Monday, February 9, 2009

Coq au Vin

So it's really rare that I have chicken with skin and bones in my house. But Saturday night, I wanted to make some Smoky Mexican Chicken for Chicken Enchiladas. Boneless Skinless Chicken was not on sale that day, but Bone-In, Skin-On split breasts were buy one get one free. I figured... no one but me will have to mess with skin and bones and it won't be so bad. I bought one and got one free.

I had considered just cooking up both packages, but then I knew that I'd be eating shredded Mexican chicken all week. Which is totally cool with me. But my family might get a little bored. So I just used one pack of chicken.

Fast forward a whole day to Sunday. What should I make for dinner?? Hmmmm... I have those chicken breasts, they aren't frozen, I don't feel like going to the store or thawing something different, it's gonna be chicken... WITH skin & bones!

I could have fried it. (Hey! why didn't I think of that yesterday??!!)

Anyway... somehow Coq au Vin popped into my head.

I ended up on an Ina Garten recipe. It's only slightly adapted, as I left out the cognac. If I'd had some, I would have added it, but I didn't.

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Coq au Vin
1/4 lb bacon
3 lbs chicken pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound carrots, (I just cut some faux baby carrots)
1 yellow onion, sliced (I used a white one)
3 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 bottle (375 ml) Zinfindel (It called for Burgundy... this is what I had... wine review to follow!)
1 C chicken stock
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat oven to 275F

Pat dry and season chicken with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon until lightly browned and removed to plate.
Brown chicken on all sides in Dutch oven. When nicely browned, remove to plate with bacon.
Add sliced onions (not pearl onions) and carrots to pan and cook until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
Add chicken and bacon and any juices on the plate back to the pan.
Pour in wine, chicken stock and thyme. Bring to a simmer.
Cover Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid and put in preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Then removed pot from the oven and put it back on the stove.
Mash together 1 TBLS butter and flour to make a paste and add to pot. Add frozen pearl onions.
In a skillet, saute mushrooms in remaining tablespoon of butter until browned and add to pot.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes.
Enjoy!!!

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Ok... so here we go!

Season the chicken.
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Cook the bacon.
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Now brown the chicken breasts in the bacon fat.
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Ok... bacon & chicken... cooked & browned and set aside.
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In go the carrots & onions... then garlic.
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Yum!
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Now time to add the meat back to the pot.
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And the wine, chicken stock and thyme.
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Covered and into the oven!
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Mash the butter & flour
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Stir that in.
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Add the onions
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Saute those lovely mushrooms.
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Add the mushrooms to the pot.
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Simmer that for 10 more minutes.
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And it's dinner time!!!
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I served it with mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes.

I think next time I make this, I'd add the mushrooms & onions half way through the oven time. They would really benefit from being in that yummy wine sauce longer.

You know... growing up, my mom used to make chicken in her electric frying pan with red wine. I've asked her for the recipe and she doesn't remember it at all! I LOVED it! She made it often. I guess it wasn't a favorite for her. Most people have suggested it was Coq au Vin. It probably was her quick weeknight dinner version of this. The flavors were really similar and I could see how you could easily do it in an electric skillet. So Mum... I'm now calling your chicken... Coq au Vin! (which it technically was)

Oh.. and a note... although my chicken didn't turn purple (mum's never did either) unless you get a good sear (and maybe even if you do) your chicken could turn purple from the wine. Just a common comment I noticed when looking at different Coq au Vin recipes. So if you try this and your chicken is purple, don't be alarmed! It's perfectly normal.

This was a great dinner! And my family didn't complain about the bones & skin...

ok... they didn't complain too much!

16 comments:

Donna-FFW said...

I am so glad to know this recipe is worth it. I've had it marked for a long time in my cookbook. I will be putting thi on that neverending list of things to try. I love all your pictures!

What's Cookin Chicago said...

Looks like a fabulous meal!

Bob said...

I bet your house smelled wicked good while that was cooking! I saw a recipe for it a while back in Cooks Illustrated and was toying with trying it out. Now I want to much more.

Spryte said...

Donna & Joelen... thanks!!!

Bob... you can smell whatever I'm cooking in the kitchen up on the 2nd floor... and it smelled awesome!

Reeni said...

It looks wonderful!! I have been wanting to make this for so long. Yeah, I bet the smell was fabulous.

Mom on the Run said...

This looks great! My husband loves when I cook chicken on the bone.

I might have to give this a try!

pam said...

Hey Spryte, this is Mar. This looks great. You can't go wrong with an Ina Garten recipe tho. At first I thought your potatoes were scrambled eggs!!
Purple chicken wouldn't fly (no pun intended LOL) around here.

Elizabeth said...

I love Coq Au Vin! I made it once, but it has been almost a year. Your recipe has me wanting it again - and soon!!!!

Shane T. Wingerd said...

Ya know I have always wanter to make Coq au Vin, but most of the recipes I have seen take forever... I am definitely going to have to try this one... Thanks Spryte!! It looks mouth-wateringly delicious!!

Tangled Noodle said...

Your step-by-step photos made me so hungry for this dish! The end result looks so appetizing and your tips at the end were really helpful (especially with regard to possibly purple chicken). Nicely done!

Spryte said...

Thanks so much guys!!

And Mar... thanks for coming by!!!

Michele said...

I've been wanting to try this for a long time but thought it would be a pain in the butt but you make it look so easy! I've got to try it! I wonder if my le crueset can go in the oven...i think it can.

Spryte said...

It was really easy!

Jude said...

Gotta love chicken recipes that start with bacon. Looks like an great version of the classic.

Spryte said...

Yeah... everything's better with bacon!!

The Yuca Diaries said...

This looks delish! I want to grab a fork and taste it right now.