French Coq au Vin with Mushrooms and Red Wine

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 cup olive oil
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 2 cups red wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups mushrooms, quartered
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon thyme, dried
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 pieces bay leaves

Method

1. 01
   In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides, then remove and set aside.
2. 02
   Add the bacon to the pot and cook until crisp. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
3. 03
   Add the onions and garlic to the pot and sauté until the onions are translucent.
4. 04
   Stir in the flour and tomato paste, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. 05
   Return the chicken and bacon to the pot. Add the chicken stock, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
6. 06
   Cover and cook on low heat for about 1.5 hours, or until the chicken is tender.
7. 07
   In a separate skillet, melt the butter and sauté the mushrooms until golden brown. Add them to the pot in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
8. 08
   Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.