Weeknight Coq au Vin with Chicken Thighs & Cremini Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 2 lb bone-in Chicken Thighs
• 4 oz bacon lardons
• 8 oz Cremini Mushrooms, halved
• 12 pearl onions, peeled (or 1 onion, in wedges)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1½ tbsp flour
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Crisp the lardons in a Dutch oven and set aside. Season the Chicken Thighs and brown it deeply in the bacon fat, 5 minutes per side.
2. Remove the Chicken Thighs, then brown the Cremini Mushrooms and pearl onions until golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
3. Return the Chicken Thighs and lardons, pour in the wine and stock, and add the thyme and bay leaf. Simmer partly covered on low 40–45 minutes, until the Chicken Thighs reads 175°F (79°C) and is nearly falling from the bone.
4. Mash the butter and flour into a paste, then whisk it into the simmering liquid bit by bit until the sauce turns glossy and coats a spoon.
5. Fish out the herbs, season, and serve over mashed potatoes or with bread — the sauce is the trophy.