Classic Coq au Vin Recipe: Chef John's Take

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 8 ounces bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 10 large button mushrooms, quartered
• 0.5 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1.5 cups red wine
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides.
2. In a large, oven-safe skillet, sauté the bacon over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until it's evenly browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
3. Increase the skillet heat to high and place the chicken thighs, skin-side down, into the hot bacon fat. Cook the chicken until nicely browned, about 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the browned chicken to a clean plate; drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the skillet.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-high; add the mushrooms, onion, and shallots to the hot skillet with a pinch of salt. Sauté until the vegetables are golden brown and caramelized, approximately 7 to 12 minutes.
5. Stir in the flour and butter to the skillet with the vegetable mixture until everything is fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
6. Pour the red wine into the skillet and bring it to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the cooked bacon and fresh thyme sprigs; simmer until the wine has reduced by about 1/3, around 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and return the chicken thighs to the skillet; bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
7. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear, approximately 30 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, near the bone, should register 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving platter.
8. Place the skillet back over high heat on the stovetop and reduce the pan juices, skimming off any excess fat from the surface as needed, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper; remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Pour the rich sauce generously over the chicken and serve immediately.

Nutrition

• Calories: 255 kcal
• Fat Content: 19 g
• Fiber Content: 1 g
• Sodium Content: 523 mg
• Protein Content: 6 g
• Cholesterol Content: 30 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 5 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g