Coq Au Vin

The great thing about provincial cooking is that the recipes are very forgiving.  I have made this with white  or red wine.  I have used mashed potatoes,  pasta or my family's favorite rice as the starch.  Sometimes my recipe depends on what is in the fridge and pantry.  

INGREDIENTS:

6 Strips of  good quality thick sliced bacon (rough chopped)

1 Frying chicken (you can cut the pieces yourself and save money or buy a pre-cut whole chicken)

1/2 cup flour

1 Medium onion chopped or 12 cipollini onions    

1-2 cloves garlic

3 Carrots (peeled and chopped)

3 Cups mushrooms (cleaned and sliced)

1 Cup chicken stock

3 Cups red wine 

2 Bay leaves

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbsp. herbes de provence

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet,  cook the bacon until fat is rendered and bacon slightly crispy.  Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside.  Wash and dry the chicken.  Dredge chicken in flour (lightly coat by rolling chicken in flour).  Brown the chicken in the rendered fat of the bacon on medium high heat.   Do not cook the chicken through,  you are just looking for a nice brown color on the outside.  Remove chicken from the skillet and reduce heat to medium.  Add olive oil and saute onions and carrots until onions are translucent.  Add wine to deglaze the pan.  Add chicken,  mushrooms, chicken stock, garlic bay leaves and herbes de provence.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook approximately 30 minutes or until chicken is don and flavors have blended.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.  Serve over rice,  mashed potatoes or linguine type pasta.

If you do not have a large enough skillet for the chicken and the liquids,  follow the recipe to the point the pan is deglazed.  In a large dutch oven,  place the chicken and all the other ingredients.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.