Coq Au Vin with Rosemary and Thyme

My take on the classic French dish. I loved to experiment and didn't follow a recipe. I know the main idea was braising chicken in wine, and you need to flavor to your tastes. Thyme and rosemary always go great with chicken, and bacon...well it's bacon. My favorite side dish is mashed potatoes and French/Italian bread to soak up the juices. One time I forgot I didn't have potatoes, so on the fly I shredded the chicken, tossed the bones, and we had a great soup/stew on a cold night. A lot of flavor with very little work. Enjoy.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 531 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 cups dry white wine
• ½ pound bacon, chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic, or more to taste
• 1 cup chicken stock, or more as needed
• 6 chicken thighs, or more to taste
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms, or to taste (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cook and stir bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving bacon grease in skillet.

Step 2

Place chicken thighs in the bacon grease and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add shallots, thyme, rosemary, and garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Sprinkle bacon over chicken mixture and pour in wine; simmer until wine is slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and enough chicken stock to almost cover chicken. Cover skillet and simmer for 35 minutes; taste broth and adjust seasoning. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink near the bone, about 10 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Step 4

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour and cook until a thick paste forms, about 1 minute. Whisk paste into chicken mixture until sauce is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.