Tender chicken braised slowly with red wine, mushrooms, pearl onions, and smoky bacon infused flavors.
# What You Need:
→ Protein & Main
01 - 1 whole chicken (approx. 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 - 2 1/2 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
# Directions:
01 - Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - Using 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 vegetables are lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and all-purpose flour, cooking for 1 minute to remove raw flour taste.
06 - Return chicken and bacon to the pot. Pour in red wine and chicken stock. Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen browned bits.
07 - Bring contents to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender.
08 - While chicken braises, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté mushrooms until browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
09 - Remove lid from the pot for the final 15 minutes of cooking to allow sauce to reduce slightly. Stir in sautéed mushrooms and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
10 - Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Serve hot, optionally garnished with fresh parsley.
