http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/coq_au_vin/ Coq au Vin Recipe Ingredients 1/2 lb bacon slices 20 pearl onions, peeled, or 1 large yellow onion, sliced 3 lbs chicken thighs and legs, excess fat trimmed, skin ON 6 garlic cloves, peeled Salt and pepper to taste 2 cups chicken stock 2 cups red wine (pinot noir, burgundy, or zinfandel) 2 bay leaves Several fresh thyme sprigs Several fresh parsley sprigs 1/2 lb button mushrooms, trimmed and roughly chopped 2 Tbsp butter Chopped fresh parsley for garnish Method 1 Blanch the bacon to remove some of its saltiness. Drop the bacon into a saucepan of cold water, covered by a couple of inches. Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, drain. Rinse in cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Cut the bacon into 1 inch by 1/4 inch pieces. 2 Brown bacon on medium high heat in a dutch oven big enough to hold the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon, set aside. Keep the bacon fat in the pan. Working in batches if necessary, add onions and chicken, skin side down. Brown the chicken well, on all sides, about 10 minutes. Halfway through the browning, add the garlic and sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. (Note: it is best to add salt while cooking, not just at the very end. It brings out the flavor of the chicken.) 3 Spoon off any excess fat. Add the chicken stock, wine, and herbs. Add back the bacon. Lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove chicken and onions to a separate platter. Remove the bay leaves, herb sprigs, garlic, and discard. 4 Add mushrooms to the remaining liquid and turn the heat to high. Boil quickly and reduce the liquid by three fourths until it becomes thick and saucy. Lower the heat, stir in the butter. Return the chicken and onions to the pan to reheat and coat with sauce. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley and serve. Serves 6. Serve with potatoes or over egg noodles. Peas make a good side for this dish. This is my take on the classic Coq Au Vin, simplified for the home cook. 1 3-4 lb fryer, cut into parts 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 slices bacon, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 1/2 cups red wine (I used a Spanish merlot) 1/2 kilo pound mushrooms, about 3 cups sliced 1/4 cup minced parsley 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Heat olive oil in large, deep skillet, saucepan or casserole over moderate heat. Add chicken pieces and saute, 5 minutes on each side, until golden all over and just cooked through, about 20 minutes total. Remove chicken from pan and pour off fat, leaving drippings behind and 1-2 tablespoons of the fat. Return chicken to pan, putting it on one side of the pan. Add the bacon on the other side of the pan and cook until the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onion to bacon and cook until limp, about 4 minutes. Add wine and deglaze, scraping off the bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate. Add mushrooms and stir well. Don't worry if it seems like you don't have enough liquid in the pan -- there's liquid in the mushrooms too. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until mushrooms and chicken are fully cooked. Stir in parsley and red wine vinegar and cook for 5 minutes more, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper.