Coq Au Vin Blanc

It's summer so it calls for a lighter version of the red wine classic.  This was recipe I watched on "The Chew", a t.v. show now long gone - I never made it, but tailored it to me, and now it's time to give it a try...

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound thick bacon (cut into lardons)
• 3 lbs bone in, skin on chicken thighs
• 1 Walla Walla onion (peeled, medium dice)
• 4 carrots (cut into 1-inch pieces on a bias)
• 2 ribs of celery (sliced)
• 3 cloves garlic (peeled, sliced)
• 4 thyme sprigs  (leaves stripped off)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 cups organic low sodium "Better than Bouillon" chicken stock
• 400 grams cremini mushrooms (halved)
• 10 shallots, peeled and roasted in olive oil with thyme
• 2 tablespoons tarragon (chopped)
• 2 bay leaves
• Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Preheat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.  Add the bacon and cook until browned and crisp.

Remove and set aside.

Drain most of the fat out of the pan, there will be a lot.  Pat the chicken really dry with paper towels and season with S&P.

Add the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven skin side down and cook until golden brown and crisp. Flip to sear the chicken on the other side, about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan to a plate.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan, then add the onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, and thyme. 

Add the butter and flour and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and caramelize then add the wine, bay leaves and shallots.   Reduce the wine by 1/3 and add the chicken stock and bacon. Add the chicken pieces back in, skin side up, and bring to a simmer.

Cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.  Stir in tarragon and cook until warmed through then serve, garnished with parsley.  I made some heirloom Charleston Gold brown rice for the starch of the dish.  

Ah-mazingly fantastic!!!  It reminded me of smothered chicken.  So much flavor in the sauce and it really sang to me - drinkable slurp it up stuff.  The rice was incredible and sopped the gravy so well.  The chicken was melt in your mouth, the carrots tender-crisp, the mushrooms playing so well in the background.  Pretty much perfection.  It's a weekend dish as far as prep goes, but I was lucky enough to work at home today, so got a good start on it by not having to commute home - mise en place while on my lunch.  Oh and finally, a big shout out to tarragon!  Loved it in here.