Diary of a Chef · Just Chefn Around

Coq au Vin

2 hours · 4 servings

By Diary of a Chef

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 lb whole chicken legs
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 6 oz thick-cut bacon, 1/2-in dice
• 1 lb small button mushrooms
• 3/4 lb shallots, halved (or 1 white onion, chunked)
• 3/4 lb carrots, peeled, 2-in pieces
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 bottle (750 ml) Pinot Noir
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 5 parsley sprigs
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley (finish)
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

1. 1Bacon

   Render until crisp; remove, leave the fat.

2. 2Brown the chicken

   In the bacon fat until deep golden. Remove.

3. 3Butter + mushrooms

   Add the butter; brown the mushrooms until they've wept and re-dried with color.

4. 4Shallots

   In and stirred.

5. 5Carrots

   In and stirred.

6. 6Garlic

   Fragrant only.

7. 7Tomato paste

   Darkened and sticky.

8. 8Flour

   Sprinkled over; stirred until the raw-flour smell cooks out.

9. 9Deglaze

   Wine added slowly, scraping and letting it come together between additions; then the broth.

10. 10Braise

    Chicken, bacon, and herbs back in; covered; 350°F oven until the chicken is deeply tender.

11. 11Reduce

    Chicken and vegetables out; sauce simmered until it reaches nappe — coats a spoon in a dark, glossy layer. Everything reunited; chopped parsley over the top.