For the Love of...: ...Coq au Vin (Red Wine Braised Chicken)

Chicken is a meat that can be bland and dry if not cooked right.  This recipe ensures that the chicken is moist and flavourful.  Coq au Vin is a traditional slow-cooking French dish that has the chicken braise in typically red wine (can vary depending on the region of France you're in), bacon, mushrooms, onions and herbs (in our case, thyme and sage).

Ingredients:

-1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (free range/organic if possible)
-Half bottle of red wine (burgundy or another red of your choice-the better the quality of wine the better it will taste)
-2 cups chicken stock
-1 onion, roughly chopped or use 1 cup of pearl onions
-2 large carrots, roughly chopped
-3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
-5 slices of bacon
-2 cups button mushrooms
-2 tbsp thyme
-2 tbsp sage 
-3 tbsp flour
-2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped for garnish
-Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.  Heat a heavy-bottom oven proof pot over medium-high heat and fry bacon until crisp.  Set aside.

2. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.  In the same pot, fry the chicken until golden brown on all sides.  Set aside.

3. Add the onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms, thyme, sage and fry for approximately 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. 

4. Add the flour to the vegetables and fry to cook out the raw flour taste for approximately 3-4 minutes.

5. Add the red wine and chicken stock, stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens.

6. Add the chicken and half the parsley into the pot and braise in the oven for approximately one hour.  

7.  Remove the chicken pieces and reduce the sauce/vegetable mix over a medium heat to your desired consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Replace the chicken in the pot and serve with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Enjoy!