It makes for a great dinner party as it can feed plenty, depending on how many chicken pieces you add in, and what size pot you have.
I normally do 8 pieces: 4 legs, 4 thighs but last night I had 4 wings, 2 thighs, 2 legs... and too much wine to drink...
After making this dish a couple times, I've found what works for me, and here it is:
(Remember to set aside about an hour or more for cooking.)
Recipe:
-Olive oil
-8 chicken pieces
-12 baby onions peeled, whole
-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
-Half a pack of rindless back bacon, chopped roughly (This can be left out if anti-pork punters are around)
-Half a 250g tub of white or brown mushrooms, halved or quartered (You can use a whole tub if you wish)
-A 750ml bottle of red wine – pinotage, merlot or a bourdeaux blend works well (not the cheap and nasty stuff mind you, or else your dish will come out cheap and nasty)
-1 cup of chicken stock
-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
-Fresh thyme
-Bay leaves
-Salt and pepper
Step 1:
Heat oil in a large pot and brown chicken pieces. Once slightly golden, remove and set aside
Step 2:
In same pot, add a touch more oil and the whole baby onions. Watch that they don't burn. Add the bacon and garlic, and stir until bacon is cooked, but still soft.
Step 3:
Add the chicken back into the pot, plus the mushrooms. Pour in the wine and the chicken stock, and make sure the meat is basically all covered. Add the balsamic vinegar, a few sprigs of thyme and about 5 Bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, and bring the pot to a rapid boil.
Step 4:
Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the pot and let simmer for a further 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5:
Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Bring the sauce to a rapid boil and reduce by about half, adding a bit of thickener if desired (cornflour).
Step 6:
Add the chicken back to the sauce and let simmer for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with thyme.
I served mine last night with Basmati rice and grilled courgettes, but it also goes beautifully with buttery mash and green beans.
Comments
"Amy, I simply adore coq au vin - an absolute favourite! I've also tried to make it with white wine, and it works well. I actually also tried it once with whole pork neck instead of chicken pieces, and it was divine!! The combo of wine, garlic, onions, bacon, mushrooms are simply infallible. :)"