Peppered Moon

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Coq Au Vin Blan

Recipe:  Coq Au Vin Blanc

Yields 4-6 servings

  • 1/4 lb slab bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces or pre cut pancetta bits

  • 2 small onions, peeled and roughly chopped

  • 2 medium shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

  • 10 chicken thighs, with skin and bone

  • 1lb cremini mushrooms, cut in half

  • 2 or 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (or finely grated on a microplane)

  • 1/2 bunch chopped Italian parsley (divided into 2 portions)

  • 1 bunch chopped tarragon (divided into 2 portions)

  • 1 bottle dry white, like Chenin Blanc wine

  • Sea Salt & Fresh Black Pepper

PREHEAT OVEN TO 385

  1. Heat large oven proof deep sauté pan or dutch oven over medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Lower heat.  

  2. Add bacon, and cook until most of the fat has been rendered. 

  3. Add onions & shallots and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. 

  4. Remove pan from heat.

  5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mixture to plate, leaving behind fat as possible.

  6. Return pan to medium high heat, and heat bacon fat for 3 minutes. 

  7. Working in batches brown chicken on both sides, starting with SKIN side first, transferring to a plate after they are browned (do not put on a paper towel, as you want the juices that flow from the chicken to add back to the pan).

  8. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add mushrooms, garlic.  Sauté until mushrooms about 3 minutes until they are coated in fat and just start to change.  

  9. Add 1/2 of the parsley and 1/2 of the tarragon. 

  10. Return chicken pieces, onions and bacon to pan. Add wine, a 1/4 tsp Salt & Pepper, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Turn of heat.  

  11. Cover and cook in oven for 1 hour.  Taste for salt after an 1 hour, IF salted properly the braising liquid should taste like chicken broth & mushrooms.  If you are not getting this flavor, add a little more salt.

  12. To serve add remaining parsley and tarragon. AND a little butter would give this a great finish but not necessary.

  13. This dish freezes well.  For best results, cool in pan for 15 minutes then refrigerate to cool completely before freezing