts - halved
1/2 cup flour
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups pearl onions, peeled
2 cups mushrooms
4 large carrots, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 bottle Burgundy wine {if you can't find, Pinot Noir will do}
2 cups chicken broth
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
3 bay leaves
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large Dutch oven, fry the turkey bacon bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Coat chicken pieces in flour, salt and pepper. Brown chicken in hot bacon fat and butter on both sides.

Add garlic, onions, mushrooms and carrots.  Sauté 2 minutes to soften.  Gradually stir in the wine and broth. When the wine is well blended, add the herbs. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove cover and continue to simmer for 15 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce a bit. You may want to add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste or cornstarch to aid in the thickening process.

To serve, top the chicken and vegetables with reserved crumbled bacon, fresh parsley, and {optional} homemade croutons.

Image via Food Network